AI Overviews and Search Results for Law Firms

AI Overviews are bold use of generative artificial intelligence designed to help Google searchers find the information they need. These AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results provide quick answers without requiring users to click through to websites. These overviews are powered by Google’s Gemini AI and represent one of the newest features contributing to zero-click searches.

When AI Overviews (AIO) launched in 2024 amidst fierce competition in the AI field, the rough edges were obvious. Google Labs worked tirelessly to improve the data and AI systems powering AIO throughout last year. While AIOs’ presence was temporarily scaled back, industry experts anticipate renewed AIO growth in 2025 as the technology matures. Google has said that it plans to expand AI Overviews and will continue to tweak how and when they appear at the top of SERPs pages.

AI Overviews: Prevalence and Impact

Various studies have attempted to measure how frequently AI Overviews appear in search results, with significant variation in their findings:

• According to Search Engine Journal, AI Overviews appear in up to 47% of all searches, which take up nearly half of mobile screen space.
• Advanced Web Ranking found that only 12.4% of analyzed keywords display an AI Overview.
• Search Engine Land reported that AI Overviews show for 7-9% of searches on average.

This wide variance likely stems from differences in methodology, sample sizes, and the timing of studies, because Google continues to adjust its use of AI Overviews. A December 11, 2024 Search Engine Journal article cites one of the newest research studies on AI Overviews, which was conducted by Botify and DemandSphere in late 2024, analyzing 120,000 keywords across 22 websites. The Search Engine Journal article makes an important point about AI’s increasing impact on search, despite variations in current measurement methodology:

“When AI Overviews show up with featured snippets — which happens 60% of the time — these can occupy up to 76% of mobile screens, pushing regular listings out of view. While strong organic rankings remain crucial, with 75% of AI Overview mentions coming from Top-12 ranked pages, businesses need to adapt their strategies to the rise of AI in search.”

The study highlights a trend toward zero-click searches, stating that 60% of searches now resolve without users’ clicking links. The zero-click evolution creates a new challenge for law firms, businesses, and organizations dependent on organic search traffic.

AI Overviews: The Influence of Query Type and Search Volume

The prevalence of AI Overviews varies significantly across query types. While the reasons for this remain unclear, the information itself can be useful. Consider these statistics:

• Problem-solving queries: 74% show AI Overviews
• Specific questions: 69% show AI Overviews
• “How much” queries: 54% show AI Overviews
• “What is” queries: 39% show AI Overviews
• Review-related queries: Only 9% show AI Overviews
• Brand-related queries: Almost never show AI Overviews.

Search volume also appears to influence whether Google displays an AI Overview. Research suggests that Google is more likely to display AI Overviews for mid-volume search terms rather than the most popular high-volume keywords:

• Keywords with monthly search volumes between 501 and 2,400 have about 42% featuring an AI Overview.
• Keywords with under 1,000 monthly searches triggered AI Overviews 55% of the time.
• AI Overviews make up only 11.5% of the total search volume despite appearing for 29.9% of analyzed keywords.

In addition, data shows that five-word queries are most likely to trigger an AI Overview, while queries related to health and safety topics have a higher probability of generating an AI Overview response than some other queries. The average length of an AI Overview is 157-169 words.

Current Zero-Click Search Statistics

Zero-click searches are an increasingly hot topic because they are on the rise. Zero-click searches occur when users receive answers directly on Google’s search results page without clicking through to any website. These results appear as featured snippets, knowledge panels, AI Overviews, People Also Ask (PAA) and other rich SERP features.

The rapid emergence and proliferation of AI-first platforms/search tools like Claude (built by Anthropic), Perplexity, DeepSeek, ChatGPT (built by OpenAI) and others represent an additional new shift in how users interact with search activities, creating both challenges and opportunities for SEO professionals.

As Google continues to enhance its ability to answer queries directly on the search results page, law firms and businesses can adapt their strategies to maintain visibility and effectiveness in this evolving landscape. Recent data reveals the significant scale of the zero-click phenomenon:

• According to SparkToro, 58.5% of Google searches in the U.S. and 59.7% in the EU result in zero clicks.
• For mobile searches specifically, the numbers are even higher, with approximately 75%-77.2% ending without a click.
• For every 1,000 Google searches, only 360 clicks go to websites that aren’t owned by Google or paying for ads, according to ZoomSphere.

These statistics highlight movement from traditional search behavior, where clicking through to websites was the primary action after conducting a search. Now, more than half of all Google searches generate no traffic for third-party websites. While Google continues to adjust the frequency and implementation of AIOs and other SERP features, AI will remain an emerging factor in the search landscape, particularly for certain industries and query types. As this technology evolves, studies suggest that we can expect zero-click searches to continue growing, potentially surpassing 70% in 2025 as users increasingly find the information they need directly on Google’s search results pages.

Gifted and seasoned SEO practitioners and legal marketing agencies currently have the expertise to guide businesses and law firms through the evolution of users’ search habits, producing desired online visibility and conversions.

How Do Zero-Click Searches Impact SEO Strategies?

Declining Organic Traffic Due to Zero-Click Searches

The most immediate and obvious impact of zero-click searches is the reduction in organic website traffic. With Google providing direct answers on the SERP, including through AIOs, users have less incentive to visit external websites. This decline in traffic is particularly challenging for:

• News and publishing websites
• Sites that rely heavily on informational content
• Businesses whose revenue models depend on page views and ad impressions.

The rise of zero-click searches has created a new battleground — competition for SERP real estate rather than just traditional rankings. Some would argue that being featured in a snippet or knowledge panel has, in some cases, become as valuable as ranking in the top 10 in the organic listings.

Brand Visibility Without Traffic

While traffic reduction is concerning, zero-click searches offer a potential upside — brand visibility without the user’s needing to click. Appearing in prominent SERP features can increase brand recognition and awareness, potentially driving searches directly for your brand later. This change requires SEO professionals to think beyond traditional metrics like traffic and consider the value of SERP visibility itself.

What Role Does Schema Markup Play in Zero-Click Searches?

Schema markup functions as the technical backbone enabling zero-click experiences. It consists of structured code added to websites that helps search engines gain a deeper understanding of content context and meaning. Unlike standard HTML, which primarily tells browsers how to display content, schema markup tells search engines what the content actually means. It transforms unstructured website content into structured data that search engines can easily parse, understand, and display. Schema markup creates a direct line of communication between websites and search algorithms, enabling the extraction of specific information for display in various SERP features like AI Overviews, knowledge panels, and local packs — the primary vehicles for zero-click information delivery.

The relationship between schema markup and zero-click searches is symbiotic — schema markup provides the structured data that search engines need to create rich results, while the rapid rise of zero-click searches increases the importance of implementing proper schema to maintain online visibility. For SEO practitioners in the future, there will be strategic tension between maximizing search visibility and driving website traffic. While zero-click searches can reduce overall website traffic, they can also increase brand exposure, credibility, and trustworthiness.

New key performance indicators (KPIs) for schema success include featured snippet acquisition rates, knowledge panel presence for branded searches, and rich result impressions. These metrics help quantify the visibility benefits of schema implementation even when direct traffic benefits are less apparent.

Adapting SEO Strategies for AIOs and Zero-Click Searches

1. Optimize Content Structure for Featured Snippets – To increase the likelihood of appearing in featured snippets and other zero-click elements, content must be structured strategically:
   • Answer questions directly and concisely, ideally within 40-50 words.
   • Use clear headings and subheadings that match common questions.
   • Structure content in formats that Google prefers — paragraphs, bullet points, numbered lists, and tables.
   • Place the most relevant information early in the content to increase extraction chances.
   This approach helps Google identify your content as a potential source for featured snippets, even if it doesn’t always result in direct clicks to your site.
2. Implement Structured Data Markup – Structured data helps search engines understand and categorize your content, increasing the chances it will be used in rich results:
   • Add FAQ schema markup to pages with frequently asked questions.
   • Implement How-To schema for instructional content.
   • Use local business schema for location-based law firms.
   • Apply review schema where appropriate.
   According to industry research, websites using structured data have a higher chance of appearing in AI-generated summaries and other SERP features that contribute to zero-click searches.
3. Focus on Local SEO – Location-based searches often trigger zero-click results in the form of local packs, but they can still drive significant value. Firms should:
   • Maintain an updated Google Business Profile with accurate information about business hours, location, and services.
   • Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across all online platforms.
   • Collect and manage positive reviews, because these influence local pack rankings.
   • Optimize for “near me” searches, which commonly generate zero-click results but can drive foot traffic.
   Even if users get information through a local pack without clicking, this visibility can drive physical visits to your location. Local SEO benefits law firms and businesses.
4. Create Comprehensive Content Beyond Snippets – While optimizing for zero-click SERP-page visibility is important, creating content that goes beyond what can be summarized in an AIO or snippet encourages users to click for more information. Content should:
   • Provide unique insights, case studies, and original research that can’t be easily condensed.
   • Include expert opinions and authoritative sources to build trust.
   • Develop content that answers related questions, beyond the primary query.
   • Use visual elements like images, videos, and infographics to add value beyond text.
   This approach ensures that even if users get basic information from a zero-click result, they likely will still click through to your website for more detailed insights.
5. Optimize for Voice Search – Voice search queries often generate zero-click results, making optimization for this channel increasingly important.
   • Use conversational language and natural phrasing in content.
   • Structure content to answer specific questions commonly asked through voice devices.
   • Focus on long-tail, conversational keyword phrases.
   • Ensure your website is mobile-friendly because voice searches often occur on mobile devices.
   As voice search continues to grow, adapting content to match voice patterns can help maintain visibility.
6. Target Strategic Keywords – Not all keywords have the same likelihood of generating zero-click results.
   • Evaluate whether specific keywords trigger SERP features before targeting them.
   • Prioritize longer, more specific queries that are less likely to have comprehensive zero-click answers.
   • For informational queries prone to zero-click results, focus on being the source Google extracts information from.
   Understanding search intent and how Google presents results for different query types allows for more strategic keyword targeting.
7. Leverage Long-Tail Keywords and Question Formats – Long-tail keywords and question-based formats can help capture specific search intent.
   • Target specific, niche queries with less competition and potentially fewer zero-click features.
   • Structure content around questions using what, how, why, when, where formats.
   • Create FAQ sections that directly address common questions in the legal field.
   • Focus on specific intent that requires more detailed information than a snippet can provide.
   More specific long-tail keywords are valuable for avoiding zero-click competition, and skilled SEO practitioners know how to do this.
8. Build Authority and Demonstrate Expertise – Google increasingly favors content from authoritative sources for its featured snippets and knowledge panels.
   • Emphasize Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) in all content.
   • Include citations to reliable sources and research.
   • Showcase author expertise and credentials.
   • Respond promptly to negative reviews to diminish their impact.
   • Build topical authority by covering subjects comprehensively across multiple articles and create internal links between onsite articles and blogs.
   • Drive referral marketing with authority and expertise, causing friends and family to recommend your firm to others, sending potential clients to your door.
   • Display client testimonials to reinforce trustworthiness and experience.
   • Create and maintain an authoritative LinkedIn for lawyers page.
   This approach increases the likelihood your content will be selected for featured positions, even in a zero-click environment.

Measuring Success in an AI Overviews and Zero-Click World

As zero-click searches change how users interact with search results, law firms and businesses need new metrics to measure SEO success. These can include:

1. Tracking SERP feature presence for targeted keywords
2. Monitoring brand search volume as an indicator of awareness generated through zero-click exposure
3. Using Google Search Console to analyze impressions in addition to clicks, identifying zero-click trends
4. Tracking local actions like “Get directions” or “Call now” from Google Business Profile
5. Measuring conversion rates from the traffic your website does receive, because quality may increase even as quantity levels off.

Zero-click searches – driven by Google’s AI Overviews and the rapid rise in AI-first search tools that annotate data provided by websites but don’t list them specifically — have fundamentally altered the SEO landscape, requiring law firms to adapt their strategies to remain visible and effective. While a future mild reduction in organic traffic could present challenges, it also is a natural evolution that SEO professionals proactively anticipate. Skilled practitioners view search evolution as an opportunity for brands that can effectively optimize in this new environment. The most successful SEO strategies in today’s search landscape combine:

• Technical optimization for SERP features
• Strategic content structuring for featured snippets
• Comprehensive, value-added content that goes beyond what can be summarized
• Local and voice search optimization
• New metrics for measuring success beyond traffic.

By embracing these changes and focusing on providing value both on and off your website, law firms can maintain visibility and success even as zero-click searches, AIOs, and new search innovations continue to grow. The goal is no longer simply driving traffic but maximizing the value of every impression and interaction, whether it results in an online click or not. Conversions and brand recognition are the ultimate goal, because these drive revenue, cash flow, and expansion of influence for law firms.

AI Overviews Mean New Opportunities

AI Overviews have become a significant zero-click feature, now used by more than a billion people, according to Google. Although Google continues to adjust the length and frequency of AI Overviews, the influence of artificial intelligence on search will almost certainly grow. For attorneys, this can be a win-win opportunity if their marketing strategy optimizes for both zero-click visibility and a compelling website. Potential clients will still want to do their research—they want to see your photos, check out testimonials and case results, and read about your approach to cases like theirs. The attorney-client relationship is complex, starting with clients’ getting to know you before reaching out for help.

What AI Overviews can do is provide another avenue to connect with potential clients through search – if your SEO team is optimizing for AIO. Yes, our marketing job becomes more complicated, but with complexity comes the opportunity to out-perform your competition. If you’re already utilizing SEO properly, working with a qualified and trustworthy team, and building a long-term strategy rather than chasing short-term gains, then there’s no reason to worry about AI. In 2025, your SEO footprint will continue to grow, as quality SEO does over time, and Google Search will remain a vital platform for client development.