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In the last couple years, AI has marketers constantly vacillating between states of euphoria and outright panic. The threat of AI-enhanced zero-click search annihilating organic traffic and laying years of SEO work to waste is the latest to move marketers into the panic camp. But does zero-click search really signal the end of SEO? Will all your organic inbound traffic evaporate one night? Will you never get to brag about your organic session growth ever again?
The short answer is no. Okay, except bragging about sessions, that’s probably out! Zero-click search (ZCS) is not the end of SEO and I’ll even say it’s the opposite. The search marketing landscape is indeed rapidly evolving, mainly driven by generative AI and Google's continued efforts to directly answer user queries within the SERP. Organic traffic will likely decrease, and marketers on the search and inbound side of the house will have to adapt their strategies and KPIs.
Some businesses like publishers, media outlets, and others that rely on ad revenue from inbound traffic may suffer from zero-click search. That’s another story altogether, and ZCS will impact every vertical differently. For the sake of brevity, we’ll focus on how it will impact B2C brands in this article.
Zero-click search is not the end of the world, it’s not the end of SEO, and it may even be a good thing for you and how you approach inbound marketing.
I’ll write this like I’m optimizing the post for SEO to prove my future point, so let’s start by defining zero-click search, or ZCS. A zero-click search occurs when a search engine like Google provides the answer directly on the search results page (SERP). Instead of seeing a short search result and clicking on a link to a website, they get the entire answer they were looking for at the top of the SERP and go on their merry way.
Google does this with AI Overviews, or AIOs, which appear at the top of the SERP. Google is not entirely transparent about when searchers will see an AIO, saying that it displays them when its “systems determine that generative responses can be especially helpful” and that “searches in the form of questions about day-to-day situations are more likely to produce AI Overviews.” Anecdotally, it appears that AIOs are presented primarily for searches with informational intent.
Searches that have transactional or commercial intent do not generally return an AIO. This means that users searching for a particular product, service, or brand will see the usual SERP with no AIO, so you don’t have to worry about it diverting high-intent buyers away from your site. Not yet, anyway.
Zero-click search is not to be confused with its cousin, zero-click content. Zero-click content is content designed to deliver value immediately without requiring the user to click an outbound link. The goal is to engage users where they are, whether on social media, search engines, or other digital platforms, rather than forcing them to leave for more information.
Social media platforms like Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, and others want to keep their users on their platform, so they make it difficult to provide outbound links in your content (hence that PITA “link-in-bio” thing) or use algorithms that downrank content in the feed when you include links.
The end of SEO is neigh and ZCS is to blame, or so the story in my content and SEO marketing-heavy LinkedIn feed goes. Many marketers are expressing concern about precipitous drops in organic traffic over the last two years, and many blame Google’s AI Overview search results (aka AIOs).
A story recently went viral about Hubspot experiencing a massive and sudden drop in organic traffic. Many marketers, myself included, view Hubspot as a search and content marketing role model. They effectively rule the B2B SEO realm, so it surprised everyone when this traffic nosedive was revealed. If this could happen to Hubspot, the rest of us mere mortals are utterly screwed, right?
Further analysis showed that Hubspot may have just spread itself too thin and shot too wide, and a recent Google search core update may have started punishing sites that don’t have tight topical authority. They could have also made internal changes to their strategy that we’re not aware of, like some effort to reduce unqualified traffic. Did AIOs hurt them, too? Possibly. Were AIOs the primary culprit? Not likely. Did that stop folks from blaming it on AI-enhanced search? Not at all.
Further fueling the flames, a recent study by Rand Fishkin—of Moz fame and the current co-founder and CEO of SparkToro—showed that about 60% of Google searches do not result in a click. On its face, this may seem like a disastrous finding that can easily be blamed on Google’s expanded rollout of AIOs that now appear at the top of many SERPs. When a searcher can get the information they need from the AIO, they don’t click through to a website (though the source is cited if they want to), organic results are pushed further down the page, and a website traffic apocalypse is the result.
The answer here is a bit more nuanced, especially considering that ZCS is not new. Snippets and knowledge boxes essentially served the same purpose—allowing searchers to find information without clicking on a search result. The AIO experience is arguably better, as it provides more expansive results. Still, given that similar features existed previously, it shouldn’t result in a precipitous drop in traffic but a more gradual erosion in click-through rates. It’s also worth noting that about 20% of searches result in another search, contributing to the zero-click total.
Organic traffic to many sites may decline, but AIOs and ZCS are not likely to be solely responsible for the drop. Increased use of gen AI tools like ChatGPT is supplanting some search engine use cases. A massive increase in AI-produced content is diluting search results. Zero-click content is keeping social searchers on their respective platforms. And consumer behavior is changing accordingly.
The bottom line is, if AIOs, generative AI, and other market forces continue to chip away at the impact of SEO and organic traffic, is there any point in doing SEO at all anymore?
We all have to live with the new zero-click search reality—organic traffic will continue to decline. AIOs will become more prevalent, generative AI-powered search will improve and become more prevalent, and consumer behavior will change alongside the technological advances. But this should in no waybe taken as a signal to stop doing SEO—we just need to do it differently.
Zero-click search isn’t one of those “this changes everything” transformations for the basic tenants of SEO, it’s more of a “this changes a few things a bit” moment. Most of the best practices you already follow still apply when it comes to showing up in AIOs and getting citations in generative AI search. These include:
Now, it’s unclear if more technical SEO best practices help get you AIOs or cites in GPT search, but you still need to stay on top of it. Many things like having good meta descriptions, descriptive URLs, keeping on top of site health and speed, and good internal linking structure will still help you rank in the regular SERP. High-quality backlinks may also remain important because they’re a critical component of EEAT (see below).
Keep in mind that many searches that drive traffic to commercial and transactional-focused websites often won’t see an AIO anyway, and many aspects of technical site health also ensure a good buyer experience, so you gotta stay on top of technical SEO no matter what.
You already practice EEAT in your content — experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. It’s Google’s way of determining whether your content is credible and worthy of ranking. But with AIOs and zero-click searches taking over, EEAT is more important than ever.
Let’s break it down. Experience means the person writing your content actually knows what they’re talking about, ideally firsthand. Expertise goes deeper — it’s about demonstrating real knowledge in your industry. Authoritativeness is how Google sees your credibility, often based on backlinks, mentions, and overall recognition. And trustworthiness is all about accuracy, transparency, and security, because if people don’t trust your content, neither will Google’s AI.
Google’s AI Overviews pull together information from multiple sources to generate instant answers right in the search results. If your site isn’t seen as a trusted, authoritative source, you’re not getting featured. That means fewer eyeballs on your brand, fewer opportunities for clicks, and an uphill battle for visibility.
If AI decides which sources to pull from, it’s going to prioritize content that’s rock-solid in EEAT. If your content is vague, lacks citations, or doesn’t come from a recognized expert, it’s probably getting left out. On the flip side, brands that consistently demonstrate authority and trust will have a better shot at showing up in these AI-generated responses.
For years, SEO success has been measured in volume — more clicks, more sessions, more new users, more better. But the impact of AIOs and zero-click search make those metrics a whole lot less meaningful. With Google answering more questions directly in search results, fewer users will actually click through to your site, especially those just looking for quick information.
At first glance, this might sound like bad news. But the silver lining is that the traffic that makes it to your website is going to be more valuable. People who are just casually searching for definitions, how-to guides, or general knowledge will get what they need from the AIO and move on. But the users who are actively considering a purchase, researching your brand, or comparing products are far more likely to click through.
This shift makes quality-based metrics like conversions, buyer intent, and engagement more important than ever. Instead of chasing raw traffic volume, marketers need to focus on how well their website turns visitors into customers.
Are people who land on your site actually taking action like filling out a form, calling to get a quote or set an appointment, or making a purchase? Are they spending time engaging with your content, or are they bouncing right away? These are the numbers that will tell you whether your SEO strategy is really working in this new landscape.
Think about it this way. AI-driven search filters out low-intent users before they ever reach your site. That means the traffic you do get is more likely to convert, but only if your website is built to capture and capitalize on that intent. Marketers should double down on conversion rate optimization (CRO), compelling CTAs, and content that speaks directly to buyers who are further down the funnel.
Zero-click search isn’t the end of organic traffic — it’s just a shift in the way we measure success. Instead of celebrating high session counts, smart marketers will focus on engaging the right visitors, optimizing for conversions, and making every click count.
Google’s AI Overviews and generative AI search don’t just regurgitate keyword-stuffed content, they aim to provide long-tail, contextually relevant answers to users' questions. If you want your brand to show up in these AI-generated summaries, you need to create content that aligns with the full intent behind the query, not just individual keywords.
But how do you figure out what your buyers actually want? You use every piece of data available, including phone calls. When people pick up the phone to call your business, they’re literally telling you, in their own words, exactly what they need. This is especially critical for high-consideration B2C industries like healthcare, home services, automotive, and telecom, where purchases are expensive, complex, and often require a conversation with a human expert before a decision is made.
AI conversation analytics and call tracking technology give you the power to capture and analyze data from real customer conversations and connect them back to your marketing platforms. Instead of determining buyer intent based on website behavior alone, you can bloster and validate that data with customer insights from phone calls to refine your content strategy, ad targeting, and sales approach.
For example, if you’re an automotive brand and you notice that callers frequently ask about financing options, that’s a strong indicator that “how to get an auto loan with bad credit” or “best financing options for SUVs” could be high-intent topics worth addressing in your content. If you're a home services provider and callers keep asking about same-day installation, that tells you urgency is a major factor in their decision-making process, so you should highlight that in your messaging.
By integrating AI-powered conversation analytics with your marketing stack, you can map real buyer intent back to your content and campaigns, ensuring that you’re not just chasing traffic, but actually attracting the right customers with the right messaging.
Relying solely on Google for organic traffic has always been risky, but with AIOs and zero-click search becoming the norm, it’s even more critical to diversify your marketing efforts.
More people — especially younger buyers — aren’t even turning to Google first when researching products or services. Instead, they’re gathering information on social media, YouTube, and other platforms. If you’re not meeting them where they are, you’re missing out on potential customers before they even enter a search query. And according to recent research published by Rand Fishkin, SparkToro’s CEO shows that for those who are using search, 30% of clicks end up on Google-owned platforms like YouTube anyway.
Think about how today’s consumers behave. Instead of typing “best skincare routine” into Google, they’re watching TikTok creators demo their favorite products. Instead of searching for “top kitchen gadgets,” they’re scrolling through Instagram reels or Pinterest boards for inspiration. And for complex purchases like cars, home services, or insurance, many are watching YouTube reviews and explainer videos long before they visit your brand’s website.
This shift means your marketing strategy needs to go beyond traditional SEO and Google rankings. Investing in social media marketing, influencer partnerships, video content, and community engagement ensures that your brand is visible where people are actually making their first impressions.
And it’s not just about awareness — these platforms drive real conversions. A well-placed YouTube how-to video can establish your authority and lead viewers directly to your website. Social media ads and organic posts can engage potential buyers before they even think to search on Google. And platforms like Reddit, Quora, and LinkedIn can position your brand as a trusted resource within niche communities.
The bottom line is that zero-click search isn’t the end of organic traffic and SEO. In fact, it’s making your SEO strategy even more central to exposing your brand to the right audience. The way we approach it and measure success is changing, but SEO is here to stay.
How to Use AI to Nail Search and Offline Buyer Intent
Why Conversation Intelligence Should Be an Essential Part of Your SEO Strategy
The State of AI in B2C Digital Marketing Report
