While Google is constantly evolving, one thing has remained constant: Google is king. The reason for this is not as obvious as it may seem; it’s not because Google is bigger, it’s because it’s better.Users trust Google to not just get them the right answer, but quickly, and this relationship with the end user and their valuation of it is one of the driving factors as to why Google will continue to dominate the search space: they are constantly shifting and adapting to the end users’ needs.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:
What is a Zero Click Search
Examples of Zero Click Search
How to Adjust Strategy
What is a zero-click search?
A Zero-click search happens when Google can answer a search or allow the user to take an intended action without leaving their search environment. Generally resulting in zero-clicks to any websites and a reduction in traffic. SparkToro and Rand Fishkin published a report that showed nearly 50% of all searches result in zero clicks. And these behaviors tend to be higher on mobile devices.
And it’s not just Google, Bing caught on as well.
Examples of Zero Click Search Results:
In these two examples, Google is actually taking the conversion action right from their site! We fully expect Google to expand into other verticals with these strategies.
How do you adjust your SEO strategy to benefit from these changes?
Comprehensive SEO and Content Strategies
It’s vital that you create extremely high quality content / pages designed to answer the specific questions your users are asking. Notice I didn’t specifically say website pages? You need engaging and unique video, social media, blogging, and email content that stands out and resonates with your audience in order to drive traffic to your sites. It’s also important to curate content targeting long tail keywords that are not being answered by Google’s zero click answers, so you rank well for these topics. Getting ahead of the game in this way will prove to be extremely valuable in 2021 and beyond.
Simply put, you can no longer passively advertise to customers. Youtube videos need optimization, influencer outreach can be expensive, and SEO is no longer about ranking #1 in the SERPs, it is now about ranking in position 0 whenever possible.
Other SEO opportunities
Optimize your Google My Business page
Our internal research shows that nearly 30-50% of most automotive and multi-family organic traffic is generated from their Google My Business Page. Optimize your profile to properly funnel your traffic or provide information to that will improve lead quality. This improves how you show in local 3 pack searches and potentially, how high you rank in true map searches.
Focus on creating other pages around questions you know users are asking and try to get into the people also ask section (according to DropBox these show up in almost 94% of searches):
As a Google user, you’d expect nothing less from your search engine experience,, why would you expect less from your search optimization team? Having a team that can handle Google’s ever-changing landscape is essential, but having a partner in helping to devise a roadmap and options for you as a customer is what will ensure sustained success.
