What does this mean for user journeys and behaviors in search?

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This behavior could be explained by the large number of image packs that Google displays in the SERP; overall, 51% of SERPs contain an image pack. Only recently has Google started showing the image preview when clicking inside the image pack in the desktop SERP itself. Previously, any click inside the image pack would take you to the image SERP.

Another interesting aspect that emerged from our data is the difference between searches when a second search is performed.

A breakdown of keyword similarity when two searches are performed in quick succession on desktop / Semrush Zero-Click Study
This graph shows the distribution of keyword email list france pairs (the first and second keywords in the sequence, or tail) based on similarity. It ranges from 0, which represents no similarity, to 1, which represents exact sequences. The algorithm is based on Ratcliff-Obershelp pattern recognition.

We can see that about 55% of the time when two searches are performed in a user's journey there are keywords with a similarity score of 0.6 (60%) or higher , which could mean that many users are not satisfied with the results of the first SERP and need to refine their queries.

If we look at the difference in length between the first and second keywords, we find that most of the subsequent keywords are the same length (this also includes any changes due to spelling mistakes). Additionally, over 35% of the “next search” keywords are 1-2 words longer:

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Keyword Length Distribution in Second Searches of the Same Desktop User Sessions / Semrush Zero-Click Study
You might think that people who perform other searches would use longer terms to find more specific information, but these results suggest otherwise. The fact that over 30% of people didn’t change the length of their search terms at all could mean that they didn’t need to refine their next search because the initial results were so far off from what they expected.

They may have simply opted for a different search, or may never have intended to follow up on the first search at all: the two searches may be completely unrelated.

Mobile Data
Exploratory analysis
Now let's take a look at the mobile results in more detail and compare them to desktop behavior, if the difference is significant.

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Unique Keyword Length Distribution on Mobile and Desktop / Semrush Zero-Click Study
The main aspect that stands out is that the distribution of keywords by length on mobile is very similar to the results on desktop.

However, as you can see from the graph below, it seems that users take a little longer to decide their next step when searching on mobile. This could be because they are simply using a smaller screen - it takes longer to scroll through what Google suggests.

Here's the comparison with the desktop results:

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The Distribution of Time Spent Making a Decision Between Mobile and Desktop Searches / Semrush Zero-Click Study
This seems to be related to the ease of scrolling through results on mobile. It’s fairly easy, especially with Google’s semi-infinite scroll, to scroll through more results on mobile than on desktop. As the data shows, this seems to make users more willing to look at more results on mobile than on desktop, which further weakens the parity between desktop and mobile rankings in the same position.

What are the main patterns that emerged from the mobile data?
The click distribution is slightly different on mobile: the zero-click rate is 57%. The paid click-through rate is quite low, only 0.02%. Total clicks on Google are lower than on desktop, but keyword changes are more frequent:

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Google Search CTR Distribution by Mobile Users in Semrush Sample / Semrush Zero-Click Study
It seems that due to the trend of looking at more results on mobile, the power of Google’s URL-less SERP features is diminishing. In other words, when users see more results and/or scroll past the top of the SERP because scrolling down is so easy, they tend to ignore the SERP features that directly present the answer to their query.

In this case, the appeal of features that directly answer a question is less on mobile. This could be because users who scroll past the top of the SERP features simply don’t return to them. Whatever the reason, it suggests that the limited format presented by the desktop SERP directly impacts the importance of direct-response SERP features.

Zero Click Schemes in Mobile Users
In terms of search types, images are by far the most popular on mobile. However, "undefined" searches are much more common:



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Types of Google Searches Completed After First Mobile Search / Semrush Zero-Click Study
One of the main differences between desktop and mobile searches is the similarity levels between keywords used in quick succession. As you can see from the graph below, only 38.9% of keyword pairs have a similarity level of 60% or higher , compared to over half (55%) on desktop.

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If a user wants a different format or more refined results after the first search, Google makes it easier for them to navigate the next steps of their journey with various filters and entry points. It’s a clear indication of how search is constantly adapting to user needs and behaviors, which is part of what makes the zero-click search phenomenon so fascinating.

What do you think about these results? What is your position on the zero-click phenomenon and how is it affecting your SEO strategy?