SEO in the AI Era: Navigating AI Overviews, Zero-Click Searches, and Agentic AI

Executive Summary 

Google’s AI Overviews and other AI-powered search experiences, are changing the way people interact with search results and contributing to the growing trend of “zero-click searches” (searches that do not result in a click to any of the results presented). These often occur when a search engine displays the answer of a searcher’s query directly on the search engine results page (SERP) eliminating the need for the searcher to click on a website for information. Although the trend of zero-click searches began over a decade ago, AI-generated answers within search results have significantly altered the search landscape, SEO strategies, and how SEO success should be measured. 

The Evolution of Zero-Click Searches 

The concept of zero-click searches began in 2012 when Google introduced knowledge graphs into search results. This was Google’s first attempt to answer the searcher’s questions directly on the SERP, often displaying information from public sources such as Wikipedia. By doing so, the search engine showcased its ability to utilize natural language-processing, a field of AI that enables Google to understand, interpret, generate, and interact with human language via search. 

Google continued to grow the reach and functionality of knowledge graphs, increasing the scope of topics where they were displayed, before rolling out featured snippets and quick answers in 2014. These search features, as well as People Also Asks (2015), used AI to pull content directly from top-ranked websites and quickly provide users with accurate and relevant information. Such features forever shaped users’ expectations and interactions with search results, influencing them to spend less time analyzing results and deciding where to click.  

Through a series of algorithm updates designed to better understand a searcher’s intent and expand large language models, Google aimed to improve upon a user’s experience by refining these search features. During this time, SEOs began monitoring the percentage of zero-click searches which have varied per study but was reported at 25.6% as recently as 2022. 

AI Overviews and Their Impact 

Google has been utilizing AI, including machine learning, for over a decade. In December 2023, the search engine announced their contribution to “make AI helpful for everyone” with Google Gemini, a generative AI chatbot that rivals ChatGPT. A few months later, the search engine brought the AI model behind Gemini to search results, rolling out AI Overviews to users beginning in March 2024.  

When AI Overviews generate summaries based on a searcher’s query, they significantly alter the visual structure of search results and user interaction patterns. They appear above traditional results, (always considered prime real estate for being seen by users) and dominate search engine result pages with in-depth information that proactively answers questions related to the original search. When expanded, an AI Overview takes up the entire screen on mobile and nearly half of the screen on desktop, pushing traditional results below the fold.  They also stand out visually and extract information from multiple websites while displaying citations within the summary.  

In response, OpenAI’s ChatGPT improved their search functionality to provide better answers with links to sources and even allows users to search directly from the chatbot with results from Bing.  Other search engines have also begun to integrate AI-generated answers into their search results. With Bing’s Copilot, Microsoft stated their goal to transform search while “saving users time and money”.  

These radical shifts in the search landscape have further lessened the need for searchers to click on a link for information. When AI Overviews are present, click-through rates and traffic for websites within top ranking positions decrease. However, searchers who browse beyond the AI Overview and navigate to a brand’s website are more likely to convert. 

A recent study suggested that zero-click searches, defined as either when the browsing session ends or the user conducts another search upon seeing their initial search results, has increased to 58.8% in 2024. Additionally, nearly 30% of clicks go to Google properties (YouTube, Google Images, etc.) and only about 36% of clicks go to the open web. 

Despite AI Overviews already reaching over a billion people, transformative developments are imminent for Google Gemini. In December 2024, Google’s CEO announced their first agentic AI model, Gemini 2.0. 

Google has also mentioned how Gemini 2.0’s agentic technology will be integrated into search, specifically to AI Overviews. This will allow AI Overviews to “tackle more complex topics and multi-step questions, including advanced math equations, multimodal queries and coding”. The roll out of Gemini 2.0 is expected for early 2025 and will further influence user behavior and increase zero-click searches. 

Generative AI vs Agentic AI 

As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s important to understand the key differences between generative AI and agentic AI, two distinct but complementary branches of artificial intelligence. 

Generative AI focuses on creating content—whether it’s text, images, or code—based on patterns learned from large datasets. It excels at producing creative outputs, assisting with tasks like content generation, data analysis, and design. In contrast, agentic AI goes beyond content creation to perform autonomous actions, make decisions, and execute tasks in dynamic environments with minimal human intervention. This form of AI is designed to act as an intelligent agent, capable of problem-solving, adapting to new information, and interacting with other systems or users to achieve specific goals.  

The chart below highlights the key differences between these two AI types, highlighting their applications and potential impact on various industries. 

Feature	Generative AI	Agentic AI
Definition	AI that creates new content based on patterns in data	AI that autonomously takes actions to achieve goals
Primary Function	Generating text, images, videos, or code	Decision-making, planning, and task execution
Level of Autonomy	Moderate – usually responds to prompts but cannot act independently	High – can operate with minimal human input
Adaptability	Improves output quality through training but doesn’t take independent actions	Learns and adjusts based on real-world feedback
User Interaction	Reacts to user prompts, producing creative or informative outputs	Works proactively, making decisions and executing tasks
Scope of Impact	Content creation, idea generation, enhancing creativity	Task automation, workflow management, AI-powered research

Although most AI features are currently powered by generative technology, as it becomes more accessible, we expect to see the industry shift to embrace agentic technology. This could mean some substantial changes in how audiences consume information. As a result, websites may evolve to no longer be comprised of structured, available content. Instead, they could become portals for agentic AI bots that would custom create experiences for individual users. 

The New SEO: Search Everywhere Optimization 

Adapting strategies based on the ever-changing and ever-mysterious ways of search is nothing new for SEO. Google is regularly updating their algorithms to prioritize accurate content that is reliable and optimized for humans, requiring SEOs to closely adjust their approach based on the latest guidelines and best practices. However, zero-click searches and social searches (using social media channels, like TikTok, Instagram and Reddit, for information discovery) present the need to build brand visibility beyond traditional search results. 

A constant in user behavior is that people are still searching. How and where they search is evolving but people continue to ask questions that brands can answer. Audiences can be reached by understanding their needs wherever they choose to engage.  

Pivoting to “Search Everywhere Optimization” enables brands to optimize all content across multiple platforms instead of only Google. By having an SEO-focused view of content on other platforms, brands can create authoritative and engaging content aligning with searcher needs. This allows audiences to be reached via multiple touchpoints, including social media, traditional search, and AI-driven models. 

Google AI Overviews and other AI-focused technology are evaluating content in ways and sources that traditional search cannot. By focusing on AI Overviews and multichannel discovery, brands are prepared to expand awareness and impressions across all search ecosystems while providing the information their customers are seeking, meeting their reach and conversion goals in the process. 

Your SEO and content teams should collaborate on understanding your audience, creating content that strengthens your overall digital presence, and maximizing the impact of AI. These strategies will be crucial in driving your search-related business success. To stay informed about zero-click searches and AI while optimizing your content for digital audiences, be sure to connect with your CMI Media Group SEO team.