Zero-click searches are changing the way users interact with search engines presenting challenges and opportunities for financial services websites.
Nearly 65% of Google searches end without a click to a third-party site, so understanding how to optimise your website for zero-click searches is essential for maintaining visibility and driving engagement in the competitive financial sector.
Zero-click searches occur when search engine results pages (SERPs) provide users with direct answers or snippets without requiring them to visit an external website.
These can manifest in various formats, including:
Featured Snippets: Quick answers presented at the top of the SERP, often in a box format.
Knowledge Panels: Information displayed about entities like banks or financial products:
People Also Ask (PAA): Sections that show related questions and answers.
Local Packs: Listings that show nearby financial institutions with essential details.
For instance, a search for “how to choose a savings account” yields a featured snippet, knowledge panel and PAA, effectively providing users with the information they seek without requiring them to click through to a website. This shift in user behaviour can significantly impact organic traffic and engagement levels for financial service providers.
Financial services websites are witnessing declining organic traffic as users often get sufficient information directly from SERPs.
For example, when you search for “what are the current mortgage rates uk” Google displays an AI overview and a featured snippet that gives users an instant answer, making them less likely to click on individual lenders' websites.
With zero-click searches dominating SERPs, even top-ranked websites can struggle for visibility. When a financial services website ranks #1 for a keyword, but a featured snippet occupies position zero, the organic link may be pushed down the page, reducing its exposure. The organic search result in position 1 will generally receive about 40% of clicks for that search, but this is reduced by around 5% if a featured snippet is positioned above it.
For example, when you search for “what are the current mortgage rates uk” Google displays an AI overview and a featured snippet that gives users an instant answer, making them less likely to click on individual lenders' websites.
Many users are now accustomed to finding answers quickly within SERPs, this is only further reinforced by Google providing answers without the need to click and read through a page to get to the most salient points. If Google continues with the trend, the change in user behaviour will probably be reinforced further.
This shift may lead to lower engagement and fewer conversions for financial service providers that rely on organic traffic to attract new clients. As such, financial institutions may find it increasingly challenging to capture the interest of potential clients searching for services.
As organic traffic decreases, so do leads and conversions for the channel. When users enter a website to answer a question or investigate a service they can meet that need and then continue to engage with the website's content, leading to further engagement and conversions. If the original need is being met in search results, that further natural engagement does not have an effect on visits and conversions.
While zero-click searches present challenges, financial services websites can implement effective strategies to work around them.
To achieve position zero, financial websites need to create content that succinctly answers common questions. Featured snippets typically extract information directly from web pages, so it’s crucial to format your content in an easily digestible way.
Actionable tips:
Direct answers: Start your content with a clear, concise answer to the question. For instance, if the query is "What is a Cash ISA?", begin the article with a definition followed by a brief explanation.
Break up content: Structure parts of content using shorter more concise sections, which Google often favours when displaying featured snippets. For example, if discussing the benefits of a particular financial product, present them as a numbered list that is quick to read and easy to digest.
Leverage schema markup: Implement structured data (schema markup) to help search engines understand your content better. This could involve marking up FAQs, articles, or product listings so they’re more likely to be featured.
PAA sections in SERPs can significantly boost your website’s visibility, so they pose a great opportunity to drive traffic on zero-click searches. To take advantage of this you must anticipate your users related questions to a query if they’re searching for “What is a cash ISA” then try to think of questions that may come from this query for example “why get a cash ISA” and include that in your content.
Actionable Tips:
Identify common questions: Utilise tools like AnswerThePublic or AlsoAsked to find questions related to your industry. Create content that directly addresses these queries, ideally in a Q&A format. This format clearly denotes the question and answer, making it simple for Google to feature without much context either beforehand.
Integrate FAQs on your pages: Adding a dedicated FAQ section to your landing pages or blog posts can improve your chances of being featured in the PAA section. For instance, a personal finance website might address queries about loan applications, interest rates, or budgeting tips.
Update content regularly: As financial regulations and market trends evolve, so do user inquiries. Regularly updating your content ensures it remains relevant, improving its chances of appearing in PAA.
In a zero-click search environment, it’s essential to capture users' attention quickly, video content is a great way to engage users and retain their attention longer.
Search engines often feature video snippets prominently, providing a unique opportunity for financial services websites to showcase their expertise in a new format.
Actionable Tips:
Produce how-to videos: Create informative videos that guide users through complex financial processes, such as applying for loans or managing investments. Use visuals, animation, and music to enhance understanding and keep viewers engaged.
Optimise video titles and descriptions: Use relevant keywords in video titles, descriptions, and tags to improve discoverability. For example, a video titled "How to Choose the Best Investment Account" can attract users searching for related information.
Embed videos on your website: Incorporate videos into relevant blog posts or service pages to encourage users to stay longer on your site. This tactic can help improve your site’s overall engagement metrics, benefiting your SEO efforts. Make sure they are marked up with schema for best results.
For financial institutions with physical branches, optimising for local search results is essential. Google’s local packs display key information, such as business hours and customer reviews, directly in search results.
Actionable Tips:
Optimise your Google Business Profile (GBP): Ensure that your GBP is complete and up-to-date, including business hours, services offered, and contact information. Use high-quality images to showcase your branch and create a professional impression.
Encourage customer reviews: Prompt satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your GBP. Respond to reviews, both positive and negative, to demonstrate your commitment to customer service. According to research, 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Use local keywords: Incorporate local keywords into your content and metadata for location specific pages. For instance, use phrases like “best bank in [City Name]” or “affordable mortgages in [Region]” to enhance visibility in local searches.
Long-tail keywords typically consist of more than one word and are less competitive, making them a valuable target for financial services looking to improve organic traffic. They can represent a less searched keyword that other websites may not be optimised to rank for. In some cases long tail keywords can represent specific questions from users who are closer to converting and have a higher chance of utilising your services.
Actionable Tips:
Conduct keyword research: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Moz to identify relevant long-tail keywords related to your services. Focus on keywords that reflect specific user intents, such as “how to save for retirement in your 30s.”
Create targeted content: Develop blog posts or landing pages around these long-tail keywords. For instance, a financial advisor might create content titled “Investment Strategies for First-Time Investors” to target that specific audience.
Utilise localised long-tail keywords: Combine long-tail keywords with local terms to capture a niche audience. An example could be “affordable credit union loans in [City Name]” to attract users in a specific geographic area.
As zero-click searches alter traditional traffic metrics, financial websites should redefine how they measure success. Focusing on a broader set of metrics helps to understand your online performance better.
Actionable Tips:
Track impressions and clicks: Use Google Search Console to monitor impressions and clicks for your top-performing keywords. Analyse which pages garner the most impressions, even if they don’t lead to clicks, as this indicates visibility.
Monitor engagement metrics: Evaluate user engagement metrics such as average time on page, bounce rate, and session duration to gauge content effectiveness. Higher engagement often correlates with better user experience and increased chances of conversions.
Set specific goals: Establish clear goals beyond traditional metrics. For instance, aim for a certain number of video views or an increase in positive GBP reviews to measure success in adapting to zero-click searches.
Zero-click searches are transforming the digital landscape, presenting unique challenges for financial services websites. Financial institutions can effectively navigate this new environment by understanding how these searches affect organic traffic and implementing strategic measures to target featured snippets, PAA sections, and local packs.
By adapting their SEO strategies and measuring success through a broader lens, financial service providers can maintain visibility and enhance brand awareness and customer engagement in an increasingly competitive marketplace.