If you’ve noticed a recent decrease in your website traffic, naturally you’ll be asking: uh, why? With all the recent changes happening in SEO thanks to AI, there is a chance zero-click searches could be to blame.
What is a zero-click search?
If you search for something and find the answer you’re looking for on the search results page, without clicking through to any other websites, you’ve done a zero-click search.
At one time, zero-click searches usually only happened for simple “what is” search queries.
However, with the rise of features such as Google’s AI overview, search engines are increasingly able to provide answers to more complex questions. This has subsequently led to a rise in zero-click searches impacting business’s website traffic.
How do AI overviews work?
When you enter an applicable search query, an AI overview will gather the most important content it can find and present a summary of it at the top of the results page. It will also cite the sources it’s used to create its answers.
However, the key thing to remember about AI overviews is they are notoriously inconsistent. If you search for something and see an article cited as a source for the AI overview, you might search the exact same thing the next day and find this source has been replaced with something else. The next day, it might be back again.
The result: more zero-click searches, less website traffic
Zero-click searches are the digital equivalent of someone coming into your shop, having a quick rummage through all the goods on offer, and leaving without another word. No purchase, no enquiry, no curiosity to delve further into your brand. A cursory look and a swift exit.
However, it’s important to bear in mind that zero-click searches generally only happen when the user is purely searching for a piece of information. (e.g. What is this? Where is this? How does this work?) Users who are searching for a product or service will still need to visit your website or premises to decide whether to use your business.
A decline in website traffic as a result of zero-click searches normally means you haven’t got enough middle of the funnel content on your website.
Middle of the funnel content
Middle of the funnel content educates users who are in the consideration stage of purchasing a product or service.
These users have, at the very least, a basic understanding of what it is they want – what they need now is to find out who can supply them with what they want, and why they should choose their business.
How to increase web traffic using EEAT
With AI overviews taking the lion’s share of informational search queries, your marketing strategy should instead focus on content that demonstrates EEAT:
- Experience
- Expertise
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
EEAT is directly recognised by Google as an important consideration the search engine takes into account when determining the relevance and quality of content – and whether a page should rank highly in search.
1. Experience and expertise
Listicles (e.g The top 5 benefits of …), case studies, think pieces on hot topics in your industry – you should aim to craft content that showcases your company’s expertise in your field. These act as giant “green flags” to searchers looking for a business that knows its stuff.
This is also where the informational content on your website will still hold immense value. Whilst the click-through rate for users coming to your website directly from purely informational search results may have dropped off, users considering using your services will be interested in this content as it demonstrates your expertise. It will reassure them that your company is experienced and dependable.
2. Authoritativeness and trustworthiness
Ensuring your business is recognised as a source of trusted authority – by both users and search engines – remains crucial to SEO.
- Reviews: Achieve positive Google reviews, and try to reply to and resolve any negative feedback.
- Technical SEO: Keep on top of your technical SEO, such as your website’s speed and performance.
- Google Business Profile: Ensure your Google Business Profile is set up properly.
- Local SEO: If you have a physical location, make sure your local SEO is correctly managed.
