What Does Zero-Click Mean for Your Business and What Should You Do About It?

Search Has Changed. Has Your Strategy?

For years, businesses have focused on SEO, backlinks, and achieving the #1 ranking on Google. But those days are shifting fast. We’ve entered the Zero-Click era, where users get what they’re looking for without visiting your website. It’s efficient for users, but if you’re a business that depends on web traffic to grow, it’s a wake-up call to rethink your online marketing strategies.

This blog draws insights from Chapter 3 of Endless Customers by Marcus Sheridan and real-world trends from Google I/O 2025. It is designed to help you prepare and thrive in the Zero-Click era.

What Does Zero-Click Mean for Your Business? What Exactly Is a Zero-Click Search?

Getting on the first page of Google used to mean you’d get traffic, especially if you landed in the top three results. But things have changed. Now, over 60% of searches end without a single click. Users are getting what they need right on the results page, thanks to AI summaries and featured answers. It’s like how free trials used to say “no credit card required” to earn trust. Today, it’s “no click required.” And if your business depends on website visits to get leads or sales, that’s a shift you can’t afford to ignore.

This is known as a Zero-Click search, when someone Googles something like “How tall is Mount Everest?” and gets the answer (29,032 feet) instantly, no extra tap is needed. These instant answers often come from AI-generated overviews, rich snippets, maps, or other built-in tools Google now provides. The result? People get what they need without ever visiting a website. These answers are also being delivered through AI wearables, like the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses. Ask Meta AI questions and get the answer immediately.

How Should Local Businesses Respond to the Zero-Click Shift?

A Good Place to Start Would Be:

• Google Business Profiles: Keep your listing accurate, updated, and full of customer-focused details.
• Short-Form Video: Think YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikToks. These are today’s discovery engines.
• Helpful Social Posts: LinkedIn, Instagram, and other social media platforms aren’t just for engagement, they’re branding tools that help keep your business top of mind.

What Marcus Sheridan Says in ‘Endless Customers’ about the Zero-Click Era

Marcus talks about the need to create digital “signals.” In a Zero-Click and AI-driven world, every piece of content you publish becomes a digital signal, not just for people but also for AI systems. Since tools like ChatGPT emerged in 2022 as major recommendation engines, being on their radar has become as important as ranking in search results. If your brand doesn’t show up in these systems, it might become invisible. That’s why strong, consistent messaging matters. Even in a split-second glance, your brand needs to leave a mark. And remember: visibility alone isn’t enough, real impact comes from brand recognition and trust, not just clicks.

If users never click, your brand should still be: Memorable. Recognizable. Consistent. Helpful.

What Did Google Reveal at I/O About the Future of Search?

At the 2025 Google I/O Conference, Google confirmed what many had suspected: AI-powered search is revolutionizing SEO. This shift isn’t just theory anymore; it’s live and changing how content is found, featured, and shared. If you want to see what that looks like in action, check out the short video below. It highlights Google’s new AI Mode and what it means for anyone trying to stay visible online.

We’re not claiming to have all the answers, but we are testing a new in-house strategy we’ve put together: the Zero-Click Content Strategy Guide. It’s our way of learning how to create content that shows up in AI recommendations without losing the human connection. We’re sharing this early version with our text list for free, not as a finished guide, but as a real-time resource we update as we learn. If you’ve found something working for you, text us at that number and we’ll keep refining the guide together.👇

Get Access to our KBM Zero-Click Content Strategy Guide (FREE)
Text “zeroclick” to 1.863.246.5005

Want To Go Deeper?

Still wondering things like:

• Do I still need a website in the Zero-Click Era?
• What role does a website play when people get answers without clicking?
• How should your website content evolve to stay relevant?
• What metrics actually matter now?

We unpack all of that (and more) in our next post: 👇

🔗 Do I Still Need a Website in the Zero-Click Era?

🤖 This article is grounded in our own experiences, reflections, and insights. AI tools were used to assist with the writing and publishing process, enabling us to share valuable content with you more quickly.