How to Optimize Your Brand for Zero Click Search

We live in a world where consumers want instantaneous answers no matter when and where they are. That’s why the phenomenon of zero click searches, search results that provide answers to queries directly on the search engine results page (SERP), have exploded in recent years. In fact, over half of searches on Google today end without a click. This blog will cover how to optimize for zero click searches so your business can rank #0 and instantly reach consumers.

What is Zero Click?

Zero click searches are searches that appear at the top of Google’s SERP, above organic search results. They provide answers to search queries without ever having to click through to a website and come in the form of:

• Featured Snippets
• Instant Answers
• Knowledge Graphs
• Photos
• Videos
• Shopping
• Maps/Local Pack

How to Optimize for Zero Click Searches

Zero click searches are all about satisfying the user’s search intent with quick and accurate answers. To rank for these snippets on Google, your business will need to focus on content optimization and local SEO.

How to Optimize Your Featured Snippets Strategy

If you want your business to rank for featured snippets, your content needs to be formatted to the way snippets are displayed. Keyword research will show you what keywords and questions your target audience is searching to find products and services that match your business. This includes long-tail keywords, or a group of keywords that users often search, such as “Where can I find an atm near me?”.

The Google Keyword Planner, is a great tool to discover the most relevant keywords to your industry. The “People Also Ask” section of Google is also another great resource to find out what kinds of questions your audience is asking. Then, you can answer these common questions on the FAQ page of your website. This will help you rank for a featured snippet that comes in the form of a paragraph.

How to Rank for Knowledge Graphs

Knowledge graphs typically appear on the right side of the SERP page. One of the best ways your business can be featured in a knowledge graph is by adding schema markup to your website content. Proper schema markup on your website content will help Google’s search engine crawlers easily find your content for knowledge graphs. Additionally, spend some time building your presence on business databases such as Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Crunchbase. These databases are regularly used as a source for Google’s knowledge graph, with Wikipedia as the top domain.

How to Rank in Google’s Local 3-Pack

As a business, there’s no better place to rank than the local 3-pack on Google like in this example below. Google’s local 3-pack appears above all other organic listings and is a valuable driver of customer traffic. Ranking high enough to appear in Google’s local 3-pack requires an optimized listing management strategy. First and foremost, ensure your business is listed and claimed across all of the top tier 1 directories.

Tier 1 Directories: 

• Google
• Apple Maps
• Facebook
• Bing
• Yelp
• Foursquare

Next, each listing will need NAPWCHD consistency, which means the business name, address, phone number, website, categories, business hours, and description will need to be listed. Take it a step further by adding great photos, products available, appointment links, booking links, social media profiles, and any other important local business information. An accurate and up-to-date presence across your local listings will help your business’s chances of being featured in Google’s 3-pack.

How to Rank Higher on Google Shopping

Another way your business’s products can appear at the top of Google’s search results is with Google Shopping. Google Shopping can increase brand exposure and connect you to local consumers searching for your products. All products on Google Shopping should contain accurate product titles, descriptions, detailed product information, and optimized product images. Your product photos shouldn’t contain watermarks or additional text on the photos. Don’t forget to include keywords for your product title and product description.

How to Optimize Your Images & Videos

You most likely know that many zero click searches contain images alongside the result – but did you know that oftentimes the images in a featured snippet are from a different website than the text content? High-quality images that are optimized and relevant have the best chance of being used as a featured snippet image.

Include images next to all of your zero click search content that you have already created for your website. Your images should be placed close to the top of the page, near the H1 heading, and have a relevant image title. Your images will also need clear file names associated with the image. Another optimization tactic is to include relevant text with the alt attribute, so Google can properly read what your image is about. These best practices will help Google find your image content to be used as a featured snippet opportunity.

Lastly, videos have become an increasingly popular feature of featured snippets. Also known as “Featured Clips”, these videos are almost always pulled from Youtube and show up in response to user queries for step-by-step instructions. 80% of Featured Clips contain the exact keyword in the video title. Similar to image optimization, your brand should include a keyword-optimized name of the video and a video description with keywords. Add clickable timestamps that take viewers to specific sections of the video, since these get indexed by Google. These best practices will help your brand get featured more in Featured Clips.

Rank for Zero Click Search with Local Pages

Local Pages are single-handedly the best way any multi-location business can rank for location-based zero click searches. Each Local Page is dedicated to providing localized, SEO-friendly content for every business location. With location-specific information such as products available, geo-locators, local social media content, and more, your business can outrank the competition in zero click and organic search.

Is your business looking to rank #0? Chatmeter’s Local Pages can help drive online and in-store traffic to your multi-location business. Find out how you can take control of your online presence with Chatmeter by speaking to one of our experts today!