What is Zero-Click Search?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nZero-click search refers to the practice whereby users find the information they need directly on the search engine results page (SERP), without clicking through to any specific website.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWe are all guilty of this, right?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThis can happen through featured snippets, knowledge graphs, instant answers, and other SERP features that provide immediate answers to user queries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nGoogle, in particular, has been refining its algorithms to provide more accurate and concise answers directly on the search results page, aiming to enhance user experience and reduce the need for users to navigate to external sites for information. They are serving up the answers and information we need, and requiring us to take very little action after our first search.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nA study by Semrush in October 2022 found that back then almost 26% of searches end without a user clicking through from the results pages.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nGreat for users, they are being served up the answers they need, but what about businesses? That\u2019s a potential 25% less traffic coming to your website, but this doesn\u2019t have to mean less growth or less ROI.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat are zero-click users looking for?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nBeing a marketer, and a human, I would hazard a guess and say zero-click searches are made by those needing very specific information and action-oriented information such as telephone numbers, opening hours, directions, etc, OR those at the start of the buyer journey. Perhaps looking for top of the funnel information, or want to browse items that they are thinking about purchasing.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBeing the brand to serve up this information adds to brand equity, and as a result, branded search or direct traffic could be increased.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_cta title=”Looking to increase website traffic and conversions?” button_url=”https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/get-in-touch\/” button_text=”Tell us about your business goals? ” _builder_version=”4.23.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” background_color=”gcid-bc8c8cc5-fb0f-4c64-9efe-765f392d609a” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”18px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”gcid-25287d73-7821-4759-ad5c-e8360d692fd7″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-25287d73-7821-4759-ad5c-e8360d692fd7%22:%91%22button_bg_color%22%93,%22gcid-bc8c8cc5-fb0f-4c64-9efe-765f392d609a%22:%91%22background_color%22%93}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_cta][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Implications for Website Traffic<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nAs the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished, and the consequences of this shift are being felt. For businesses heavily reliant on organic search traffic, the rise of zero-click searches poses a significant challenge. Traditionally, ranking highly on SERPs was the primary goal, as it drove traffic to websites where users could engage with content, products, or services.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHowever, with more search queries being resolved directly on the SERP, organic click-through rates (CTR) are declining. While this might mean users are finding the information they need faster, it also means less traffic directed to businesses’ websites, potentially impacting lead generation, conversions, and ultimately, revenue.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nListen, let\u2019s be honest – we are all at the behest of Google, we cannot fight this one, but we can adapt and react accordingly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEvolution of Content Marketing Strategies<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nIn response to the zero-click search trend, B2B marketers need to rethink their content marketing strategies. Simply focusing on ranking for high-traffic keywords may no longer suffice. Instead, the emphasis should be on creating content that not only ranks well but also provides value and engages users even within the SERP itself. In other words, the strategy is focused on SERP domination.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOptimise for Featured Snippets:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nFeatured snippets are prime real estate on SERPs, appearing above organic search results and providing concise answers to user queries. Optimising content for featured snippets increases the chances of your content being displayed prominently, even in zero-click searches.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHow can you achieve this?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n1. Take a look at what the current featured snippet is.<\/strong><\/p>\n2. Check the long tail keywords around this to really understand the intent of the search.<\/strong><\/p>\n3. Create a more detailed, valuable answer. Write for your audience, always.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/ol>\nFocus on answering common questions related to your industry or niche concisely and clearly within your content. Lean into sales and customer services. Those in customer facing positions will have the insights that marketing isn\u2019t always privy too \u2013 what do your audience really want to know?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nUse structured data markup to provide search engines with context about your content, increasing the likelihood of being featured.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nInvest in Video and Visual Content:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nWhy just have a blog competing for one spot in the SERPs when you can have a blog, featured snippet, Q&A, image pack and video?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nVisual content, such as videos, infographics, and images, can captivate users’ attention even within the SERP. Creating informative and visually appealing content increases the chances of users engaging with your brand, even if they don’t click through to your website immediately.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nUtilise platforms like YouTube, where your videos can appear in both YouTube search results and Google’s video carousel, enhancing visibility and attracting users. The beauty of this is that you don\u2019t need to create multiple elements from scratch, you just need to think about the distribution.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOne blog can be reworked into social posts, videos, images and infographics, newsletters, articles for outreach\u2026.the possibilities are endless.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFocus on Long-Tail Keywords and Niche Topics:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nLong-tail keywords and niche topics present opportunities to target specific audience segments and address their unique needs and pain points. While these keywords may have lower search volumes, they often have higher intent and lower competition, increasing the likelihood of ranking well and attracting qualified traffic. Intent is everything \u2013 it\u2019s important to keep this in mind.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nCraft content that addresses niche topics comprehensively, providing in-depth insights and solutions that resonate with your target audience. If in doubt, run it past the customer facing teams.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nCheck out tools such as AHRefs, Semrush, Answer the Public and Also Asked to gain a further insight into long-tail keywords and questions that are searched.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n4. Enhance Local SEO:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\nFind ways to embed yourself in your local community, both on and offline.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFor B2B businesses targeting local markets, optimising for local SEO is essential, especially considering the rise of voice search and mobile usage.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEnsure your business listings are accurate and consistent across online directories and platforms. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, which can enhance your credibility and visibility in local search results.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMaximise the value in your Google Business Profile. Think of this as your mini website, so make sure up to date contact and location information is posted, your \u2018about us\u2019 section is accurate and engaging, photos and video are included and posts about your services appear.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/MMA-7-steps-to-zero-click.png” _builder_version=”4.23.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”MMA – 7-steps-to-zero-click”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
How to create a digital marketing strategy that combats zero click?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nAs zero-click searches become more prevalent, integrating strategies to address this trend is imperative for a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. Here are some key elements to include:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n1. Comprehensive SEO Audit:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\nConduct a thorough audit of your website’s SEO performance, focusing on identifying opportunities to optimise for zero-click searches. Assess your current keyword strategy, content quality, and technical SEO aspects to ensure alignment with the evolving search landscape. How can you achieve featured snippets, knowledge panel, \u2018People also asked\u2019?<\/span><\/p>\n2. Content Gap Analysis:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\nIdentify gaps in your content strategy, particularly in addressing common queries and providing valuable insights within the SERP. Look for opportunities to create content that fills these gaps and enhances your visibility and authority in your industry or niche.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIt is imperative that you are auditing your competitors. At the end of the day, it\u2019s their traffic and potential traffic that you want to steal\u2026what are they ranking for that you aren\u2019t?<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n3. Know your audience<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf you are making a concerted effort to understand your core audiences\u2019 needs and barriers, you should also be consistently monitoring their behaviour and how it is changing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBuyer persona profiles are not a \u2018nice to have\u2019, they should be a crucial piece of information that is updated each year to ensure that every activity you undertake is purposeful.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf your audiences aren\u2019t using search engines websites like they used to, what platforms are they using, and are you present? For example, Tiktok is now considered a search engine.<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n4. Check your Meta-data<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nYour meta data should be optimised for keywords, yes. But it should be well optimised for the human reading it, because compelling meta data is akin to click through rates. You have minimal time to grab the audiences\u2019 attention, your meta title and description should be aligned with the reason the search took place, and have the personality that stands out.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n5. Use structured data<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSchema mark-up and other structured data is a clever way for marketers to make sure that their website and website content is positioned to compete for positions such as rich snippets.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe code applied makes it much easier for search engines like Google to read and understand the information and perhaps most importantly, what it\u2019s intending to answer, meaning the information they serve up to users is contextually relevant.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThere are 35 types of Schema that can be used on your website, including product, review, article, course and local business.\u00a0<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n6. Multi-Channel Approach:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\nDiversify your digital marketing efforts across multiple channels, including social media, email marketing, and paid advertising. While organic search remains important, leveraging other channels can help mitigate the impact of declining organic CTR and ensure a more holistic approach to reaching your target audience.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n7. Performance Tracking and Analytics:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\nImplement robust marketing tracking and analytics tools to monitor the performance of your digital marketing efforts continuously.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTrack key marketing metrics such as organic traffic, direct traffic, SERP visibility, and engagement rates to gauge the effectiveness of your strategies and make data-driven optimisations over time, but take it one step further with a powerful platform that can monitor where your best conversions are coming from.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_cta title=” Want to implement these steps?” button_url=”https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/get-in-touch\/” button_text=”Let\u2019s get started.” _builder_version=”4.23.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” background_color=”gcid-819e5941-3c95-4e8c-b325-2011e6b68dbf” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”18px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”gcid-25287d73-7821-4759-ad5c-e8360d692fd7″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-25287d73-7821-4759-ad5c-e8360d692fd7%22:%91%22button_bg_color%22%93,%22gcid-819e5941-3c95-4e8c-b325-2011e6b68dbf%22:%91%22background_color%22%93}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_cta][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
The zero-click search phenomenon represents a fundamental shift in how users interact with search engines and consume information online. For B2B marketers and business leaders, adapting to this trend requires a proactive approach to content marketing and SEO strategies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBy following the steps outlined, businesses can maintain visibility and attract qualified traffic in the zero-click search era. Incorporating these strategies into a comprehensive digital marketing strategy is essential for remaining competitive, driving growth, and maximising the long-term ROI of marketing spend.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Have you been noticing incremental yet stubborn changes in your traffic and conversion stats and can\u2019t quite get to the bottom of it? You aren\u2019t alone and this could very well be the blog for you!\u00a0 When it comes to any digital marketing strategy, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for businesses aiming to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":8111,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35,28],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8110"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8110"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8117,"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8110\/revisions\/8117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediamattersagency.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}