The Zero Click Era: How to Grow Revenue Without Growing Sessions

By Michaela Simpson on 10 Sep 2025

The Problem: The Click Collapse

In recent years, something dramatic has been happening on Google.

A majority of searches (nearly 60%) no longer result in a click to a website. Instead, users find their answers directly on the search results page via featured snippets, "People Also Ask" boxes, knowledge panels, and most recently, AI Overviews.

This phenomenon, known as "zero-click searches", has reshaped the SEO landscape. Marketers traditionally relied on organic clicks as a core performance metric. But when those clicks disappear, what’s left?

Well, quite a lot actually: Revenue. Engagement. Visibility.

Which begs the question: Were clicks ever the goal?

Because it’s never really been about the click. It’s always been about what comes after: the sale, the signup, the relationship, the brand.

Rethinking Performance: From Sessions to Sales

There’s already been a significant shift away from clicks, which is about to be compounded by Google’s AI Mode. Powered by the Gemini model, AI Mode is creating a more conversational and in-depth user experience. This goes beyond simple snippets and moves toward a dialogue with the search engine. More and more of the user’s research is going to happen here, before a click to any website.

We firmly believe that there’s no reason to panic over a decline in clicks, provided your strategy is focused on visibility, user intent, search experience, and revenue per visit.

Together with our clients, we’ve embraced the shift. We’ve built strategies that focus on these key areas, and some of our best recent wins are coming from periods of declining traffic.

Clicks are declining, but sales aren’t… at least, not for brands ready to evolve.

Let’s unpack two standout examples of how we’ve turned a downturn in clicks into a revenue boom.

Case Study #1: Woodie’s – When Fewer Clicks Drive Bigger Wins

The Shift

Woodie's, a DIY, Home & Garden retailer, noticed a shift in non-branded organic clicks with the rise of SERP features like AI Overviews.

The Insight 

Even though clicks were down, impressions were rising. This meant their visibility remained strong. The audience was seeing Woodie's content at the top of the search results,  keeping the brand front of mind for users, even if users weren't clicking through to the site.

The Strategy

We shifted our focus to conversion optimisation and refined the alignment between the SERP content and the landing pages. This ensured that when a user did click, they landed on a page that was perfectly optimised to convert them into a customer.

The Result

• Conversions up 83% YoY in Q2
• Organic revenue up 72% YoY in Q2
• Conversion rate from organic traffic increased nearly 60%

• For example, in the DIY & Building category, while sessions grew modestly at 2.6% YoY, revenue saw a massive 68% increase, showing us that quality engagement drives meaningful impact.

This shows a clear pattern: Impressions are rising, and while users may be clicking less frequently, those who do arrive are more engaged and ready to buy than ever before.

Case Study #2: Horseware – Attracting More Qualified Traffic

The Challenge

The introduction of new search features in the U.S., such as AI Overviews, significantly impacted traffic to e-commerce websites in many industries, including the equestrian space. The challenge was to ensure that even with a drop in clicks, overall revenue was not affected.

The Strategy

We reviewed each of Horseware's main collection pages and implemented optimisations specifically designed to increase visibility across the AI landscape. We also continued to create supporting blog content. Our tactics included:

• Introducing Expert Opinions: We added expert opinions to verify our content, which is crucial in a specialised field like the equestrian industry.
• Targeting Conversational Queries: We focused on longer, conversational types of queries and restructured our copy to include FAQs to target these searches.
• Improving E-E-A-T: By featuring an author like Megan Hines, an ABTC-registered Equine Training Instructor, we boosted the content’s Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness.

The Results

Comparing January to July YoY, website sessions were down 3%, and new visitors were down 14%. However, revenue grew by 11%, with a 14% uplift in transactions. These results prove that by focusing on the real goal, revenue, not clicks, targeted AI optimisations will attract more qualified traffic to key pages.

Why This Works: Zero-Click ≠ Zero Impact

Rand Fishkin put it best: "Zero Clicks Doesn’t Mean Zero Sales".

The zero-click environment rewards:

• Being seen in featured snippets, AI answers, PAA and across Social
• Creating brand awareness that pays off in later visits or other channels
• Answering questions directly and building trust before the click

The Wolfgang Playbook: Turning Decline into Dominance

The zero-click environment rewards brands that are seen in featured snippets and AI answers, create brand awareness, and answer user questions directly to build trust before the click. Here’s how Wolfgang builds SEO strategies that thrive in this new landscape:

Content in a Zero-Click World: Is It Still Worth It?

My God, yes!

While click-through rates on blogs may be lower, the strategic value of content has never been higher. Here's why:

• Your Website Is Still Home Base: Even if you’re creating content primarily for LinkedIn, the full version should still live on the website for many reasons - to get indexed in search, to send to email subscribers, for AI training data, and for long-term visibility.
• Cross-Channel Amplification: One blog post can fuel a full campaign: it becomes a LinkedIn post, a newsletter story, a slide for a webinar, or a video transcript. This repurposing maximises your return on every content investment.
• SEO Still Starts with Strong Content: Without great content, you can't win featured snippets, get mentioned in PAA boxes, or be used in AI Overviews. Content is the foundation of visibility.
• Brand Authority & Trust: Blog content still builds credibility, supports the sales cycle, and positions your brand as an expert in the field.
• Measurement Has Evolved: Success now includes a broader range of metrics such as impressions, engagement, and assisted conversions, not just clicks.

Don’t fall into the trap - if you're not investing in content, you're not competing in the new search landscape.

The Bigger Picture: The Future of SEO

We’re entering a world where fewer clicks don’t mean fewer wins. It just means brands have to change the way they view their SEO strategy - focusing on impact, not just traffic.

In a zero-click landscape, your brand needs to:

• Show up early in the journey
• Stay visible without needing the click
• Convert users more effectively when they do arrive

Not only will this set you up for success in the traditional SERPs, it’s the same type of thinking that you’ll need to triumph in LLMs, like ChatGPT (more to come on that front from Wolfgang very soon).

Wolfgang Digital’s approach is delivering revenue-focused SEO that turns impressions into business impact. 

It’s SEO your CEO will love.

Want to Know How This Could Work for You?

Let’s chat. We’d love to walk you through how we’re evolving SEO for brands facing the same challenges and show you the hidden opportunities in your own data. Contact us to learn more.

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