Study reveals 60% of Google searches will be clickless by 2024
Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2025 5:18 am
The Google search landscape is changing rapidly. Recent studies, including Rand Fishkin’s 2024 analysis, reveal that nearly 60% of Google searches in the United States and the European Union result in no clicks.
This transformation has significant implications for businesses and digital marketers, especially those who rely on organic traffic to attract customers.
In this post, we will show the phenomenon of zero-click searches, its causes and how companies can adapt to this new reality.
What are zero-click searches?
Zero-click searches occur when a user performs a search on Google but does not click on any of the results displayed.
This can happen for a variety of reasons: the user found the cryptocurrency data desired information directly on the results page, abandoned the search, or reformulated their query. According to Fishkin's study, 58.5% of searches in the US and 59.7% in the EU will end this way by 2024 .
zero-click searches 1
Source:SparkToro
What are the causes of zero-click searches?
Let's now understand what makes people search on Google, but not click on the results shown.
1. Direct responses in SERP
Google has invested heavily in providing direct answers in search results (i.e. SERP), such as featured snippets, knowledge graphs, and information panels. This means that users often don’t need to leave Google to get the information they’re looking for.
2. AI overviews and virtual assistants
The introduction of AI overviews and virtual assistants like Google Assistant is also contributing to the rise of zero-click searches. These tools provide immediate and detailed answers, satisfying the user’s need without the need for additional clicks.
3. Google's self-sufficiency
Another reason is the redirection of clicks to Google’s own properties, such as YouTube, Google Maps and Google Flights. Almost 30% of clicks resulting from searches in the US go to Google-owned platforms.
Impact on businesses and organic traffic
For businesses that rely on organic traffic to generate leads and sales, the rise in zero-click searches can be concerning. Fewer clicks mean fewer website visits, which can negatively impact your business.
google site
Relevant statistics
Traffic to the open web : Only 360 clicks for every 1,000 searches in the US and 374 in the EU go to sites outside the Google ecosystem, as the images below show.
This transformation has significant implications for businesses and digital marketers, especially those who rely on organic traffic to attract customers.
In this post, we will show the phenomenon of zero-click searches, its causes and how companies can adapt to this new reality.
What are zero-click searches?
Zero-click searches occur when a user performs a search on Google but does not click on any of the results displayed.
This can happen for a variety of reasons: the user found the cryptocurrency data desired information directly on the results page, abandoned the search, or reformulated their query. According to Fishkin's study, 58.5% of searches in the US and 59.7% in the EU will end this way by 2024 .
zero-click searches 1
Source:SparkToro
What are the causes of zero-click searches?
Let's now understand what makes people search on Google, but not click on the results shown.
1. Direct responses in SERP
Google has invested heavily in providing direct answers in search results (i.e. SERP), such as featured snippets, knowledge graphs, and information panels. This means that users often don’t need to leave Google to get the information they’re looking for.
2. AI overviews and virtual assistants
The introduction of AI overviews and virtual assistants like Google Assistant is also contributing to the rise of zero-click searches. These tools provide immediate and detailed answers, satisfying the user’s need without the need for additional clicks.
3. Google's self-sufficiency
Another reason is the redirection of clicks to Google’s own properties, such as YouTube, Google Maps and Google Flights. Almost 30% of clicks resulting from searches in the US go to Google-owned platforms.
Impact on businesses and organic traffic
For businesses that rely on organic traffic to generate leads and sales, the rise in zero-click searches can be concerning. Fewer clicks mean fewer website visits, which can negatively impact your business.
google site
Relevant statistics
Traffic to the open web : Only 360 clicks for every 1,000 searches in the US and 374 in the EU go to sites outside the Google ecosystem, as the images below show.