How to Manage Zero-Click SEO Results
Categorized in: B2B Digital Marketing, SEO
Across the board, we are seeing an increase in what’s known as “zero-click searches”, which means that there are keywords that are returning pages from websites that aren’t click through. In general, this could indicate a change in people’s search habits, but this is, at the moment, just speculation. What we do know is that this is a bit of an issue that needs to be solved for. Why aren’t people clicking through? Is there a way to navigate this? What follows is some of our thoughts about this:
Possibly Getting Information from Somewhere Else
These days, search engine results deliver more than just a list of websites and some search engine ads, like from Google Ads. There’s a lot more going on in the results page. In other words, there are other ways people might be getting the answer from elsewhere on the page, leaving the links that were returned totally unchecked.
Think about how many times you may have done this personally. In fact, most of us have. If an answer box has the information, and the information in the box is satisfactory, chances are pretty good we won’t click on any of the links. Zero-click keywords can be evidence of this.
Consider the Impact of Large Language Models (LLMs)
Large Language Models, or LLMs, are also playing a part in the zero-click keyword phenomenon. These have become increasingly more common. They have the ability to process, find, and deliver information in a usable way. They return information written in human-like language, and for the average person looking to find information, this is often preferred.
In the old way of finding information online, we basically needed to create a search, look at the search results, and click on a few of them to find what we need. LLMs are now able to deliver the information in seconds, eliminating the need to click on all the links. People could still be using search engines to perform their queries, but then after they realize there’s an easy way through an LLM, they could abandon their search query in favor of that, leaving the links un-clicked.
Adapting to This New Way of Thinking
We’ve had just enough time to witness some of these changes unfolding, but in general, time will tell exactly what needs to be done about them. Based on what we know now, here are some tips on how to navigate it:
- Authority Content. Stick to writing authority content that is very structured in its layout. Think subheadings, bullet points, and really tight, focused information. This content will position you as an authority while also increasing your chances of getting picked up
- Ask Questions. When people use AI LLMs, or read content delivered on the search engine page, chances are pretty good they had asked a question. Adjust your content slightly to include some questions.
There are no universal truths on how to adjust your writing, at least not yet. When possible, make your own observations using data and what you’re seeing. Most of us have been adapting to this new way of thinking without realizing it. Keeping our eyes open can help us naturally adapt our content, SEO, and our digital marketing, too.
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