Zero-click searches aren’t coming like many proclaim, as they’re already here, and tbh, have been for ages, although it has increased.
AI Overviews, Featured Snippets, and People Also Ask boxes are taking up more space than ever, where users get answers without clicking.
And bloggers are watching impressions rise while clicks fall.
But:
Zero-click doesn’t mean zero opportunity.
Why Zero-Click Searches Are Increasing
In 2026, Google’s priorities are clear:
- faster answers
- fewer steps
- less friction for users
AI Overviews summarize.
Featured Snippets answer.
PAA boxes expand endlessly.
That means:
- informational queries are hit hardest
- generic “what is” content loses clicks
- vague advice gets absorbed by AI
Fighting this is pointless, but positioning around it is the move.
Stop asking:
“How do I get clicks instead of AI?”
And start asking:
“How do I become the source AI pulls from – or the next click after?”
Strategy #1: Optimize for Snippets, Not Rankings
Featured Snippets are still one of the best defenses against zero-click loss.
Because they:
- show your brand
- link directly to your page
- often outperform normal position #1
What I always do now on my micro niche sites:
- I answer the main question in 40–60 words
- I place the answer immediately after the H2
- I avoid fluff before the answer
- I use simple, declarative language
AI prefers clean answers, and so does Google.
Strategy #2: Target “Expandable” Queries
Some searches invite follow-ups, while others don’t.
Avoid queries like:
- “What is X”
- “Define Y”
- “Meaning of Z”
Those get swallowed by AI.
Instead, target:
- “why”
- “when”
- “should you”
- “what happens if”
- “common mistakes”
- “best way to”
These trigger People Also Ask boxes – which still drive clicks.
Strategy #3: Write for PAA Boxes on Purpose
People Also Ask is one of the most underrated traffic sources in 2026.
Here’s how I do it:
- I search the main keyword
- I expand 6–10 PAA questions
- I turn each into:
- an H3
- a short, direct answer
- followed by deeper explanation
Google loves this structure.
It tells the algorithm:
“This page resolves multiple intents.”
Which makes it harder to replace with a single AI summary.
Strategy #4: Add Value After the Answer
AI answers the “what.”
You need to focus on:
- the “why”
- the “how”
- the “what to do next”
- the edge cases AI skips
If your post just repeats the obvious answer, AI will eat it alive.
If your post extends the answer, users still click.
Strategy #5: Use Lists, Tables, and Comparisons
AI summaries struggle with nuance.
So I lean into formats that:
- require scanning
- require choice
- require context
Examples that still earn clicks:
- pros vs cons
- step-by-step processes
- mistakes lists
- comparisons
- decision trees
Strategy #6: Accept That Some Queries Are Lost, and Move On
Not every keyword is worth chasing anymore.
If a SERP is:
- 70% AI overview
- dictionary-style
- fully answered above the fold
I skip it.
There are still thousands of:
- problem-based queries
- beginner questions
- process-driven searches
- opinion-adjacent topics
Strategy #7: Build Pages That AI Can’t Fully Replace
AI summarizes.
It doesn’t:
- build trust over time
- show lived experience
- adapt advice to edge cases
- understand context the way humans do
So I:
- write from first-hand perspective
- explain tradeoffs
- show mistakes I’ve made
- call out exceptions
That’s the content users still seek out – even after seeing an AI answer.
What I Don’t Do Anymore
I don’t:
- chase pure definition keywords
- obsess over position #1
- panic over declining CTR alone
- write content just to “rank”
Visibility without clicks is a signal, but not a death sentence.
It tells me where to adapt.
Search isn’t dying, I prefer to say it’s fragmenting.
Some answers stay on Google.
Some move to AI.
Some still need human depth.
You just need to adjust your strategy to:
- win snippets
- dominate PAA
- extend beyond summaries
- help with decisions
If your post gives Google everything it needs in one paragraph, don’t be surprised when Google keeps the click.
But if your content helps users think, decide, and act – they will still come to you.
That’s the line I build on now.
