A World of Zero Clicks
According to a new study by SparkToro CEO Rand Fishkin, nearly 60% of all Google searches end without a single click. Specifically, 58.5% in the U.S. are what we now call zero-click searches. That means users are either satisfied with the information presented directly on the search engine results page (SERP) or they reformulate their query without clicking any links.
This evolution represents a fundamental change in the way people interact with search. For businesses relying on Google organic search results to drive traffic, this is more than a data point—it’s a wake-up call.
Why Zero Clicks Matter
The concept of Google zero click searches isn't new, but its scale in 2024 is unprecedented. It’s not just a shift in user behavior—it’s a shift in Google's business model and how the web functions.
During the recent Google antitrust trial, it was revealed that clicks do affect rankings, a significant admission that adds weight to every click—or the lack thereof. Clickstream data from Datos (via Semrush) shows that if a user never clicks, the opportunity to deliver value, convert, or engage is entirely lost.
However, it’s also important to note that not all zero-click users were ever potential customers. As technical SEO consultant Pedro Dias pointed out, many of these users were just looking for quick answers—not in-depth resources or products.
The Rise of Google's Internal Empire
Alongside the rise in zero-click activity, the study found that nearly 30% of all clicks in the U.S. go to Google-owned properties like YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Images. These internal destinations—Google properties—have become central to the Google ecosystem, serving both users and Google’s bottom line.
- YouTube is the go-to platform for how-to videos, product reviews, and entertainment.
- Google Maps handles local search intent, from finding restaurants to navigating to a service provider.
- Google Images provides instant visual answers that eliminate the need for clicking through to a website.
In each case, Google isn't just pointing the way—it’s the destination.
While some argue that directing users to Google properties is a natural evolution, it raises questions about fairness and competition. When Google expands into verticals like travel, jobs, or product listings, it begins to crowd out third-party websites, effectively capturing user intent—and revenue—that once flowed freely across the open web.
But Are Users Getting What They Want?
In defense of the current state of search, some industry experts suggest the shift toward zero clicks and internal Google destinations isn't necessarily a bad thing.
If a user searches for “weather in Chicago” and gets the forecast at the top of the SERP, do they really need to visit a weather website? If someone searches “restaurant near me” and gets directions via Google Maps, is the absence of a website click a failure?
From this perspective, Google zero click searches can be seen as a success in user experience design. Google has become exceptionally good at understanding intent and delivering quick, useful answers—often without requiring users to take additional steps.
But for businesses and publishers, it’s a more complicated picture. If your entire strategy revolves around Google organic search results, then fewer clicks means fewer opportunities.
What's Left for the Open Web?
Despite these shifts, the open web isn’t dead—it’s just fighting for a smaller slice of the pie. For every 1,000 Google searches in the U.S., about 360 clicks go to the open web.
In the U.S. alone, more than 3 billion daily clicks still go to the open web. That’s more than any other search engine or answer engine in the world can claim.
So yes, the ecosystem has shifted. But there’s still significant value in ranking well in Google organic search results. It’s just no longer the only game in town—and it’s certainly not as predictable as it once was.
Enter AI Overviews: A New Layer of Complexity
In May 2024, Google officially rolled out AI Overviews (previously known as the Search Generative Experience). The study noted a slight increase in desktop search usage after the launch, but a notable decrease in mobile searches, suggesting that AI Overviews may not yet deliver the kind of seamless experience users expect on smaller screens.
Google claims that AI Overviews enhance the search experience and increase overall usage, although no public data has been provided to validate those claims.
Regardless of whether AI Overviews ultimately succeed or fail, their presence represents a continued move toward Google acting as the curator of answers rather than the conduit to them.
The Implications for Marketers and Businesses
What does all this mean for marketers, brands, and publishers?
- Rethink Your SEO Strategy: Zero-click and low-click environments demand new tactics—like optimizing for visibility in rich snippets, knowledge panels, and Google’s own platforms.
- Leverage Google Properties: Create content that’s optimized for platforms like YouTube and Google Maps. If users are staying within Google properties, meet them there.
- Focus on Brand and Experience: Invest in brand recognition, storytelling, and user satisfaction—not just technical SEO.
- Diversify Traffic Sources: Look beyond Google for visibility, using social media, email, and alternative search engines or AI platforms.
A New Reality, Not a Death Sentence
The new Google ecosystem isn't the end of search—it’s a redefinition. Yes, Google zero click searches are on the rise. Yes, Google properties dominate more clicks than ever. And yes, the share of traffic going to the open web via Google organic search results is declining.
But that doesn’t mean the game is over. It just means the rules have changed.
Understanding how to operate within this ecosystem—whether through AI-optimized content, Google Maps optimization, or YouTube SEO—can still drive results. It just requires a more nuanced and agile approach.
In a world where Google increasingly answers its own questions, the real opportunity lies in becoming the source Google turns to when building those answers.
Key Takeaways:
- Nearly 60% of searches end in zero clicks.
- About 30% of all clicks go to Google properties.
- Only 36% of clicks go to the open web via Google organic search results.
- AI Overviews add new complexity and uncertainty.
- Businesses must adapt by diversifying strategies and embracing the new reality.
