"Myth. Google Search has changed dramatically. Ten blue links have morphed into search engine results pages (SERP) with zero-click features such as AI Overviews, knowledge panels, and a tab to AI Mode. But SEO is alive - and you need this expertise in your newsroom to help you navigate. An SEO may tell you that users search Google to " Know, Do, Go," that users perform:"
"We need to accept and educate our colleagues that many fact-based searches are now zero-click, and the searcher won't leave the SERP. An AI Overview or a YouTube video will provide the answer. These searches delivered traffic for years but this traffic has gone. If I just want facts on "best museums in NYC," the AI Overview, sponsored results, and links from Google Maps are enough. However, searchers looking for deeper information - those in research mode - will trust your brand and click."
Google Search increasingly surfaces zero-click SERPs with AI Overviews, knowledge panels, and an AI Mode tab, reducing click-throughs for many informational queries. Informational queries often get answers on the SERP, while transactional queries still drive users to reviews and affiliate content and navigational queries favor known brands. Newsrooms must maintain SEO expertise to understand query intent, optimize for research-mode users who will click, and educate colleagues about shifting traffic patterns. Brand trust and in-depth, experience-based content remain the strongest levers to recover audience and monetize transactional opportunities.
Read at Nieman Lab
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