80% of consumers use zero-click searches for 40% of queries, says study

The rise of zero-click searches is fundamentally disrupting digital marketing as AI-powered search results increasingly provide answers without requiring users to visit websites. According to Bain & Company, a global consulting firm, 80% of consumers rely on zero-click answers for at least 40% of their searches, forcing marketers to completely rethink strategies that have long depended on driving website traffic and capturing leads through traditional conversion funnels.

What you should know: Zero-click searches occur when users find the information they need directly on search engine results pages without clicking through to websites.

• AI overviews, snippets, and info boxes now provide immediate answers to user queries, eliminating the need to visit individual websites.
• Voice searches, in-app searches on social media platforms, shopping apps, and tools like Google Maps are expanding zero-click interactions beyond traditional search engines.
• The shift affects everything from simple queries like business hours to complex purchasing decisions, where AI assistants can directly recommend and purchase products.

Why this matters: This transformation represents what some experts are calling a “traffic apocalypse” that threatens the foundational business model of internet publishing and digital marketing.

• Traditional customer journeys are shortening dramatically, giving marketers a narrower window to influence purchasing decisions.
• Search engine traffic and conversions are declining as AI tools resolve queries without brand interaction.
• New York Magazine’s Intelligencer describes the shift as undermining “the whole premise of Internet publishing — that you could reach audiences far and wide.”

The marketing impact: Zero-click fundamentally rewires how customers find information and make buying decisions, creating new challenges for traditional marketing approaches.

• SEO strategies need complete overhauls since high search engine rankings no longer guarantee clicks or traffic.
• Attribution becomes more difficult as it’s harder to track where sales and leads originate.
• Branded content risks being taken out of context when AI tools synthesize information from multiple sources, potentially causing reputational damage.
• Email capture strategies lose effectiveness as fewer users visit websites where they can subscribe to newsletters.

How marketers can adapt: Early adoption of zero-click optimization strategies could prove as lucrative as being an early SEO adopter in the web’s early days.

• Structure content with clear headings, body text, and organized data like charts or tables that algorithms can easily process into direct answers.
• Focus on long-tail keywords rather than broad terms, as AI overviews appear more likely to favor specific queries like “best electric toothbrush under $100” over generic searches like “best toothbrush.”
• Develop content that effectively answers user questions in formats that AI tools can easily synthesize and present.
• Understanding the differences between traditional search algorithms and AI bot responses becomes critical for campaign success.