What are zero click resutls?

Last updated: 9/11/2025

“Zero click results” (or “zero click”) refers to when a user’s web search is answered without them ever needing to click on a link. This concept has been around for years, but the increasing capabilities of AI are making this an even more common phenomenon.

Zero click is changing the way search engine optimization is done, and knowing how to make it into zero click results is proving to be an essential marketing skill in 2025.

Here’s what’s important:

History of zero click

Answering questions quickly is a staple of the modern answer economy, and zero click results are the epitome of this efficiency. Google was experimenting with the beginnings of zero click results as early as 2013 when their featured snippets were first introduced to answer simple questions. Apple’s Siri did something similar for voice searches.

Zero click has continued to evolve as a variety of featured snippets began to dominate the Google search results and similar platforms found new ways to answer questions without directing users away from the search engine. All of these advancements primed users to expect fast, straightforward answers from their web searches.

Zero click today

With AI now in the mix, zero click is more prominent than it has ever been. Between AI summaries in the Google search results and the popularity of tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, finding simple and fast answers is easier than ever. A recent study found that 80% of search users claim to use AI summaries 40% of the time.

What zero click means for marketing

While zero click results are incredibly convenient for users, they keep marketers awake at night. It is now significantly harder to bring high-intent traffic back to your website. Traditional SEO and SEM strategies are no longer as effective as they once were.

On the positive side, zero click results have put more power in the hands of the user by giving them more rapid access to the information that they need to make their decisions. When zero click results work well, it is easier for decision makers to objectively determine if a product or service they are evaluating is right for them.

What you can do about it

Adapting to zero click is a must for digital marketers. Zero click and AI search are both still rapidly evolving, but here are some strategies that are currently effective for making zero click results work for you.

Answer engine optimization

Answer engine optimization (AEO) is the practice of creating short and concise answers that AI answer engines (like the Google AI summary) can easily incorporate into a response to a user’s query. AEO is all about making sure that you are answering your audience’s biggest questions, whether they be about knowledge from your industry or the workings of your business. It can be done effectively by crafting “Q&A” style content that is short and quickly digestible.

Generative Engine Optimization

Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the practice of optimizing your content so that it becomes a reliable source for tools like ChatGPT and Gemini as they generate longer, contextual answers. It requires a blend of descriptive, semantic content with broader website best practices. Predicting the outputs of AI tools that are prone to hallucination is difficult, but when GEO is done well, you might see your expertise accurately cited in AI results.

Take action

Whether you focus on creating clear content for AEO or improving your messaging for GEO, the most important thing you can do is simply get started. Spending valuable time stressing about a strategy instead of taking action can be detrimental, since it takes time for both AEO and GEO efforts to yield results. If you don’t want to get left behind in the zero click world, get started now!