Jelly - Digital Agency
As Google and other search engines incorporate AI-generated answers, knowledge panels and informational snippets, a trend is growing that challenges traditional digital marketing: the rise of clickless searches.
But what does the data say about this change and what implications does it have for SEO strategies?
In this article, we analyze the latest evidence, identify the sectors most affected and present practical strategies for competing in an ecosystem where visibility matters as much as the click.
The new research landscape
Today, users get many answers directly on the results page, in so-called zero-click searches. This happens when the SERP already contains enough information in snippetsside panels or AI overviews, eliminating the need to visit the source website.
According to the SparkToro/Datos (2024), almost 60% of searches in the US and Europe end without a clicka proportion that has increased with the introduction of AI Overviews. O Pew Research Center (2025) reinforces: when an AI Overview is presented, click-through rates to external sites drop by halfThis is a structural change and not merely circumstantial.
The real impact of "SEO without clicks"
2025 data and global trends
The latest reports from Semrush and Ahrefs show that AI Overviews appear in around 7% to 9% of SERPs and have a disproportionate impact on user attention. Even when users do click, they do so less frequently in traditional organic positions.
A SISTRIX (2025) quantified that the CTR of the first organic position fell from around 34% to 23% on pages with featured snippets. These results reinforce what the market is already seeing: organic visibility remains valuable, but the click is increasingly disputed.
The sectors most affected
News, health and finance
Studies by Similarweb (2025) and the Reuters Institute Digital News Report reveal that the sectors most affected are those that produce information content for quick consumption such as news, health topics or personal finance.
In these cases, Google tends to provide direct answers in the SERP, reducing traffic to the original sites and creating a new challenge: how to generate value when the user doesn't leave the search engine page.
The role of generative AI
The AI Overviews represent a qualitative leap: by synthesizing information from multiple sources, they further reduce the need to click. However, studies by BrightEdge (2025) indicate that the impact varies greatly by sector - being lower for transactional searches (such as e-commerce) and more pronounced for informational topics.
Strategic reaction - measure, adapt, evolve
Measuring what really matters
In a context where clicks are less frequent, the focus must shift from purely quantitative metrics to indicators of visibility and brand authority:
- Impressions and average position (Google Search Console)
- Share of SERP - percentage of visual space occupied by brand results
- Quotes in AI Overviews and snippets
- Entity recognition (brand entity in Knowledge Graph)
These metrics help you understand the true reach of your digital presence, even without visiting the website directly.
Optimization for new visibility surfaces
SEO optimization now includes data structures (Schema.org), content in question-answer format e building thematic authority.
The aim is no longer just to "appear first", but to be the reference that the search engine cites in its responses.
Among the best evidence-based practices:
- Create modular contentwith direct answers and additional depth in the same article.
- Use semantic markup (FAQ, HowTo, Product, Organization) to maximize presence in the rich results.
- Producing authoritative content with verified sources, identified authors and specialized context: elements that favor the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
From traffic metrics to influence metrics
"SEO without clicks" is forcing brands to rethink their digital success. The click is still important, but influence is now also measured by the ability to shape responses.
Instead of just generating traffic, the new SEO must build trustreinforce brand memory e position the content as a credible source.
The click is the means, not the end
The data is clear: by 2025, more than half of all searches will end without a visit to a websiteand the AI-generated answers are consolidating this trend. But this doesn't mean the end of SEO, it means the beginning of a new phase of SEO.
The brands that win in this context will be those that understand the SERP as an ecosystem of visibilityand not just as a gateway to the website.
Because, in the end, the real goal of SEO is the same as it has always been: to ensure that the brand is found, remembered and preferred - with or without clicks.
