This One Google Feature Is Eating Away at Your Online Traffic — Here's How to Fight Back Your traffic isn't disappearing because your content got worse. It's disappearing because Google is evolving.

Your content is solid. You're ranking on Google. But your traffic? It's not where it should be.

What gives? Here's the truth: A major shift has quietly taken over Google, and most businesses aren't prepared for it.

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Today, nearly 60 percent of all searches end without a single click. People get what they need straight from the results page without ever landing on your website.

Search used to lead somewhere. Now, it often ends right on Google. This shift, powered by AI-generated summaries, featured answers, maps and other on-page content, is costing businesses valuable visibility and traffic.

This growing phenomenon is called zero-click search. If you're not showing up in these results, you're getting buried. But here's the good news: You can adapt. And if you do it right, you can actually turn this trend into an advantage. Let's dig into what's happening and how to fight back.

What are zero-click searches and why should you care?

Zero-click searches are exactly what they sound like: queries answered directly on Google's results page, giving users zero incentive to click through to your site.

You've probably seen these before: the instant definition, the business hours, the bullet list at the top of the page. That information comes straight from Google, not from your website, meaning users get their answer without ever clicking through.

According to Seer Interactive, organic click-through rate (CTR) plummets when an AI Overview appears. In January 2025, the average CTR for informational queries with AI Overviews was just 0.64%, less than half of what it was the year before. This is happening across all types of search results. And if you're not part of the answer box, you're out of the conversation.

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Why zero-click searches are growing

Google's goal is to provide users with the fastest, most complete answers possible. If that means fewer clicks to websites, so be it. It's not personal. It's product design. (Check out the bottom of this article for specific examples of zero-click searches.)

With the launch of AI Overviews in 2024, Google took this to another level. Now, entire AI-generated summaries appear above traditional results. These typically cite multiple sites, but often without sending traffic to any of them. And it's not just Google. Social platforms are performing like search engines, too. Sixty-seven percent of users now use social media during their purchase journey. They're asking questions and getting answers without ever landing on a company website.

Although this might be the new norm, you're not powerless.

How to win in the age of zero-click searches

Google didn't break. It just evolved. And to keep winning, you need to shift your focus from clicks to visibility, credibility and conversion. Here's how to turn the shift in your favor, even if your traffic takes a hit:

1. Structure your content for scannability

Think like Google. If your content is easy to scan, parse and summarize, it's more likely to get picked up.

• Answer questions in the first one or two sentences of a paragraph.
• Use lists, tables and bullets wherever possible, as these are snippet-friendly formats.
• Add FAQs to key pages. These often appear in the "People Also Ask" panel or trigger rich results.

Pro tip: Don't bury your best answers halfway down the page. Put them up top, right after the question.

2. Use schema markup to enhance visibility

Schema markup is a behind-the-scenes tool that tells Google what your content means, not just what it says. Think of it as code that labels everything for a search engine.

Want to show up with star ratings? Recipe steps? Event dates? Product info? You need schema to help make that happen.

Some useful types of schema to consider:

• FAQ Page for Q&A sections
• Local Business for brick-and-mortar locations
• Review and Product for e-commerce
• VideoObject to help Google index your videos properly

Google favors well-structured content, and schema helps you give it exactly that.

3. Go deep on long-tail keywords

Here's the thing: AI Overviews are eating up broad keywords. But long-tail keywords that are specific, niche and intent-heavy still drive real clicks.

Seventy percent of search traffic now comes from long-tail terms. And more than half of all queries are four words or longer.

So, instead of:
"digital marketing"

Try:
"digital marketing strategy for small law firms"

These kinds of queries are less likely to trigger zero-click results and more likely to bring in qualified leads. Plus, they're easier to rank for, especially if you have a smaller site or a less established brand.

4. Level up with real value and authority

Google's helpful content systems are designed to prioritize people-first content. That's where E-E-A-T comes in: experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.

Want to stand out? Here's how to build content on each of these pillars:

• Experience: Share case studies, first-person stories and lessons learned from real projects.
• Expertise: Highlight credentials, link to supporting research and cite real data.
• Authoritativeness: Get featured on third-party sites, showcase awards and build a recognizable personal or business brand.
• Trust: Use HTTPS, show real author bios, include contact details and encourage reviews and testimonials.

Bonus tip: User-generated content (like Reddit and Quora threads) is getting pulled into results more often. That means even informal showcases of authority, such as answering questions on forums, build trust and drive discoverability.

Related: I Wasted Months Chasing Viral Content. This Unlikely Strategy Brought Me Real Customers.

5. Double down on local SEO

Local searches, especially those with transactional (based on a purchase action) or navigational (finding a specific page or website) intent, are still high-converting.

But here's what most businesses miss: Your Google Business Profile might be more important than your website for local visibility.

To win here, you need to:

• Claim and verify your Google Business Profile.
• Fully complete every field, including services, Q&A and photos.
• Add regular updates like posts, events or offers.
• Collect positive reviews from real customers.
• Respond to reviews (both positive and negative) to signal engagement.
• Make sure your name, address and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all listings and directories.

Google is leaning harder into local packs and map-based discovery. If you don't optimize for these, you're missing out on high-intent searches.

6. Make your content discoverable via visual search

It's not just about words anymore. Visual content, especially short-form videos and branded visuals, is increasingly being indexed and displayed in SERPs.

How to show up in visual search:

• Create high-quality, descriptive alt text for every image.
• Use original visuals (infographics, charts, product shots) tied to core search terms.
• Implement structured data for video content, including transcripts and timestamps.
• Upload videos to YouTube and embed them on relevant pages.
• Create watch pages for each video; don't just rely on YouTube.

Google is even pulling TikTok and Instagram videos into results. So yes, your short-form video content can help you show up even on a traditional Google search.

7. Stay agile: monitor, measure and pivot

While these are all valuable tips and pieces of advice, it's important to be flexible and versatile as the world of zero-click searches evolves. This is the part most people skip, but it's where you stay ahead.

• Track impressions, not just clicks.
• Watch which queries now trigger AI Overviews.
• See what content still performs well and what's fading.
• Test new formats (FAQ sections, videos, carousels).
• Adapt based on what Google is showing, not just what you think people are searching for.

If you're measuring success by old SEO metrics alone, you'll miss the new opportunities sitting right in front of you.

Final thoughts

Your traffic isn't disappearing because your content got worse. It's disappearing because Google is evolving. But here's the upside: Visibility still matters. Trust still matters. And influence still drives conversions, even without the click. So don't obsess over traffic numbers alone. Focus on showing up in the right places, saying the right things and earning attention where it counts.

Types of zero-click searches

Here's a breakdown of the most common zero-click features, what they look like and how they impact your visibility:

AI Overviews

• Definition: Google's AI summarizes answers using content from multiple sources. These show up for broader, informational queries.
• Example: "How to create a marketing plan" might return a full paragraph summary with citations at the bottom, and your site may or may not be listed.
• Why it matters: These dominate screen space and push traditional results down. You're effectively invisible if you're not cited.

Featured Snippets

• Definition: Google pulls the "best answer" and shows it at the top of the page. These usually display as paragraphs, lists or tables.
• Example: "Benefits of content marketing" might show a bulleted list from someone's blog.
• Why it matters: This is a prime placement opportunity but only one site wins it. Position two is often overlooked.

Direct Answer Boxes

• Definition: These provide quick, factual answers. Think dates, measurements, names or definitions.
• Example: "What's the capital of France?" Just says: Paris.
• Why it matters: No one gets a click. But it trains users to expect zero-click results everywhere.

Knowledge Panels

• Definition: These pull data from Google's sources (like Wikipedia or your business profile) to show brand or entity info.
• Example: Search for "Adobe," and you'll see a side panel with details about the company, pulled automatically.
• Why it matters: Your brand's reputation is shaped here, so make sure your info is accurate across the web.

Google Business Profiles (Local Pack)

• Definition: These are map and business listings that appear for local-intent searches.
• Example: "Dentist near me" shows three top listings, with star ratings and hours — no need to visit the site.
• Why it matters: For local businesses, this is often more important than your homepage.

People Also Ask (PAA)

• Definition: These display mid-page as expandable questions and answers. Each answer comes from a different source.
• Example: "What is digital marketing?" opens up questions like "What are the four types?" — with Google showing the answers inline.
• Why it matters: This is an opportunity to show up more than once on a page if your content answers multiple related questions.