How common are zero-click searches?

Per SparkToro's 2024 study with Datos, 58.5% of US Google searches ended without a click. Per Pew Research Center, users clicked a traditional result on only 8% of searches that showed an AI summary, versus 15% without one.

What should businesses do about zero-click search?

Stop measuring only site visits. Aim to be cited inside AI answers: publish direct-answer paragraphs, add structured data, and allow AI crawlers. Citation is never guaranteed — AEO is about raising the probability.

What is zero-click search, and what does it have to do with AEO?

A zero-click search ends right on the results page: the user gets their answer from an AI summary or rich result and never visits a website. As clicks shrink, being cited inside the answer becomes the new unit of visibility — and AEO is the practice of raising the odds of earning that citation.

Updated 2026-07-12

Frequently asked questions

What is zero-click search, and what does it have to do with AEO?: A zero-click search is one where the user gets their answer from the results page — an AI summary or rich result — without clicking any link. Since visits disappear, being cited or mentioned inside the answer becomes the new unit of visibility, and AEO is the practice of optimizing for that citation.
How common are zero-click searches?: Per SparkToro's 2024 study with Datos, 58.5% of US Google searches ended without a click. Per Pew Research Center, users clicked a traditional result on only 8% of searches that showed an AI summary, versus 15% without one.
What should businesses do about zero-click search?: Stop measuring only site visits. Aim to be cited inside AI answers: publish direct-answer paragraphs, add structured data, and allow AI crawlers. Citation is never guaranteed — AEO is about raising the probability.