The Shift to “Zero-Click” Search
In business-to-business (B2B), search visibility—and especially page rank—has long been a critical factor in competitiveness. Today, with AI-driven search and GPT-style answer engines, that process feels compressed and harder to see, as buyers get the information they need without ever visiting a website. This makes visibility inside AI-generated overviews as just as important as traditional rankings.
The impact of Search Generative Experience (SGE) on website traffic is already visible. Early testing shows SGE can reduce organic clicks by 18–64%, and Gartner forecasts a 25% decline in traditional search traffic as the use of generative search and virtual agents expands. Because B2B buyers do more self-directed research than consumers, the impact on business-to-business lead funnels can be even sharper.
Traditional SEO still matters. Google’s AI draws from the same index and signals as classic search. The priority now is to make your brand and content visible in AI-generated overviews—inside Google’s AI snapshot and across conversational tools—so you earn mindshare even when the click never happens.
But what’s a brand to do when search rank and mindshare aren’t enough to drive prospects to your site?
“Think of zero-click search as a new playing field. We’re not losing visibility; we’re learning to show up in different places,” says Sean Frisbie, Senior Director of Digital Marketing & Media at Elevation Marketing
This post explains why B2B marketers need a presence-over-click mindset and offers seven strategies to stay visible and keep leads flowing.
What Is Zero-Click Search?
Zero-click search is when people get all the information they need directly from an AI interface—inside a search engine, a GPT tool or an answer engine—without ever clicking through to a website.
Google’s AI overviews no longer pick a single “position zero” featured snippet above the number one organic listing. Instead, they synthesize information from multiple sites and present a new summary. Organic content still appears, but now they’re much further down the search engine results page (SERP).
At the same time, people are taking their questions to answer engines—like ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, Perplexity—and receiving full-text answers without ever opening a browser at all. This behavior erodes referral traffic beyond Google. In response, B2B marketers are now adopting Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) alongside Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) as a way to ensure their content surfaces inside AI tools.
“Generative AI has collapsed the distinction between top-of-funnel curiosity and mid-funnel validation; brands that don’t recalibrate will cede influence at the exact moment buyers are shaping their mental shortlist.”
– Ryan Gould, COO, Executive VP of Client Strategy
Zero-click search marks a significant shift for B2B brands. Buyers still lean on search and research engines at the start of their journey, but if those questions are answered entirely within AI interfaces, your funnel loses a major source of discovery. Yet AI overviews still need original sources. The real challenge is to position your company as one of those trusted sources across these new surfaces and then convert buyers further down the funnel.
Strategy 1: Visibility as a KPI
Traffic alone is no longer the key measure of SEO success. Today, the more useful metric is presence—how often your content appears or is cited in AI overviews. Branded search volume, mentions in AI snapshots, and downstream engagement (such as webinar signups or newsletter subscriptions) are now stronger signals of reach than raw sessions.
This requires a shift in how you monitor and report performance. Many analytics tools don’t yet provide an “AI overview” column, but you can begin manually tracking which URLs appear in SGE or answer engine outputs. Combine this with social listening and brand-mention monitoring to see where your content, data or commentary is being cited.
The practical payoff: if a prospect sees your brand mentioned multiple times in an AI overview, they may later search your name directly or click through to your site for more details. Even if traffic shows up as “direct” rather than “organic,” the original touchpoint may have been your inclusion in an AI answer. By aligning your reporting with sales and demand generation teams, you can connect the dots between presence, branded search and pipeline.
Strategy 2: Rethink Traditional SEO—What Matters More (and Less) in a Zero-Click World
“The old SEO playbook isn’t dead, it’s just evolving. Structured data, clean HTML and clear answers are the new basics,” Sean explains. Traditional SEO is still your foundation—Google’s AI draws from the same index and signals as classic search. But the tactics that once produced a spike in clicks have shifted in value. Let’s look at what still moves the needle and what’s no longer as effective.
- Structured data and JSON-LD matter more. Mark up FAQs, HowTos, products, authorship and organization information using a script format (JSON-LD is a block of script code you embed on the page). Even though FAQ rich results have been scaled back in the classic SERP, structured scripting gives Google’s AI clearer context and increases your odds of inclusion in AI overviews and answer engines.
- Machine readability is critical. Organize page content so both people and search engines can follow the flow of information. Use semantic headings—your main topic as an H1, main sections as H2s and subsections as H3s—so AI can see how your ideas fit together. Keep your HTML clean, meaning don’t bury important content in complex scripts or images without alt text. Maintain a logical hierarchy in your content and headlines so each section naturally flows from the one above it. This kind of clear, consistent structure makes your page easier for AI to read and cite, improving your chances of showing up in AI-generated answers.
- Original data and fresh insights stand out. Publish unique research, surveys and proprietary benchmarks that AI can’t generate on its own. Include dates and sample sizes to underscore credibility. An original stat (e.g., “53% of logistics firms plan to invest in AI in 2025”) is more likely to be pulled into an overview than a generic definition.
- E-E-A-T signals matter more than ever. Show experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness by demonstrating real-world familiarity with the topic; publishing content authored by subject-matter experts; earning credibility through backlinks, mentions and reputation; and by substantiating claims. Provide a secure, up-to-date and user-friendly website experience to reinforce trust. Together, these factors help Google decide which content to surface, especially in sensitive or high-stakes “your money or your life” (YMYL) topics. In practical terms for SEO, that means displaying author credentials, citing credible sources, maintaining clear site policies, frequently updating content and ensuring the technical integrity of your site.
- SEM (search engine marketing) remains a vital complement to SEO. While SGE and AI overviews focus on organic results, SEM (PPC, paid search, Google Ads) doesn’t directly influence which content is selected for those summaries. That said, Google is actively testing ad placements within and around AI overviews. Also, Google Ads still appear above organic listings on many SERPs. For this reason, we recommend the strategic use of paid search alongside SEO to maximize your overall visibility.
A few tips for complementing SGE optimization with SEM:
- Bid on high-intent keywords that align with AI overview topics.
- Align your ad copy with the style and information provided in AI summaries.
- Keep a close eye on ad placement as Google tests ad positions.
- Measure search presence as a combined metric (organic + paid visibility).
What matters less? Chasing featured snippets as a standalone goal. SGE no longer picks one “winner” box; instead, it pulls from many sources. Snippet-style formatting still helps, but shouldn’t be your only tactic. Over-optimizing titles and meta descriptions for click-through is also less impactful. They’re still useful for clarity and branding, but less likely to influence AI summaries directly. Finally, thin or repetitive top-of-funnel content (i.e., the classic “what is X” posts without unique value) is easily replaced by AI answers.
Pro tip: Audit your content for schema, clarity and originality. Shift from trying to “win a box”—the old featured snippet at the top of Google results—to building pages that are comprehensively, easy for machines to read and valuable enough to be cited in AI-generated answers.
Strategy 3: Make Content AI-Ready (AEO and GEO Principles)
Generative AI and answer engines favor content that is direct, structured and conversational. This is where AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) overlaps with GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Sean says,“B2B content has to work twice as hard now. Once to educate the AI and once to win the human who sees it.”
Here’s what that entails:
Start by answering directly, then going deeper. Provide a clear, concise answer to the main question near the top of your page, followed by supporting detail for those who click. This mirrors how AI systems summarize content—short, factual statements up front, context and nuance further down.
Use natural-language phrasing and long-tail queries. AI tools respond to conversational prompts; matching that tone and vocabulary increases relevance. For instance, instead of titling a section “Benefits,” phrase it as “How this helps your finance team” to echo real questions.
Include FAQ sections, glossaries or “What/How/Why” subheadings. These anticipate follow-up questions and make it easy for AI to extract relevant snippets. A clear “People Also Ask” section or internal Q&A block signals completeness.
Finally, highlight proprietary insights. AI prefers fresh, authoritative data. Include dates, sample sizes and citations to reinforce credibility. This is also where visual elements—charts, infographics and short video explainers—can stand out, because AI snapshots sometimes include images or link to videos.
Strategy 4: Build Authority Signals Beyond Your Site
Search engines and AI models look for confirmation of authority across the web. Your reputation outside your own domain matters as much as on-page SEO.
“When AI systems train on your data and present your expertise as their own, your job is to ensure the brand attribution is unmistakable and the pipeline paths are ready for the moment of intent.”
—Ryan Gould, COO, Executive VP of Client Strategy
- Showcase expertise. Publish under real experts with credentials. Add author bios and link to LinkedIn profiles. This helps AI associate your brand with identifiable people, not faceless content.
- Earn mentions and backlinks on third-party sites. Trade publications, partner blogs and review platforms (such as G2 or Capterra) help ensure AI overviews see you. For example, if your SaaS platform appears in multiple “best of” lists, an AI model summarizing that topic is more likely to include your brand name.
- Pitch data or commentary to industry outlets. Even a single stat in a reputable article can get cited repeatedly by AI models. Offering quotes or guest posts also raises your digital footprint.
- Strengthen entity SEO. Use schema to describe your organization, authors and products. Make sure your brand name, logo, and description are consistent across directories. This structured consistency helps AI recognize your entity and pull accurate info.
The more external confirmation AI engines find, the more likely they are to feature your brand in overviews. This is essentially digital PR reimagined for the AI era.
Strategy 5: Diversify Traffic Sources to Mitigate Zero‑Click
With fewer prospects arriving from organic search, bring your content to them:
- Paid search and social. While you can’t control ad placement inside AI overviews yet, paid channels still give you reach across Google, LinkedIn and niche platforms. Use Google’s Performance Max (Pmax) ad campaigns and LinkedIn targeting to reach decision-makers directly.
- LinkedIn and other social platforms. Promote thought leadership posts, webinars and case studies directly to your target audience. LinkedIn’s targeting by job title, industry and company size makes it ideal for B2B lead generation. Promoting employee posts or using executives as the voice of the content can significantly lift engagement compared with brand posts alone.
- Webinars, direct mail and trade shows. Use offline and live channels to generate interest and then funnel prospects to your site. These high-engagement tactics offer something AI can’t replicate—real-time interaction and tangible experiences. A webinar or live demo also collects email addresses, giving you direct access to your audience later.
- Omnichannel content distribution and syndication. Repurpose your content into LinkedIn articles, carousels or YouTube videos to reach audiences who aren’t actively searching on Google. At the same time, syndicate those same blog posts, whitepapers or infographics to established media outlets, trade publications or third-party content networks to reach built-in, high-value audiences. For example, your Cloud Security Trends guide could live on your site, appear as a LinkedIn carousel, be adapted into a webinar and be distributed through an industry publication for lead capture. This approach magnifies your exposure across channels, diversifies how people discover you and extends your reach far beyond organic search.
This isn’t about abandoning SEO but reducing dependency on one channel and meeting B2B buyers where they are.
Strategy 6: Own Your Audience and Nurture Direct Relationships
When you capture an email address or community signup, you control the relationship instead of relying on algorithms. This is the most direct hedge against zero-click search.
- Build an email newsletter worth reading. Share practical insights, upcoming events and original research. Make email nurturing the hub of your content strategy. Done well, a newsletter becomes a mini-publication that prospects rely on and customers look forward to—driving steady engagement regardless of Google.
- Offer gated assets and ongoing programs. Webinars, research reports and interactive tools give prospects a reason to register. Once you have an opt-in, you can nurture that contact with tailored information over time, then continue to provide value after the sale to increase retention and upsell opportunities.
- Improve UX and CTAs for all stages. Make sure your website converts the traffic you do get. Once visitors land, guide them toward the right next step—a resource, a demo, a consultation or a customer-only event. Many B2B brands focus on acquisition but forget conversion and retention; in a lower-traffic environment, every click and every relationship is more valuable.
Think of it as a “house list” strategy for the AI era: fewer but warmer leads and loyal customers you can nurture over time, independent of algorithm change and ready for continued cross-sell, upsell and advocacy.
Strategy 7: Refocus on Mid- and Bottom-Funnel Content
AI overviews dominate top-of-funnel informational queries. But buyers still click when they’re comparing solutions, calculating ROI or looking for pricing.
- Create evaluative content. Case studies, comparison pages and calculators help late-stage buyers make decisions. A “Vendor X vs Vendor Y” page or a “Total Cost of Ownership Calculator” offers something AI cannot—customized or company-specific analysis.
- Answer commercial questions clearly. Spell out implementation steps, pricing tiers and unique differentiators. Many B2B websites bury this information or gate it behind forms. In the zero-click era, making it accessible can differentiate you.
- Align with sales. Make sure your sales team knows which content supports which stage so they can share it directly with prospects. The synergy between marketing content and sales outreach becomes more important as organic top-of-funnel volume shrinks.
Balancing your content portfolio across the funnel ensures that when buyers are ready for deeper information, they find it on your site—not your competitor’s.
Turning Zero-Click Into a Visibility Advantage
Since GenAI and answer engines have rewritten the rules of search, B2B brands can no longer count on the same steady flow of organic clicks they once did. But visibility still drives demand. By focusing on presence inside AI overviews, structured and original content, authoritative signals across the web, and diversified channels, you position your company to stay visible and trustworthy—even when the click never comes.
“The zero-click paradigm isn’t a glitch in the search matrix; it’s the logical endpoint of a decade-long trajectory toward instant, frictionless answers.”
—Ryan Gould, COO, Executive VP of Client Strategy
Practical next step: Audit your content library for AI readiness. Identify where you’re already cited or could be cited, update your structured data and plan new assets that provide unique value that answer engines can’t replicate. At the same time, build out email lists, webinars and off-site partnerships to create your own direct lines to prospects.
The companies that adapt to zero-click behavior now will be the ones B2B buyers see everywhere—whether in a Google AI overview, a ChatGPT conversation, a LinkedIn post, or a trusted newsletter—and that presence will translate into pipeline.
Partner with a team that understands how to drive business wins in the zero-click era. At Elevation Marketing, we have over 25 years of experience working with B2B brands. Our expertise in SEO strategy, content development, web design and lead and demand generation can ensure your brand maintains visibility and capture pipeline even when search clicks are scarce. Our specialists build AI-ready content architectures, implement structured data and entity SEO and create integrated campaigns that deliver measurable results across digital and offline channels. If you’re ready to strengthen your presence in AI-generated overviews and turn zero-click behavior into qualified opportunities, we’re here to help.
