Welcome to Azelie Studio's Newsletter - covering all things branding, marketing, and AI. First time reading? Subscribe here.
TL;DR
Zero-click is here (58.5% of US searches now end without a site visit), so rankings alone don't predict outcomes. AI Overviews are selective but can spark memory and branded demand.
Win by being recognizable everywhere, packaging your expertise, and building search-friendly assets - then measure influence, not just traffic.
Most companies are still treating rankings on Google like the scoreboard.
"We slipped from #3 to #5." Feels urgent.
But we know a higher rank means nothing if no one clicks.
SparkToro says 58.5% of Google searches now end with... nothing.
No site visit. No click.
Just a neatly wrapped answer right on the search page in the AI Overview section.
Here's an example of an AI Overview 👇🏻
P.S. Fun fact - My great-grandpa is Charles Menches
For most marketers who've spent years focusing on SEO, that's depressing.
For you? That's an open door.
The shift that matters
The better question isn't "Where do we rank?"
It's "Are we the one being quoted?"
In one BrightEdge study, brands cited in AI Overviews saw a lift in branded searches and direct traffic - even when page views from those queries didn't move.
Why?
Seeing the name in the answer planted it in the searcher's mind.
Later, they came back with intent.
That's the zero-click loop worth chasing.
The Citation Engine
1 / Be Recognizable Everywhere
Think of AI Overviews like a diligent research assistant.
If your brand, people, and products are described the same way everywhere - website, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, directories - it's easier for the AI to confidently include you.
Inconsistencies weaken the connection between your content and your expertise.
2 / Package Your Expertise for Machines and Humans
AI Overviews pull from content that screams "credible."
That means clear author bios, relevant credentials, and transparent methods. If you have original data, processes, or case studies - spell them out.
Even small, well-documented examples beat generic advice.
3 / Build "Quote-Ready" Content
AI Overviews tend to lift concise, self-contained answers to common questions.
Structure your content so those answers are easy to find - clear headings, short summaries, and a natural "what's next" the reader might ask.
If your snippet gets used, you want it to carry your brand voice and value.
Measurement (beyond traffic)
Judge the work by what actually survives zero-click:
Branded demand: Name searches, direct visits, demo requests that mention you
Topic visibility: Impressions + position for your best topics (even if clicks stay flat)
Recall assets: Mentions of your tool name or signature framework in leads
Assisted conversions: Content touched before a sale, not just last-click
Seed unique phrases (framework names, tool labels, etc.). If those show up in search or sales calls, your influence is working - click or no click.
The advantage isn't AI itself. It's AI trained on your strategy.
That's why we build Strategy Packets - portable docs and systems that train AI on your brand strategy, story, positioning, messaging, personas, and proof.
When you give AI that foundation, we see it ...
Target the right problems and decision criteria - by stakeholder, not "audience"
Shape offers and scopes that protect margin and fit how you actually deliver
Assemble case proof that de-risks the buy and answers objections up front
Engineers proposals and presentations that read like a solution, not a sales pitch
Sequences campaigns that move pipeline
Enforces guardrails so every deck, email, and one-pager stays on-strategy
Repurposes wins into marketing assets fast
Flags risks and gaps (missing proof, vague claims) before review calls
Compresses time-to-ship from weeks to days, without the "Franken-copy" look.