Zero Click Content Marketing
The new age of zero-click content is about helping searchers find answers with less friction without clicking into any content pieces. This is a timely and evolving topic. In fact, just this week, Google launched its "AI Overview" feature, and not everybody is a fan. The new AI Overview is the next content consolidation feature in the zero-click content revolution.
**Aside**
I searched Google with the query "Why do people not like Google's AI Overview?" and there was no AI Overview answer to that question. But the "clickless" summary that it did deliver from search engine land was "Introducing [generative AI] into search and AI Overviews that directly synthesize and present information to the user risks discouraging users from clicking through to the original links, in turn threatening the business model of those who invest in journalism and quality information."
**Back to the main event**
What Is Zero-Click Content?
Zero-click content is attention-grabbing content that provides the audience value without clicking. No form fills, no clicking and browsing through long-format content, just quick, direct answers. Here's where zero-click content is commonly used:
Search engines.
The top content displayed isn't ads anymore. It's zero-click content with a direct answer to your question. For example, I Googled "what is zero-click content" to illustrate how zero-click content works (I know, inception, right?) and check it out; the top two results... don't require me to click and I get the exact answer I'm looking for:
This creates a great user experience, but for us marketers, we have historically relied on clicks to gauge engagement and success. Later in this newsletter, we address new metrics that you should watch.
Social Media.
Instead of sharing short posts with links to "read more," many brands provide value directly in the body of the post copy. LinkedIn posts are a great example of this. While Facebook posts tend to be shorter and link to "click-worthy" content, LinkedIn posts are generally longer and provide all the value within the post. Instagram did this click-less thing way before it was cool since their content has been zero-click since day 1. Here are a few other social-specific zero-click content formats to consider:
Carousel posts
Infographics
How-to reels
YouTube shorts
Newsletters.
Spoiler alert: we've been doing zero-click before it was cool, too. This blog was originally a clickless newsletter. Go ahead, scroll back up. We don't have any CTAs, no sales pitch, and nothing to click on. We look at open rates to assess if people enjoy the content we're sharing. Also, some of you tell us when you're into it (which we love). Yes, it can be difficult to invest time in content creation that isn't lead-generating or click-generating, but if you're giving your audience what they want, you're building strong bonds, trust, and credibility that will eventually result in customers.
Why Do We Need Zero-Click Content?
Attention spans continue to decrease, the AI revolution booms, and we're all looking for answers to our questions faster. A year ago, if I had a question, I'd open my laptop, pull up Google and search. Today, I can dictate my question to ChatGPT from my phone while sitting at a red light and let the platform read the answer. The way we use technology to find answers is changing FAST.
For B2B and B2C marketers, zero-click content is something we all need to pay attention to because it's what people want. Do we need to be more thoughtful about our content? Sure. Do we have tools to help with this task today? Yup. There are loads of AI tools (that are no replacement for a skilled marketer), but they can bolster efficiency significantly. Here's a link to a great podcast from Marketing Against the Grain that reviews new AI tools for marketers.
Here are a few things to think about when creating zero-click content
What information are your prospects looking for? It will likely differ by channel. For example, this long-format email would never fly on social media, but it's excellent for a newsletter.
Limit the amount of scrolling and navigation for mobile users.
Zero-click content improves visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs) and algorithm rankings, so even though we're producing click-less content, we still want those long-format blog posts to improve search engine visibility. We must accept that we'll be providing value without that reward of the pesky little click.
Make sure you're optimizing all of your content for keywords.
Structured content such as lists (like this one!) works well for zero-click content because search engines can understand the schema, and typically, lists offer good quick value. Make sure you're including lists in your long-format blogs.
Write content based on buyer personas to tailor it to the needs of your audience at every stage of the buying journey. This will increase the chances of your content showing up in searches.
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Measuring Zero-Click Content
Zero-click content changes the metrics available for marketers to use to measure effectiveness. That doesn't mean we have no way to measure success. It just means the metrics we're using are different. Below is a list of metrics that you can use to measure click-less content:
Impressions
Engagement metrics
Social sharing
Search engine rankings
Direct traffic
Customer feedback and surveys
Need help to master Zero Click Marketing? Contact Red Brick Partners today!
We have more than ten years of experience in creating content, digital marketing, and automation in the B2B marketing space. We specialize in veterinary marketing utilizing all different forms of content, and we're confident in our abilities to help you succeed in these areas. Feel free to do some digging on our website or click the button below, and our marketing team will get back to you soon.