What Are Zero Click Searches in 2021?

Performing a Google search today, users are more likely to get a fully qualified result so they don’t have to click further to get the information they requested. This is a zero-click search world. While some may call this an improvement in user experience (UX), others will tell you that this is just another way for Google to solidify its market dominance by directing clicks to Google Ads rather than business sites.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical factor when you think about your company’s presence on the Internet. Can businesses find ways to use zero-click search to their advantage? Let’s take a look at the growing phenomenon of zero-click search and how companies are responding.

In general, a zero-click search simply means a search where the user chooses not to click on any of the search results. But more recently, the term specifically refers to the enhancement of the Google search engine, which provides the user with all the information they need to respond to their query at the top of the search engine results page (SERP). The query results are displayed in extended favorites above all other search results in the so-called “zero position”.

Zero-click, or zero position is a block that appears directly on the SERP and is located above all other search results (including organic and advertising). The goal of “zero position” is to provide a quick and most relevant answer to a question. For example, for the query “weather today”, the user receives information directly in the search. They do not need to follow the links in the search results. The appearance of such blocks not only reduced the number of clicks on organic search results but also reduced the share of clicks in the search results in general.

Google has introduced a zero-click search enhancement, ostensibly to make it easier to find and reduce the need for users to click through many unnecessary links to access the information they are looking for. Google’s zero-click tactic began with math – things like calculations and conversions (like Celsius to Fahrenheit) popped up as calculators at the top of the SERPs.

But more recently, it has expanded to include featured snippets providing detailed information in multiple ways, including entire descriptive paragraphs, definitions, lists, maps, and more. The structure of the featured snippets can also reduce the likelihood of clicks as the link appears at the end of the snippet. rather than at the beginning.

After the improvement, the number of search queries leading to links to another site dropped significantly, from about 50 percent to 35 percent. And most users seem to think that this feature makes it easier to find the most relevant information. So what’s the problem?

Position zero has a non-standard snippet view, which is why it stands out against the background of the entire SERP page, including the snippet in the first position.

All this opens up opportunities for us:

• If you take the first and zero position, you will receive about 28% of all clicks (i.e. a third of organic traffic).
• If you are not in the first place, but your site is in the block of responses, you can exponentially increase organic traffic (i.e. your pages in the top 3 will receive the same CTR, so you can increase traffic by 2-3 times).

It doesn’t take a lot of time and money to get the highlighted snippet and reach the zero position.

Before we figure out how to get the zero position, you should understand:

• 99% of featured snippet google takes from TOP10;
• Even if you are in 3rd place by key, you can get into the block of answers – only 30% of Featured snippets are taken from the site to the top 1.
• if the SERP contains a block of responses, then it takes 25% of the CTR of the first position;

But how do you get the coveted position? There are a couple more things to understand.

If you have already tried creating your own website, then you have probably heard about SSL and HTTPS certificates. What are they and which one do you need for your website? We will tell you in detail in this article.

Knowledge block is a window with information at the top of the Google search results, which is commonly called the zero position. The main task of the knowledge block is to instantly provide an accurate and concise answer to a specific user request. Below are snippets – information blocks, which are small excerpts of text from pages found by the search engine, which usually contain a title, a document description, a link, and sometimes other elements – a favicon (website icon), quick links, operating mode, date of modification etc.

You can use the SE Ranking tool to find out if a particular content gets to the zero position. In this case, you should adhere to the following algorithm of actions.

• Enter your URL and click the “Ratings” section.
• Select the SERP function in the table settings.
• View a list of web pages that appear in knowledge boxes.

Getting your content to rank zero on Google is a great way to boost your site’s rankings. This is due to the fact that a number of potential competitive advantages are provided: traffic growth, increased visibility in the SERP, increased trust from the Google search engine.

Recommendations on How to Get into the Knowledge Block in the Google SERP

In order for the site to have a high rating and be displayed at the zero position, a number of activities are required. 

Analysis of the target audience’s requests. It’s important to regularly track the phrases that people enter into the search bar. This will help to find out what users are most interested in, and, accordingly, improve the snippet and increase the site’s ranking in Google. If you want to ask real people to answer questions on a specific topic, MyBlogU is an online community that helps bloggers connect with each other through collaborative projects that involve the media and include interviews, brainstorming, and forums.

Creation of separate web pages. The main goal is to answer each specific question. This is the only way to increase user activity, and with it, the site’s ranking in Google search results. Content must answer questions, otherwise, it is unrealistic to get into the knowledge block on Google.

Creating a FAQ page. The main goal is a collection of frequently asked questions with detailed answers to them. The main topics are the work of the site, the services of the company, etc. After visiting this page, the visitor should fully satisfy their curiosity. Consequently, they will no longer need to contact competitors for additional information, which will have a positive effect on the site’s ranking and its snippet will take the top positions in the Google search results.

Optimizing content. It is important to bring the content of the site as close as possible to the specific requests of the target audience. This means that in order to provide a site with a high ranking and promote it in the Google knowledge block, you need to add keywords to the headings and use tags for each paragraph.

Using lists, tables, and comparisons. It can be anything – for example, step-by-step instruction in the content, a list of possible answers to a question asked, a table with elements for comparing two similar product groups. Google likes to use bullets, numbers, and any kind of comparative material as snippets.

Previously, in the knowledge block, Google grouped 7 online business sites with the highest rating. Now only three pages can be viewed simultaneously in the special elements of the local search results. This was done on purpose – for the convenience of mobile phone users. Google Local shows specific website elements in the snippet – Google Maps results, reviews, recommendations, business hours, city, address, and link. Information about other sites that are included in the local package according to the user’s location is hidden under the “More places” marker.

From this, a completely logical conclusion follows: a high ranking of a site in the Google search engine and its addition to the Google Local knowledge block has a direct impact on the promotion of local business. As a rule, most users are limited to snippets of companies with contact information elements offered in the zero position and become their clients. That is, competitors who are not seen in the knowledge block in Google’s search results are less likely to promote their products and services.

What is required to increase the ranking of a site and its snippet could appear in the top positions in the search elements of local results of Google?

• List all contact details, including local divisions.
• Submit your site to local directories like Yelp, YP.com, etc.
• Create intelligently structured data markup for local businesses.
• Optimize your site for mobile search on Google.
• Create a Video – Increase Your Site’s Ranking and Get to Zero Position on Google

Everyone knows that Google owns the popular video hosting site YouTube. Therefore, videos can also be used to make the site snippet appear in organic search items. The main thing is to create quality content that will be popular with users.

• Use schema markup for video content.
• Create instructions, entertaining or educational videos.
• Optimize Videos – Provide detailed information in titles, meta description, image thumbnail, hashtags, and more.
• Regularly analyze the dynamics of views and improve videos based on the needs of viewers.

Zero-click search is a definite usability improvement for Internet users, but it presents a challenge for search engine optimization businesses. To keep getting clicks, businesses need to consider whether it would be beneficial to show up in the featured snippet or if they’d better avoid it.

Perhaps the SEO business community needs a code of ethics to balance user searches and ROI. Regardless, businesses must continue to optimize their content and the metadata of their websites to ensure high visibility on SERPs, and this makes zero-click search an important factor.