New Year, New... SEO Strategy?

Reader, if you're deep in the weeds of digital marketing like I am, you know the search landscape is changing quickly.

We saw the launch of AI Overviews (AIO) in Google search results in 2024. They were quickly pulled back due to crazy (sometimes dangerous) responses, but not for long... We're seeing AI Overviews pretty consistently in our day-to-day searches now.

Classic SEO strategies used to focus on measuring your click through rates (CTR) and traffic to your website. However, the rise of voice search and AIO has changed everything.

​SparkToro released a study of click stream data last year, showing us that 60% of Google Searches now result in zero clicks.

The chart above is a study of American searches, and the European study is extremely similar.

Ready or not, how your audience interacts with search has changed.

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Zero-Click Search has entered the chat

It sounds intimidating, right? I get it! However, optimizing for zero-click search may be easier than you think.

A recent study by Surfer broke down the outputs of over 400,000 AI Overviews in Google Search. There is quite a bit of data to review, but here are a few high points:

AIOs contained the exact query only 5.4% of the time.

This means AIOs are focused on providing human-centered responses with context and alignment with search intent, rather than a direct keyword match. So, while it's important to leverage a keyword strategy, we should still prioritize natural language in our website content rather than hyperfocus on the algorithm.

52% of websites mentioned in AIOs are also top 10 results in a conventional search engine result page (SERP).

This means those traditional SEO tactics you've used for years are still important. The data suggests that AIOs use indexing strategies similar to those of a conventional Google search. The difference is that AIOs use that data to generate helpful overviews linking to an average of five resources rather than creating a list of websites, like in traditional SERPs.

69% of domains in the top-10 SERPs have more average traffic than the websites cited in AIOs.

Surfer quickly points out that this doesn't mean people aren't clicking on the links in the AIOs. The message here is that Google can still source smaller websites for AIOs, it's not just the big fish who are included.

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So, how do I optimize for AI Overviews?

Honestly, keep working that conventional SEO strategy.

1. Optimize and actively manage your Google Business Profile and business listings. Add updates, strategic keywords, and helpful content at every opportunity.
2. Ensure your website meets technical SEO standards with great load times, properly structured content, and mobile-first design.
3. Create fantastic, engaging content utilizing the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) and publish it consistently.
4. Be human and natural in your brand voice. Prioritize user experience and helpfulness.
5. Redefine your definition of success. Direct attribution metrics for website traffic are no longer reliable because 60% searches are zero-click.

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It's easy to get swept up in the message that everything has changed. This creates an urge to chase the next big thing and try to get ahead of it.

However, businesses that leverage a holistic marketing strategy grounded in best practices will continue to do well in 2025.

If you want a fresh look at your marketing plan, hit reply and let's schedule a coffee. While we don't chase the latest trend, we can always help you build that foundational marketing strategy to reach your target audience and meet your unique business needs.