By Andrew Long, SEO developer

Year over year, a staggering 90 percent of web pages receive zero organic traffic from Google, despite over 8.5 billion daily searches. This stark reality reflects the seismic shift in SEO, far beyond simple algorithm updates. We’re witnessing a fundamental transformation in how search engines understand and deliver information. 

Zero-click searches, searches where users can find what they need and leave the site without clicking on any results, now account for 60 percent of all Google searches. That, along with AI-powered features like Google Overviews, has dramatically altered the digital landscape.

Google’s evolution from basic keyword matching to sophisticated AI-powered search has revolutionized how businesses connect with their audience. Through innovations like RankBrain in 2015, BERT in 2018, and most recently MUM (Multitask Unified Model) in 2021, search engines are continuously improving how they process search queries.

While the thought of zero-click searches becoming so prevalent might be intimidating for those looking to drive traffic to their sites, this transformation also offers unprecedented opportunities. The alternative, featured snippets, receive eight percent higher click-through rates than traditional results. Businesses are also seeing improved local search presence, with 46 percent of searches now having local intent, and the ability to capture user intent at multiple stages of the customer journey.

This AI-driven revolution in search means businesses can now reach their exact target audience with unprecedented precision—but only if they adapt to these new rules of engagement (the turn of phrase, not the sitcom starring David Spade).

AI’s Evolution in Search: What You Need to Know

The terms AI (artificial intelligence) and LLM (large language model) have dominated headlines and tech conversations in 2024. While related, they serve different purposes: LLMs are sophisticated programs trained on vast text datasets to understand and generate human-like language. 

You’ve undoubtedly heard of ChatGPT right now, and that’s probably the most famous example of an LLM. By training it on as many pieces of text they can get their hands on, ChatGPT can create outputs similar to that data, oftentimes with varying accuracy and consistency. It may be able to generate mostly viable code, but even recent models struggle with telling you how many r’s there are in the word, “strawberry.”

LLMs are just one application of AI, though, which is the broader field of creating computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. 

This technology has transformed search engines, most notably with Google’s AI Overview feature. This addition changed how search engines evaluate and present content by providing instant, comprehensive summaries directly in search results. 

Again, for any businesses wanting to get clicks, this can seem pretty scary at first. The good news is that these AI overviews link to the websites where they got the information from. This means getting featured in an AI overview shoots you right to the top of the search results.

For websites, this shift demands a new approach. Strategies must include:

  • Creating high-quality content
  • Focusing on natural language and long-tail keywords
  • Using structured data
  • Updating older content

Above all else, it’s important to focus on user intent rather than just keywords. Modern SEO requires understanding your audience’s search behavior and creating content that directly addresses their needs.

You can accomplish this by:

  • Improving organization with clearer sections within the content
  • Removing unnecessary or redundant information
  • Adding data points and actionable insights

Articles that are clearly structured and comprehensive don’t just help users find what they’re looking for, but have a higher chance of receiving featured snippets and top search positions (SERPS).

What Is a SERP? Search Engine Result Pages in Detail

“SERP” is a term that you see a lot when reading about SEO. And contrary to your instincts, it isn’t the name of a Muppet that got cut from the movies. A SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is the page displayed by a search engine when a user enters a query. When users search for information online using search engines like Google, the search engine returns a SERP containing a list of relevant results—ranging from organic web pages to paid advertisements—tailored to match the query as closely as possible. These results include the most relevant and high-quality content, such as web pages, images, videos and sponsored listings. 

SERPs are like beautiful snowflakes in that every one is unique, even for the same queries. Search engines personalize results based on several factors beyond the query itself, such as:

  • User’s geographic location 
  • Browsing history 
  • Personalized settings

Additionally, search rankings are dynamic and constantly evolving, with new content being continuously uploaded to the internet and search algorithms constantly changing. Two SERPS might look similar and share many of the same results, but they will often contain subtle differences due to the personalized and real-time nature of search algorithms.

The Four Types of User Intent

Ever wondered why some websites rank higher than others? The secret frequently lies in understanding why people are searching for something in the first place.

Think of search intent like a customer walking into a store. Some are just browsing (informational), others know exactly what they want (navigational), some are comparing prices (commercial), and a few are ready to buy right now (transactional). To catch a customer, you have to think like a customer. (Also, please don’t actually catch your customers.)

  • Informational: The user is seeking general knowledge or answers to a specific question. This is the most common type of search intent, making up approximately 80 percent of all searches (a solid B–). Users may be looking for articles, tutorials, or explanations on a wide variety of topics.
  • Navigational: The user is trying to find a specific website or webpage. For example, searching for terms like “Facebook login” or “YouTube homepage” reflects navigational intent. These users know exactly where they want to go, but need a little help getting there.
  • Transactional: Like an intern that got their hands on the company credit card, these users are ready to spend some money. These queries often include terms like “buy,” “order,” “discount,” or “coupon.”
  • Commercial: The user is interested in a product or service, but is still in the research or comparison phase. They’re not quite to the transactional phase. Terms like “best,” “top-rated,” or “compare” are commonly associated with commercial intent.

Why does this matter for your website? Because matching your content to search intent is like speaking your customer’s language. When you align your content with what users actually want, search engines take notice—and so do your rankings.

Different Types of SERPs: Understanding the Varieties of Search Engine Results

Once we’ve identified the user’s search intent, it’s important to understand how search engines present the information. There are multiple types of SERP features designed to address different user needs and search queries. Depending on the nature of the search, the search engine will display results in various formats, offering both organic listings and additional rich features to enhance the user experience. 
Organic results, your typical, run-of-the-mill search results, typically make up the majority of a SERP. However, search engines now offer various specialized SERP features, each designed to cater to different types of searches. Let’s break down these key SERP features:

  • Featured Snippets: These are the boxed snippets that appear at the top of the search results, providing direct answers to user queries. Featured snippets often pull content from the highest-ranking web pages, displaying it in a concise format (such as a paragraph, list, or table) to give users quick, relevant answers. These are the crème de la crème of search results, like an exclusive nightclub with a line around the block, but only a few people on the list.
  • AI Overviews: With the rise of AI-powered search results, search engines are now offering summarized, AI-generated overviews of complex topics. These overviews provide a brief summary or an answer to the query before the user clicks on any results, offering a more interactive and efficient search experience. They’re a lot like featured snippets, but the text is obviously AI generated rather than verbatim text from a website.
  • Popular Products: For e-commerce or shopping-related queries, search engines display a carousel or grid of popular products related to the search term. This feature helps users quickly explore product options, reviews, and prices, often linked to online stores.
  • Local Pack: For location-based searches, the Local Pack showcases a list of relevant businesses or services near the user’s geographic location, often paired with a map and important contact details such as phone numbers and addresses. You’ve seen these if you’ve ever Googled “_____ near me.”
  • People Also Ask Boxes: This feature presents a list of related questions that other users have asked. Each question can be expanded to reveal a brief answer, providing a dynamic and interactive way for users to explore additional information. These are fun because clicking on one makes more appear, so you can go further and further down the rabbit hole until you look up and realize you’ve wasted another weekend on your computer.
  • Rich Snippets: These enhanced search results go beyond the basic title and description by adding extra information, such as product prices, ratings, reviews, or even event details. Rich snippets are designed to give users a more in-depth look at the content before clicking on a link, improving visibility for the most relevant content.
  • Discussions & Forums: For certain queries, especially those involving troubleshooting or community advice, search engines may display results from online discussions, forums, or Q&A platforms like Reddit or Quora, where users can find answers from other people.
  • Image Packs: For visual queries, search engines display an image carousel or grid with relevant pictures. This is particularly useful for searches related to design, recipes, or any topic where visual content is integral to the user’s intent.
  • Knowledge Panels: These are information boxes that appear on the right-hand side (or top) of the search results, offering authoritative, summary data about a person, place, organization, or topic. Knowledge panels pull from trusted sources like Wikipedia, providing users with a quick, fact-based overview without needing to click on a link. Your middle school teachers may have said Wikipedia isn’t trustworthy, but Google is worth over two trillion dollars, and they trust Wikipedia, so you tell me who’s wrong.
  • Video Carousels: When a query involves visual or instructional content, search engines may show a video carousel featuring relevant YouTube videos or other video sources. This feature is common for how-to searches, product demos, and educational content.

Each of these features is designed to offer a tailored search experience, making it easier for users to find the most relevant information in the format that best suits their needs.

How to Optimize Content for SERPs and AI Overview

To effectively optimize content for SERPs, it’s essential to align your strategy with both traditional SEO best practices and the growing influence of AI-driven search algorithms.

Optimize for Search Engine Accessibility

To ensure your content is discoverable and properly indexed by search engines, optimizing for search engine accessibility is crucial. Search engines rely on crawlers (or bots) to scan and index web pages, which allows them to display the most relevant results in SERPs. If they haven’t indexed your site, then search engines don’t know it exists, so it behooves you to be as accommodating as possible.

  • Google Search Console: Be sure to connect your site to Google Search Console. This free tool offers invaluable insights into how Google crawls, indexes, and interacts with your website. It allows you to track important metrics like performance data, index coverage, sitemap submission, and crawl errors, helping you identify and resolve potential issues quickly. Additionally, Google Search Console provides details on mobile usability, security issues, rich results (including structured data), and any manual actions taken against your site.
  • Robots.txt: A plain text file that website owners use to give instructions to web crawlers (also known as robots or bots) about which parts of their website should or should not be crawled or indexed. It helps control and manage how search engines and other bots interact with the content on a site.
  • Sitemap.xml: An XML file that lists the URLs of a website, along with essential metadata about those URLs. These include when the page was last updated, how often it changes, and how critical it is relative to other pages on the site.
  • Schema Markup: This is a type of code that you can add to your website to help search engines better understand the content on your pages. It’s a form of structured data that makes it easier for search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo to interpret and present your content in rich, enhanced ways in search results. If you have a product page, add “product” schema so the search engines know. If you have a blog post, add some “blogPosting” schema. You can find every type of schema here.

Benefits of Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific keyword phrases that typically consist of three or more words. While users may search for them less compared to broader, more generic keywords, they offer several significant advantages. 

First, long-tail keywords are highly targeted, which means they align more closely with user intent. This often results in higher conversion rates, as users searching with these phrases are usually further along in their decision-making process and more likely to engage with content or make a purchase. 

Additionally, because long-tail keywords are less competitive, it can be easier to rank for them, particularly in niche markets. 

By incorporating these specific phrases into your content, you can capture a more relevant audience and drive quality traffic to your site.

Optimizing Content for Google AI Overview

When it comes to optimizing for SERPs, quality is king. High-quality content helps improve your search rankings and enhances the user experience, ensuring visitors find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. 

To create content that resonates with both search engines and users, it’s essential to focus on accuracy—providing correct, up-to-date information that answers user queries. Originality is another critical factor; duplicate or low-effort content can hurt your rankings, while fresh, unique perspectives can set your site apart as an authority on the subject.

Along with originality, demonstrating expertise and trustworthiness (often referred to as E-A-T because everything needs an acronym) is crucial for building credibility. This means providing in-depth, reliable content that’s backed by facts, citing reputable sources, and offering practical insights.

Additionally, content should be valuable to the user, addressing their needs and providing real solutions or helpful guidance. To create this value, organize content logically, with clear headings and easy navigation, so users can quickly find the information they require. 

Strong content is also linked to other relevant blog posts and internal pages, which improves the site’s SEO and keeps users engaged longer. For example, by linking to Why Your Business Should Post Blogs, you can show the importance of maintaining a robust content strategy to continuously engage with your audience and improve your visibility in search engines.

On-Page SEO Checklist

Optimizing individual web pages for search engines is essential for boosting their visibility and improving rankings. To ensure your content is fully optimized, it’s important to focus on key elements that both search engines and users value. Here’s a comprehensive on-page SEO checklist to guide your optimization efforts:

  • Keyword Research & Optimization: Identify the right keywords that match user intent and strategically incorporate them throughout your content.
  • Title Tag Optimization: Craft compelling, keyword-rich title tags to improve CTR and signal relevance to search engines.
  • Meta Description Optimization: Write clear, concise meta descriptions that encourage users to click through, while including relevant keywords.
  • URL Structure: Ensure your URLs are short, descriptive, and contain primary keywords for better search engine indexing.
  • Headings & Subheadings: Use structured headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize content and make it easier for both users and search engines to navigate.
  • Image Optimization: Compress images to reduce load time, use descriptive file names, and add alt text with relevant keywords to improve accessibility and SEO.

By focusing on these elements, you can effectively optimize your web pages, improving both user experience and your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.

Backlink Strategy

Backlinks, or inbound links from other websites, are one of the most important ranking factors for search engines. High-quality backlinks signal to search engines that your content is valuable, trustworthy, and authoritative, which can significantly boost your page’s visibility and search rankings.

A strong backlink strategy involves acquiring links from reputable, relevant websites within your industry. To build an effective backlink profile, focus on creating shareable content that naturally attracts links. This may include:

  • In-depth articles 
  • Infographics
  • Case studies 
  • Original Content

You can also engage in guest blogging, where you write articles for other reputable sites in exchange for a backlink to your site. Additionally, broken link building is another effective tactic—by identifying broken links on other websites and offering your content as a replacement, you can secure valuable backlinks.

Building backlinks is arguably the most difficult part of SEO. It takes a lot of legwork and consistency and emailing strangers. It’s essential to prioritize quality over quantity, as backlinks from authoritative sites (like educational institutions, established media, or industry leaders) will have a much greater impact than numerous links from low-quality sources while minimizing the number of strangers you have to email.

Is Content Strategy More Important Than Ever? Absolutely.

In today’s AI-driven digital landscape, having a robust content strategy isn’t just important—it’s essential for survival. As search engines become more sophisticated at evaluating expertise and authority, businesses must evolve beyond basic SEO tactics to establish themselves as genuine industry leaders.

The rise of zero-click searches and AI-generated overviews has fundamentally changed how users consume information. Your content needs to serve two crucial purposes: providing immediate value through featured snippets and AI summaries, while also offering comprehensive insights that demonstrate true expertise. This means developing content that’s both quickly scannable and deeply informative, two things that would seem to be at odds with each other, but can both be accomplished in a single piece of content.

A successful modern content strategy requires:

  • Integration across all digital platforms, from social media to your website
  • Content that directly answers user questions while showcasing deeper expertise
  • Strategic positioning to capture featured snippets and high SERP rankings
  • Consistent brand voice and messaging across all channels

Looking ahead to 2025, businesses that invest in comprehensive, expert-level content strategies will be best positioned to thrive in an increasingly AI-powered search landscape. The key is not just to create content, but to build a digital presence that establishes your brand as an authoritative voice in your industry.