{
  "dataset": "glossary",
  "record": {
    "id": "zero-click",
    "term": "Zero-Click Search",
    "category": "optimization",
    "short_def": "A search where the user gets their answer on the results page itself — via a snippet, knowledge panel or AI Overview — without clicking through to any site.",
    "long_def": "Popularized by Rand Fishkin of SparkToro, whose 2019 research found that over half of Google searches ended without a click to an external property. AI Overviews and answer engines accelerate the trend, making 'being cited in the answer' more valuable than 'ranking for the click' — the economic premise behind GEO and AEO.",
    "see_also": [
      "ai-overviews",
      "geo",
      "aeo"
    ],
    "etymology_origin": "Popularized by Rand Fishkin (founder of SparkToro, former CEO of Moz); his research published 13 August 2019 reported that in June 2019, for the first time, a majority of Google.com browser searches ended in zero clicks.",
    "related_to": [
      "ai-overviews",
      "geo",
      "aeo",
      "share-of-model",
      "grounding"
    ],
    "contrast_with": "Unlike a traditional organic click, where the user lands on your page, a zero-click result satisfies the query on the SERP — so the success metric shifts from traffic to being the cited source inside the answer.",
    "example": "Rand Fishkin's SparkToro research (13 August 2019) found that in June 2019, for the first time, a majority of Google.com browser searches resulted in zero clicks.",
    "source": "https://sparktoro.com/blog/less-than-half-of-google-searches-now-result-in-a-click/",
    "status": "active",
    "why_it_matters": "Zero-click is the structural reason agent-readiness and GEO matter: if users (and agents) never click, the only way to win is to be the cited source inside the answer.",
    "sameAs": [],
    "bridge_entity": "geo",
    "last_verified": "2026-06-15",
    "md_twin": "/glossary/zero-click.md"
  }
}