Tapping into the zero-click landscape through LLM optimisation

 Key takeaways: 

• Zero-click searches are rising as user behaviour shifts toward quick answers, richer SERP features, and self-refining queries  

• LLMs now act as refinement engines, allowing users to bypass traditional SERPs and get tailored, conversational answers that match intent  

•  Zero-click queries can now be leveraged as high-intent opportunities, as LLMs can surface and cite your content when it’s structured, specific, and genuinely helpful 

• You can optimise your website by analysing zero-click keywords from existing data, auditing SERPs/LLM citations, and optimising content in line with LLM parsing 

Just in case you’re not familiar with ‘zero click search’, it’s what SEOs describe when a user searches for a query and doesn’t click on a result in Google.  

We see the search demand, we know we’ve got strong ranking positions, yet our CTR shows that users simply haven’t landed on our site - frustrating right? 

This has become increasingly more common over the years for many different reasons. From a traditional SEO perspective, these include (but are not limited to); 

• User search behaviour changing: 

Variables such as swanky new rich snippets adapt as attention spans change, and Google seals its ecosystem. We see more users scanning snippets, meta descriptions and titles for fast summaries surface-level information that satisfies a query. 

• Google algorithms getting the intent wrong:  

This happens more often than Google would like to admit, but we all know that over the last few years, there’s been many times where you’ve gone to search for something, and you feel like you’re talking to a brick wall. 

• Users self-correcting when they realise they need pre-refined queries: 

 Ok, this is an amalgamation of the above two points; but we’re entering a time where users have more understanding than ever on how to work a search engine to extract helpful information. 

When we consider the factors which contribute to zero-click searches, we also need to acknowledge that methods of search are evolving to grow with user expectations and behaviour.  

Enter LLMs (and their cousin AIO)

Looking at attitudestoai.uk study data, 40% of the public have used LLMs, with 46% of professionals using it several times a week. This is a pretty big shake-up to the past 10 years of traditional search.  

LLMs present a significant opportunity to convert those pesky traditional zero-click queries into high-intent traffic. 

But how? 

We all know that LLMs are really starting to own this space as a refinement agent, meaning that they are continuously refining and generating an output to direct users to the most appropriate answer.  

Because of this continuous cycle of refinement and generation, users are able to cut out the old school middleman – otherwise known as Google SERPs - and arrive on a site primed to investigate further or convert, confident that it matches their search intent exactly. 

So, instead of using multiple searches to refine and tailor the output, users are generating conversational prompts to ensure that they get bespoke, tailored information straight from the start.  

What does that mean for you?  

What would once produce a zero-click SERP with no onward journey is now an opportunity to grow LLM visibility and engagement through hyper-focused conversational topics, with your brand providing the insight, data or product information. 

Creating this high-intent specific content - which users can actively refine through conversation – adapts access to your content for a user behaviour which is not instinctive to traditional search. 

Targeting those traditional zero-click SERP queries in LLMs can help bridge the performance gap where it wasn’t possible before.  

The good news is we can leverage existing platforms to put the spotlight on LLM opportunities  

Conducting a manual SERP and LLM analysis will help you gain an understanding of what is being cited for your direct and semantic zero-click queries.  

1. Use the data you already have 

Starting with your Google Search Console data, identify topics and keywords where you’re seeing strong ranking positions and impressions, but clicks aren’t following the same story. Where we know there is volume, but no clicks (discounting any paid cannibalisation), we can infer that this is potentially a zero-click avenue which we can bridge with GEO (Generative engine optimisation) tactics.  

2. Take a deep dive into your landing pages 

Do you have a landing page which correctly and effectively matches the intent of landing pages cited in LLM responses? The more specific the prompt, the more niche information may be required on-site to ensure LLMs can parse and create high-quality vector embeddings from your content.  

3. Look closely into your page foundations  

Are all the expected key areas of content correctly and effectively implemented?  Foundational SEO elements like heading structures, helpful content overviews and schema mark-up all contribute to a healthy GEO-optimised page LLMs retrieve and process websites differently from traditional crawlers – so ensuring frictionless access to information is essential. The better-structured your page, the more easily LLMs can parse, comprehend and cite information from SERPs effectively. 

4. Consider wider brand activity 

Finally, think broader. Are the brands surfaced in LLM responses leveraging industry and household name authority more effectively than your site? Is there any further brand activity or fresh, quality pieces which can be implemented as supplementary supporting content for your main landing pages? 

SEO isn’t dead, GEO is 2/3rds SEO – and so if you’re ticking these boxes already, you’re well on your way to maximising traditional zero-click opportunity, in the realms of LLMs.  

If you’re interested in zero-click optimisation, bespoke GEO strategic planning and forward-thinking implementation, get in touch today to register your interest in a free GEO strategy session with our experts.