Since Google almost never stands still, there is a new development every so often. This is also the case for no click SERPS, which are also regularly referred to as position 0.
But how should you actually deal with this development? Because they have an impact on how you should deal with both SEO and SEA.
What are No Click SERPS?
Due to changes in how the search giant displays the search results (SERPS), the no-click SERPS phenomenon has gained considerable ground in the past year. However, it is something that has existed for years, but is now so far that you cannot ignore it.
But what exactly is a no click SERP. In fact, the name says it all, but let’s make the exact meaning of it clear. This concerns searches that end WITHOUT any user clicks to a result in the search results.
What that means in short is that Google has been able to offer the information in such a way that the searcher has already received his / her answer / solution without the need for a click.
Sounds absurd? From a marketing point of view, yes perhaps a little.
But from the philosophy of Google it is actually exactly what they strive for. For those who don’t know, the idea of Google as a search engine to do 1 exact thing;
Bringing together the search query (problem) with the best fitting answer (solution).
That there are several solutions is good, but the search engine must / is becoming smarter. Based on the almost infinite dataset, this means that they can better and better match the intention of the seeker.
This allows the search engine not only to make more suggestions, but to actually consider the best result of the agreed suggestions. So much so that these zero click results are actually found to be better than all other results (which it does STILL offer).
In doing so, I will respond to a possible vision of the future in which you might even just get 1 result from now on. (With a fallback to more results).
Because hey it is and remains Google, so you never know!
The impact of No Click SERPS
We can no longer ignore it because of the rapidly rising percentage of searches that end WITHOUT click on an actual search result.
In June / July 2019, that percentage exceeded 50% for the first time, various studies show. The phenomenon forces us as marketers, partly due to this sharp rise, to look differently at applying online marketing strategies.
It was striking that this was mainly on mobile, where the bulk of the search volume is nowadays, and the growth was extra visible. This is perhaps due to another phenomenon, voice search where the assistant has often made a (pre) choice for you.
Start going for them!
But no click on a result does not necessarily mean that there are no chances to be able to respond to this properly.
Make sure your results are shown as complete as possible in the search results and bet on rich snippets that you can obtain with structured data.
The biggest advantage of rich snippets is that you will stand out more in the SERPs (search results) and you can show more information. A number of examples are reviews, date, author, price. But the most important thing is to apply what actually is in line with you.
The goal is to provide the seeker with as much information as possible, but remember that people will no longer click on a result as quickly as before. That is just a fact of how search engines have grown and people have changed.
But you have to go along with that eventually. There is no point in resisting because this way you only fall behind the competition. So the best tip; work on your content, work on your pages, optimize and make sure that you are seen by Google as the zero click serp.
But even though you are not seen as the zero click SERP. If you do your utmost in view of your content to meet the intent of the seeker then you SHOULD already do well.
Branding
If you are busy improving your products / services or in short the content of your website / platform. Then you should not lose sight of the surf.
Especially if you are not yet an established order in terms of name, it can always be a secondary goal of SEO and SEA to bring your name to attention.
Use the SERPS as a way to be shown to an interesting audience. Its effect may be harder to measure, but it creates awareness and increases the exposure (your visibility) of your brand.
But I want to note that you have to make a good decision as a company; your brand or your target audience. Also view my previous item; “Intent is where it all starts”; https://patrickdankers.nl/en/intent-is-where-it-all-starts
No click, at least be aware of it!
On a daily basis I am very busy with both techniques and development with Google in the back of my head. But I also want to deliver quality by ensuring that I can get the most out of each project together with you.
The zero click is an example of that, but I always look further based on your specific wishes and requirements.
Will we work together to ensure that you also have the best possible chance of zero click results? … Well unfortunately, coming in contact is still 1 click away … but you are not going ot let that stop you now are you?!