60% of the Time it Works Everytime… The Myth of Google Zero-Click Search Results

Every day, I read an article stating that 60% of all searches end without a click. I get it in newsletters, media, SEO forums, AI-created slop, social posts, YouTube, and infographics. That leads to many client questions regarding AI and Google Search results. 

As Mark Twain said it best — there are “lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

This 60% figure is false. Agencies need to stop using it in their articles to scare clients. Especially when they are working with law firms. 

For the last few months, marketing agencies have been citing this number to instill fear in law firms and encourage them to buy more search marketing services. The theory is: Oh no, I am going to lose 60% of my traffic! 

It is time for some SEO myth debunking. Let’s walk down the rabbit hole on how this “60% of all Google searches end with a zero click” myth came into existence. 

Google has not publicly confirmed a 60% zero-click rate. I found no primary data directly from Google validating this figure. Everything is based on a 2024 study and best guesses. 

Even with that study, the real zero-click rate was about 37%. 

Moreover, it has been that way since 2020. AI may be increasing zero-click searches somewhat, but the articles make it seem like it’s gone from 0% to 60%, which just isn’t the case. 

How Did This Myth Restart in 2026?

There are hundreds of articles that are stating this 60% figure. The latest I found was a May 11, 2026 article by SEO.com which stated: “Discover why almost 60% of searches end without a click and how to adapt now!”

The SEO.com article actually cites a Search Engine Roundtable article from July 3, 2024 – Google Zero Click Study Now at 58.5%, which cited a SparkToro study from 2024 – Zero Click Search Study. 

Yes, 2024. So over two years ago. It is not new data. It is not current data. It is a study by one agency from 2024.

It’s not even 60%; the zero-click study states it is 58.5%. People are rounding up. 

More importantly, that 58.5% is really 37.1%. 

Why? Because 21.4% of people conducted another search! It is not a zero-click if someone runs another search. So, with math, 58.5% of zero clicks become 37.4%.

Again, lies, damned lies, and statistics. 

The Real Data from 2024

The data from SparkToro / Datos / Clickstream from 2024 indicates:

• 41.5% of searches result in a click to a website.
• 37.1% of searches result in nothing. The user just stops their query. The user left Google for any number of reasons. Agencies claim this is because Google “stole” the answer via AI answers. In reality, many of these are “abandonment” cases for other reasons. Users could get distracted. Users could get quick answers for “weather” or “stock prices” and get what they need instantly, which Google considers a “successful” user experience and would have never visited your law firm website.
• 21.4% result in another search. Yes, that means it’s not that 60% end in a zero click; rather, it is only 37.1% end in a zero click. 

Zero Click Has Been This Way for Years

Did you know that in 2020, 64.82% of Google Searches ended without a click? So the number of zero-click searches is actually the same as six years ago. 

Yes, you read that right. It was actually the same six years ago. Actually, it was higher in the past than in the 2024 study. In talking about the 2024 study, SparkToro said: 

“These zero-click search numbers are slightly lower than the highs reported by SimilarWeb in December 2020, but considerably greater than the 2019 numbers reported by the now-defunct Jumpshot panel in June 2019.” – SparkToro

So the big jump was from 2019 to 2020, when Google first started answering questions. Since that time, it has been roughly the same. Plus, it has never been 60% and is more like 37.1% that ends in a true zero click. 

Some Extra Thoughts

• Estimates for 2026. The last true study was in 2024. Some estimates suggest that zero clicks might be slightly up in 2026. But that is only conjecture or estimates right now. 
• Zero Click – This does exist in set categories. Ones that don’t really apply to law firms. Think about all the data that Google has provided for years to users — weather, stocks, actor bios, dictionaries, maps, and more. All of that is included in the number, and none of it involves a law firm or a legal issue.
• AI Search vs. Google Search – It is also true that AI search has a high zero-click rate. This makes sense. If you are using AI search, many people do not click on the citations and just spot the AI result as fact. 
• Google Search is Changing – Moreover, Google search is changing in 2026. It could be that the new Google AI mode will increase the number of zero-clicks. 
• Search Increasing – Keep in mind that Google’s “pie” is getting bigger. Even if the percentage of clicks remains flat or dips slightly, the total search volume is rising. So even if zero-clicks come, you may end up with more traffic from more searches being conducted. 

Why This Matters – Don’t Fall for Scare Tactics

Marketing agencies are trying to use scare tactics to suggest that traffic to your website is going to die off. They throw around a 60% figure. But if you actually do the research, you will find that zero-click has been consistent for six years. Traffic to most properly optimized law firm websites has increased during that time and in the past year as well. 

PS:  Yes, the headline is a reference to Anchorman, Sex Panther by Odeon, a fictional, pungent cologne. I think that sums up how I feel about the 60% figure.