E-commerce

Five ways to help optimise your website for ‘zero-click’ search engine results

Search patterns are going through a metamorphosis.

For many years, digital marketers worked on the principle that clicks represent leads – but AI has changed the game.

With Google’s search results providing direct answers through snippets, knowledge panels, and AI overviews – and not always linking to websites – it raises the question: what role will the business website play in 10 years?

It’s clear we can no longer measure SEO success solely by clicks.

A recent analysis of 3000 websites shows 63 per cent received at least one visit via AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, or Jasper. ChatGPT alone is outpacing Google for some age groups – users aged 18–34 used ChatGPT more than Google in 2024.

You could be forgiven for thinking the website is defunct. Why invest in design and content if no one finds it? But technology evolves more often than it disappears – and small changes to your site structure and content can keep it relevant. Here are five things you can do to adapt.

1. Shift to structured data and API-driven experiences

Organising information so machines can understand it will be key to improving ranking in AI citations. Part of this could be through APIs, which improve communication between systems.

Simpler changes, like presenting information in tables, also help. Tables highlight data and numbers effectively, increasing the chance your site provides direct answers to customers’ questions – a crucial factor for search results and rankings.

2. Refocus your site as a verification point, deep-dive resource, or conversion hub

The future website will be headless, minimalist, and purpose-driven – no longer a bloated catch-all.

It will serve as a resource hub for search engines, while customers will use it to sign up to a newsletter or access in-depth studies. They won’t be there for casual browsing or brand experiences.

3. ‘Cluster’ your content

Content is king, but organisation matters. Grouping content by topic helps establish authority with search engines.

A series of blogs on a similar topic should funnel customers to a larger resource, such as an e-book or report, often gated in exchange for email details. This creates an instant lead.

Studies show more links to valuable content improve search placement, thanks to URL structure and search engines shifting from keywords to phrases. This is even more important now, as authority boosts chances of featuring in AI overviews.

4. Answer your customers’ questions

With AI citations often dominated by larger sites like Reddit, competition is fierce for smaller businesses.

To compete, websites must answer customer questions directly. Reddit ranks highly because it offers concise, user-driven answers. Businesses can take a similar approach by turning customer service insights into content blocks and FAQs.

For example, if customers often ask about pricing, publish it online to reach those searching for terms like “accounting firm in Sydney with great reviews under $2,000 per month.”

Large language models will not know your firm’s pricing unless it is on your site. Without answers, AI tools rely only on reviews – a missed opportunity.

5. You will still need a business website

For those concerned, websites will remain a business staple.

Having spent two decades in digital strategy and customer behaviour, I’ve seen enough change to know that zero-click search is another step in evolving discoverability.

Business leaders must adapt to new ways customers find brands. The website’s traditional role as a digital shopfront will shift, but it still provides visibility, authority, and trust. Ranking in zero-click formats matters, even without instant conversions – making websites more important than ever in AI-driven search.

• This story was originally published on Inside Small Business.
• Further reading: AI won’t save your SEO, but it can supercharge it; here’s how.