July 12, 2024
In the study, zero-click searches are defined as searches that ‘end without clicking on any of the results presented’. This includes searches that end with the searcher satisfied, frustrated or changing their search to perform a new one. In the United States, just under 60% of mobile web and desktop searches currently end in this way.
Added to this, it’s also well worth pointing out that even though this 60% figure is high, Fishkin believes that it is currently being ‘under-counted’. After all, the current data does not account for use of voice-answered searches through Google Assistant, or searches done in the Google mobile search app (which, while similar to in-browser results, features even more rich answer results).
One rather surprising result from the survey is that the number of mobile searches fell significantly in May. While the study showed that desktop searches grew slightly recently, the drop in mobile searches was considerable at around the time the company unleashed its AI Overviews on the public (more on that later). This is especially important for Google, as mobile accounts for nearly two-thirds of all Google queries.
The authors of the study believe that almost 30% of all clicks go to platforms Google owns, including YouTube, Google Images, Google Maps, Google Flights, Google Hotels and the Google App Store. This means that Google gets even more monetisation and sector-dominating power from its search engine.
Overall, the most interesting insight from the study is the final number: for every 1,000 searches on Google in the United States, 360 clicks make it to a non-Google-owned, non-Google-ad-paying property. Overall, this means that nearly 2/3rds of all searches stay inside the Google ecosystem after making a query. This is a figure that’s alarmingly high, particularly if you’re a publisher, entrepreneur, marketing manager or creator.
It’s also worth stressing here that even though we’ve focused on US numbers above, it’s a similar story in the EU, where for every 1,000 Google searches, 374 clicks go to the Open Web. This shows us that search behaviour in both regions is broadly similar.
For many SEOs, marketers and search enthusiasts, this is the big question: are AI Overviews killing clicks and website traffic?
Back in May, we theorised that this could be the case. After all, if AI Overviews were going to be shown for the vast majority of searches, there would be very little need for many searchers to click through if their answer was accurately displayed on the Google homepage.
Of course, the reality of the AI Overviews rollout was a little different. After significant backlash, and admitting that many Overviews were inaccurate or unhelpful, Google began to rollback the presence of AI Overviews in search. As a result, in June, it was widely thought that only 10-15% of all searches displayed AI Overviews. This appears in stark contrast to earlier in May, when estimates suggested that AI Overviews were shown for between 63% and 84% of queries.
That said, it’s worth noting that when AI Overviews are now shown, they are longer and more detailed, averaging 25% more content. Added to this, SE Ranking also noted that after expansion, AI overviews typically link to fewer sources, usually around four.
Overall, as we mentioned earlier, Fishkin’s analysis has revealed that the introduction of AI Overviews coincided with a marked decline in mobile searches in May. Overall, desktop searches saw a slight increase in this period, but the drop in mobile searches in the US in May was significant. This suggests that users may have been less inclined to search on their mobile devices when confronted with AI-generated summaries.
Fishkin himself has stated that “The most visible changes in May were shared by both the EU and US, notably… Mobile searches fell a considerable amount (if anything spooked Google into rolling back this feature [AI Overviews], I’d put my money on this being it).”
He then added that “If I were running Google, that dip in mobile searches (remember, mobile accounts for almost 2/3rds of all Google queries) would scare the stock-price-worshiping-crap outta me.”
If you’re a marketer, this study really underscores the importance of zero-click searches: getting value from searches that don’t result in a click. This can likely be achieved through a revised content strategy.
Remember, in 2024, 59.7% of European Union Google searches and 58.5% of American Google searches resulted in zero clicks. Searchers either ended their session entirely (~37% of the time), or changed their search query to something else (~22% of the time). So, you need to ensure that your content marketing strategy is built to capture the attention of these searchers.
Added to this, it’s also worth considering how you can diversify and capture traffic sources beyond Google. Wondering how you can do just that? Get in touch with our experts today.
