Consumers in today’s day and age expect search results to provide the information they’re looking for quickly.

The average attention span of a millennial consumer is about twelve seconds and a Gen Z consumer is only eight seconds. Everyone seems to be on the go and doesn’t have time to click through multiple websites to find the information they need.

In response to this, Google has started to show zero-click searches (sometimes called no click searches) more often to showcase information about businesses or answer simple questions that consumers commonly have without needing to click on a website.

What Percentage of Searches are Zero Click?

In 2022 roughly 57% of searches conducted on Google ended in the search results without a user clicking to a website.

What Are Zero Click Searches?

A zero-click search is an answer to a searcher’s question located at the top of the search engine results page (SERP), so they don’t need any further information that would be gained by clicking the link. Again, these are ideal for simple questions that require a simple answer. Different types of zero-click search results appear on Google. There are a few you are actually able to optimize your site for.

Featured Snippet

These are the brief bits of text from which the answer to a user query is pulled. It’s called “Position Zero” because it’s placed above the #1 spot on Google’s search engine results page. Featured snippets will be things such as lists, short “how-to” explanations or more descriptive definitions to queries that start with “What is…?” and they generally include:

• A quote, list, or definition
• A link to the page
• Page title
• URL of the page

 

Instant Answer

An instant answer result is precisely what you think it is, the answer you are looking for right away. These are great for fairly simple questions that need a quick answer, such as settling an argument or a bet.

 

Maps

Have you ever looked for a particular place or location in an area? Your first result will usually be a map – particularly a Google Map. This is because if you do need to click something, it will keep you on a Google product.

 

Knowledge Panel Graph

You’ll see the knowledge panel on the right-hand side of search results pages in Google. They appear when you search for entities (people, places, organizations, things) and contain information about the query considered to be factual by Google.

 

Google Business Profile Listings

The main goal of setting up a Google Business Profile listing is to drive traffic to your website, but nowadays, your GBP listing can be considered your new homepage on Google. It gives people a detailed look at your business without visiting another website. Yes, directions and calls are considered “zero click” because, in doing so, you are not leaving Google.

 

How to Optimize for Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are important because they allow you to attain more organic traffic without creating new content or backlinks. Featured snippets are usually won by those pages that are already ranking on page 1.

So, to rank for featured snippets, you will first need to identify high-potential opportunities and then create a step-by-step plan to update your relevant pages to win them.

A simple way to find these opportunities is to follow three simple steps.

• Create a ranking report for relevant keywords.
• Filter by keywords that are currently ranking between positions 1 and 10.
• Filter out those keywords that are already displaying featured snippets.

What’s left is your high potential for winning the featured snippet.

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Not only for zero click searches but also for local searches, your GBP will be your business’s most viewed asset. Keeping your Google Business Profile listing optimized and updated is crucial to your online presence.

Claim your Google Business Profile Listing

The first and arguably most important step is to claim your listing. Without claiming your listing, you can never optimize it. You do need a Google account to do this.

Choose the Correct Business Categories

Categories describe your business and connect you to customers searching for what you offer or do. By choosing the proper categories for your GBP, you are increasing your chances of appearing for the results you want to show up for. You can select a primary and secondary category for your business. Remember that your primary category should describe your overall business as it is the most important for search.

Add a Phone Number

Pretty self-explanatory. People need to reach you. With a telephone number on your Google Business Profile, reaching you will be easier for potential customers.

Add a Link to Your Website

If someone lands on your Google Business Profile listing looking for more information, they will most likely want to visit your website. Certain GBP listings can add other links, such as appointment and menu links.

Pro tip: add UTM tracking to all of the links on your GBP

Add Photos to Your Google Business Profile Listing

A picture truly is worth a thousand words and can convey characteristics of your business that text cannot.

You should use high-quality photos on your GBP that reflect your professionalism and business personality. This is a great way to encourage virtual visitors to get to know you and your business.

Get Reviews and Reply to Them

Consider this momentarily: how often do you check reviews online? If potential customers are interested in working with you, reviews on your GBP can be a great way to build trust before interacting with your business. Not only do reviews help people get an idea of what it would be like to work with you, but they also help your GBP page rankings.

No matter if the review is good or bad, always respond. Positive responses can help build loyalty and trust of your brand. Remember to always respond in your brand voice and stay respectable and professional. Remember to apply this while addressing negative reviews. Don’t ignore them. Turn things around by listening and addressing the issues raised.

Do Ranking and SEO Still Matter?

ABSOLUTELY! 

Over 90 percent of snippets and position zero results are pulled from page one of the search results. After all, that’s what Google considers the most relevant, high-quality information for the query. If you want to show up in a snippet, you need to show up on page 1, and that means a strong SEO strategy is essential.

A lot of these zero-click searches are for simple answers and information. For example, “Who wrote Romeo & Juliet” or “How long has Aaron Rodgers been in the NFL?” can be answered in these little blocks at the top of the page and satisfy a user’s query. However, suppose they need a service or have to troubleshoot something, for example, an issue with their garage door. In that case, a snippet isn’t cutting it, and they will need to visit a website to get the best information and possibly contact a professional.

Do You Need Help Getting Your Website More Visible?

Suppose you need help with your SEO, optimizing your current website for zero-click searches or have additional questions about this article. In that case, the digital marketing experts at Rhoads Creative can help! Reach out to us online or give us a call at 610-430-8141.