SparkToro, which has published several zero-click studies, defines it this way: "Zero-click searches are defined as those that end without clicking on any of the results presented." That covers searchers who got their answer, gave up, or typed a new search (SparkToro, 2024 study, read 1 November 2026).

How many Google searches are zero-click?

In SparkToro's latest study (8 June 2026, based on Similarweb's clickstream panel), 68.01% of US Google searches from January to April 2026 ended without a click. It puts the 2024 US figure at 60.45% (SparkToro, 2026).

The numbers do not line up exactly across studies. SparkToro's own 2024 study, on a different panel (Datos), found 58.5% for the US and 59.7% for the EU. SparkToro says the panels are not the same users or devices. Read the figures as a clear direction, not an exact share.

Why do zero-click searches matter for B2B SaaS?

A buyer can now learn your category, see a shortlist and compare prices without visiting a single vendor site. Fewer searches send a click, so ranking alone brings less traffic than it did.

AI answers add to this. Ahrefs found that an AI Overview correlates with a 58% lower average click-through rate for the top-ranking page (300,000 keywords, December 2025 data, published 4 February 2026).

So the question changes from "do we get the click?" to "are we named in the answer?" Answers often draw on third-party pages, such as "best X software" lists. A brand named on those pages can reach the buyer even when nobody clicks. See our guide to SEO vs GEO vs AEO.

  1. Compare impressions and clicks in Search Console. Google counts AI Overviews and AI Mode in the Performance report, "within the "Web" search type" (Google Search Central).
  2. Watch branded searches, direct visits and signups, not only organic clicks.
  3. Answer the question in the first lines of your page, so it can be shown as a featured snippet or cited in an AI answer.
  4. Find the third-party pages that hold the results and the AI answers for your category, and work to be named on them.
  5. Track AI referral traffic separately, since it behaves differently from search clicks.

What does it look like? (hypothetical example)

A hypothetical example: a buyer searches "what is a customer data platform". An AI Overview gives a three-line answer and names four tools from a list article. The buyer notes two names and closes the tab. No site got a click, but the two named brands made the shortlist.

  • Zero-click is the outcome. AI Overviews, featured snippets, knowledge panels and People Also Ask boxes are the features that cause it.
  • Zero-click does not mean zero value. The searcher may still see your name, your price or your review score.
  • Google AI Mode is a separate chat-style tab. SparkToro measured only 0.34% of searches going to AI Mode from January to April 2026 (SparkToro).