Brief

Goodbye Clicks, Hello AI: Zero-Click Search Redefines Marketing

As consumers rely more on AI-based search and summaries, how will brands adapt their strategies?

By Natasha Sommerfeld, Megan McCurry, and Doug Harrington

Published on February 19, 2025
min read


At a Glance Marketing executives tailor their customer strategies around search engine results, but search is changing quickly. AI search engines and AI summaries on results pages are taking a bite out of clickthrough traffic. Bain’s research finds that 80% of consumers rely on these “zero-click” results at least 40% of the time. Brands will need to rethink their marketing strategies to avoid falling behind in this new era of search. For years, marketers have worked to master search algorithms and position their companies well in search results and generate sales. Some invested in rich content and thoughtful optimizations, while others chased quick fixes like keyword stuffing. Now, the rise of AI search engines and generative summaries has upended traditional search behavior, delivering answers directly on results pages and removing the need for users to click through to another site. Bain’s recent survey finds that about 80% of consumers now rely on “zero-click” results in at least 40% of their searches, reducing organic web traffic by an estimated 15% to 25% (see Figure 1). The speed of this upheaval leaves marketers with an urgent question: How do we engage consumers when clicks and site visits are disappearing? Figure 1 About 80% of search users rely on AI summaries at least 40% of the time Source: Bain–Dynata Generative AI Consumer Survey, December 2024 (n=1,117) A new era of search Two tectonic shifts are disrupting search: generative AI summaries delivered by traditional search engines (for example, Google and Bing) and the rise of large language models (LLMs) for search (such as Perplexity and ChatGPT Search). On traditional search engines, the zero-click trend is accelerating across demographics, with our research showing that about 60% of searches now end without the user progressing to another destination site. Even among those who say they are skeptical of generative AI, about half say that most of their queries are answered on the search page without a click. In parallel, platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity are surging in popularity. ChatGPT saw a 44% traffic boost in November 2024, and Perplexity reached 15 million monthly users in late 2024. Customers indicate that LLMs are encroaching on traditional search engine use cases: roughly 40% to 70% of LLM users use the platforms to conduct research and summarize information (68%), understand the latest news and weather (48%), and ask for shopping recommendations (42%). Figure 2 Generative AI is encroaching on the roles of traditional search engines Source: Bain–Dynata Generative AI Consumer Survey, December 2024 (n=1,117) As organic clickthrough rates fall, marketers are losing share of voice in high-value, non-branded searches—that initial discovery phase where people seek answers and opinions before committing to a specific brand. These crucial moments are where customer discovery and subsequent conversion often occurs. Generative AI isn’t just disrupting search traffic—it’s turning the customer journey into an algorithm-driven narrative. Related brief Generative AI in Marketing: Five Steps to Scale for Real ROI Companies that scale up their initiatives will gain an edge by delivering consistent value and better engaging customers. Preparing for a zero-click world To succeed in this new consumer reality, search engine optimization will not be enough. Winning brands will accelerate and refine their SEO efforts, since these remain an important and effective means of reaching consumers. At the same time, brands should move quickly on two dimensions: pragmatic technical optimization strategies to set the foundation for LLM readability, and bold experiments to understand how to influence visibility and positioning for both search engine AI overviews and LLM engines. Actions that marketers can take to set the foundation for successful experimentation include: Optimize for AI crawlability. Adapt your content for semantic search, emphasizing high-intent, long-tail terms. Forget PDFs and gated content—they’re relics in an AI-driven ecosystem. Diversify content formats. Go beyond text. Use video and interactive formats to boost visibility in generative AI search. Prioritize deep topical authority over shallow keyword tactics. Redefine metrics. Shift from click-focused metrics to measuring search impressions and AI reach. Optimize for influence over direct conversions. As zero-click searches and AI-driven engines redefine how people discover, learn, and decide, successful brands will embrace innovation and experiment boldly. Marketers should be rethinking search strategies in ways that will help maintain brand relevance and customer relationships in this new world of search. About the Research Data powered by Dynata, a leading global first-party data and insights platform.

At a Glance

Marketing executives tailor their customer strategies around search engine results, but search is changing quickly.
AI search engines and AI summaries on results pages are taking a bite out of clickthrough traffic.
Bain’s research finds that 80% of consumers rely on these “zero-click” results at least 40% of the time.
Brands will need to rethink their marketing strategies to avoid falling behind in this new era of search.

For years, marketers have worked to master search algorithms and position their companies well in search results and generate sales. Some invested in rich content and thoughtful optimizations, while others chased quick fixes like keyword stuffing.

Now, the rise of AI search engines and generative summaries has upended traditional search behavior, delivering answers directly on results pages and removing the need for users to click through to another site. Bain’s recent survey finds that about 80% of consumers now rely on “zero-click” results in at least 40% of their searches, reducing organic web traffic by an estimated 15% to 25% (see Figure 1). The speed of this upheaval leaves marketers with an urgent question: How do we engage consumers when clicks and site visits are disappearing?

About 80% of search users rely on AI summaries at least 40% of the time

A new era of search

Two tectonic shifts are disrupting search: generative AI summaries delivered by traditional search engines (for example, Google and Bing) and the rise of large language models (LLMs) for search (such as Perplexity and ChatGPT Search).

On traditional search engines, the zero-click trend is accelerating across demographics, with our research showing that about 60% of searches now end without the user progressing to another destination site. Even among those who say they are skeptical of generative AI, about half say that most of their queries are answered on the search page without a click.

In parallel, platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity are surging in popularity. ChatGPT saw a 44% traffic boost in November 2024, and Perplexity reached 15 million monthly users in late 2024.

Customers indicate that LLMs are encroaching on traditional search engine use cases: roughly 40% to 70% of LLM users use the platforms to conduct research and summarize information (68%), understand the latest news and weather (48%), and ask for shopping recommendations (42%).

Generative AI is encroaching on the roles of traditional search engines

As organic clickthrough rates fall, marketers are losing share of voice in high-value, non-branded searches—that initial discovery phase where people seek answers and opinions before committing to a specific brand. These crucial moments are where customer discovery and subsequent conversion often occurs. Generative AI isn’t just disrupting search traffic—it’s turning the customer journey into an algorithm-driven narrative.

Related brief

Generative AI in Marketing: Five Steps to Scale for Real ROI

Companies that scale up their initiatives will gain an edge by delivering consistent value and better engaging customers.

Preparing for a zero-click world

To succeed in this new consumer reality, search engine optimization will not be enough. Winning brands will accelerate and refine their SEO efforts, since these remain an important and effective means of reaching consumers. At the same time, brands should move quickly on two dimensions: pragmatic technical optimization strategies to set the foundation for LLM readability, and bold experiments to understand how to influence visibility and positioning for both search engine AI overviews and LLM engines. Actions that marketers can take to set the foundation for successful experimentation include:

Optimize for AI crawlability. Adapt your content for semantic search, emphasizing high-intent, long-tail terms. Forget PDFs and gated content—they’re relics in an AI-driven ecosystem.
Diversify content formats. Go beyond text. Use video and interactive formats to boost visibility in generative AI search. Prioritize deep topical authority over shallow keyword tactics.
Redefine metrics. Shift from click-focused metrics to measuring search impressions and AI reach. Optimize for influence over direct conversions.

As zero-click searches and AI-driven engines redefine how people discover, learn, and decide, successful brands will embrace innovation and experiment boldly. Marketers should be rethinking search strategies in ways that will help maintain brand relevance and customer relationships in this new world of search.