There’s a disturbing trend in organic search: Many web pages are losing traffic without a substantial change in rankings.
It’s not an abrupt loss and usually occurs for low-volume queries. Yet the aggregated traffic reduction across many pages adds up, becoming noticeable.
What can be done? A drop in traffic usually stems from lower rankings. But what if rankings are unchanged? This trend is widespread, affecting large and small sites.
Here are the causes.
Clicks to this web page decreased from April 2024 to February 2025, but its top ranking stayed the same. Click image to enlarge.
Zero Click Searches
Google’s search result pages no longer consist solely of 10 blue links with predictable click rates. Search results are much more diverse and dynamic. Many of the new features generate few, if any, clicks.
Certainly Google has infused more advertisements in search results, which compete with organic listings. Other factors include:
- Featured snippets that answer queries directly, removing the need to click.
- Sections for “People also ask” and “People also search for” prompt users to stay on-site, researching more.
- Videos play directly in search results.
- Images can take at least two clicks to reach the underlying web page.
- Other sections (social media, maps, forums) distract from the organic results.
A 2024 study by SparkToro found that, on average, 1,000 U.S.-based searches resulted in just 360 external clicks.
AI Overviews
Google’s launch of AI Overviews dramatically contributes to zero-click searches. A recent study by Seer Interactive revealed organic and paid click rates with and without AI overviews. The trend is obvious: AI Overviews decrease clicks to ranking pages.
Here are some of Seer’s findings.
Zero Click Discovery
Generative AI platforms — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, others — are upending shopping patterns. Consumers increasingly rely on those tools for brand and product recommendations, yet very few answers include external links.
The result is zero-click discoveries, forcing consumers to search, say, Google or Bing to locate the recommended sites. Hence branded search volume is growing for most businesses, especially the prominent names. Non-branded rankings may not change but clicks route through branded searches instead.
What to Do?
- Prioritize queries with transactional intent. AI Overviews appear mostly for informational searches. Continue providing helpful information but don’t waste resources monitoring those positions. Write for shoppers, not search engines.
- Monitor and optimize branded search.
There’s no single fix to zero-click searches and discovery. Adjust optimization tactics and start adapting to a lower-traffic future.
