What is Zero-Click Search? Preparing Ehime Businesses to be Chosen Without Being Clicked

Hello. I am Chichitoko, an Instagrammer from Ehime Prefecture.

While visiting over 600 shops and tourist spots in Ehime and Shikoku, I share local gourmet and outing information on Instagram (over 118,000 followers) and TikTok (17,000 followers). Even before becoming an Instagrammer, I worked in web marketing for over 20 years.

Recently, I have been seeing the term “zero-click search” quite often. You search, but no site gets clicked. It is said that such searches now account for nearly 70% in Japan.

Some business owners might think, “Then, is search optimization meaningless now?” But my answer as Chichitoko is the opposite. I believe this is actually a change that could become an opportunity for businesses in Ehime.

1. What is zero-click search?

Zero-click search means that after searching, you finish your research without moving to any website.

For example, if you search for “Matsuyama lunch with parking,” an AI summary appears at the very top, followed by a list of shops on Google Maps. You can see business hours, photos, and reviews right on that screen. Therefore, you can decide which shop to go to without having to open the shop’s website.

This is zero-click.

2. Zero-click is increasing little by little every month

A company called Values, which analyzes online behavior, has been investigating and publishing the percentage of zero-click searches in Japan.

• September 2025: 63.5%

• December 2025: 64.8%

• January 2026: 65.4%

• April 2026: 66.4%

*Source: Values, “Survey on the Transition of ‘Zero-Click Rate’ in Search Engines: May 2026 Updated Version” (Published May 7, 2026)

It is increasing little by little almost every month. Furthermore, according to a report by the Nikkei, the same company’s survey showed it rose to 68.1% in July 2026 (Nikkei Cross Trend, October 18, 2026).

In other words, right now, more than 2 out of 3 people who search finish their search without clicking anywhere.

3. It’s a problem for “sites that rely on being read,” but it’s actually an opportunity for shops

The ones most troubled by the increase in zero-clicks are sites that rely on having their articles read. If the answer is already known from the AI summary, people won’t come to read the article.

On the other hand, the situation is a bit different for local shops.

What matters for a business is not having people view your website, but having them visit your store. If they see your business hours, photos, and reviews on the search results screen and press the “Call” or “Get Directions” buttons right there, customers will come to your store properly even if your website hasn’t been clicked a single time.

In other words, it is a zero-click store visit.

Another survey by Values (published June 25, 2026) also shows that while the number of people moving from search to websites is decreasing, many people still visit websites when performing searches to make a choice, such as for “recommendations” or “comparisons,” and that those who do visit websites are reading for longer than before.

In summary, it is like this.

• People just looking for quick information will finish on the search results screen.

• People who are serious about choosing will come to carefully look at your website and store information.

Preparation to make them think “I want to go there” just from the screen, and preparation to respond to those who have come to research seriously. Businesses that can do these two things will be the ones chosen in future searches.

4. The biggest change I’ve felt after 20 years of SEO

Chichitoko has been doing SEO (efforts to rank higher in search) for over 20 years. We have repeatedly achieved top rankings, including 1st place, for highly competitive terms nationwide such as “hair removal salon,” “ETC card,” and “home loan.”

From that experience, this is the biggest change.

In the past, “if you were 1st, you got clicked.” Now, it has become a battle of “can you get them to remember your name on the screen?”

If the purpose can be fulfilled just by the search results screen, it is more important than anything else that your store’s name, photos, and ratings are clearly displayed on that screen. And once they remember your name, they will search for you directly by “[Store Name]” next time. Searching by store name is the strongest type of search, as it ensures they reach your store without hesitation.

This is where social media like Instagram proves its worth in “getting your name remembered.”

Get your name known on SNS → Have them search by name → Check on Google Maps and visit

This flow is also what Chichitoko values in store PR.

5. Preparing your store to be chosen just from the search results screen

So, what should you prepare to make people think “I’ll go here” just from the screen?

① Fill in all information on Google Maps (Google Business Profile)
Business hours, regular holidays, parking, number of seats, whether children are welcome, and whether reservations are possible. In Ehime, which is a car-dependent society, parking information is especially decisive. Businesses with many blank fields are more likely to be excluded when being compared.

② Keep photos new and bright
The first thing that catches the eye on the search results screen is the photo. Replace photos of your food, exterior, and interior with ones that show what your store looks like now.

③ Reply to reviews
Not only the number of reviews and ratings, but also replies from the store appear on the screen. Polite replies serve as a source of reassurance for people who have never visited before.

④ Have a page for those who are seriously looking to research
Write about your shop’s commitment, answers to frequently asked questions, and your menu and prices on your website or note. This makes it easier for AI to use in summaries and encourages those who want to research thoroughly before choosing.

⑤ Connect Instagram with search
If you write your business hours and location in your Instagram profile and include a link to your Instagram on Google Maps, customers won’t get lost regardless of which one they come from.

▶ MEO Measures in Ehime | Common points of “shops you want to visit” on Google Maps
https://note.com/tititoko_ehime/n/n4df2d58088a6

6. The impact varies by industry

The impact of zero-click search also varies depending on the industry.

• Shops people search for like “Where should I go?” (tourism, dining, etc.): The difference is made by whether or not you are included in AI summaries or Google Maps lists. How you appear on the screen is the key to success.

• Shops people search for when they need them (medical, housing, cars, etc.): In fields where the cost is high and you don’t want to make a mistake, people will research carefully before deciding. The content of your site or page is still very important.

• Shops people from outside the prefecture search for (lodging, local specialties, etc.): People who don’t know about Ehime rely on AI summaries. Whether or not AI mentions your name becomes the gateway.

I have summarized the compatibility of search for each industry in this article.

▶ Web Attraction and AI Search in Ehime | Conditions for shops chosen by “Ehime + XX”
https://note.com/tititoko_ehime/n/n7871a4ed386a

Conclusion

As zero-clicks increase, it is often said that “search measures are outdated.” However, for local shops, search is not for getting people to read your site, but for getting them to visit.

Shops that make people think “I want to go there” just from the search results screen. Shops that get people to remember their name through social media and search by name. Such shops will continue to be chosen even in the era of zero-clicks.

If you want to increase your shop’s “ability to be found” from both social media and search, please feel free to contact us.

▶ [Tititoko] Regarding PR and work requests
https://note.com/tititoko_ehime/n/nd6b45186c640

▼ Tititoko Official Website
https://tititoko.jp/
▼ Understand in manga: What happens when you ask Tititoko for PR?
https://tititoko.jp/manga/

Source

• Values, “Survey on the transition of ‘zero-click rate’ in search engines: May 2026 updated version” (Published May 7, 2026)

• Values, “Search trends in the AI era: Polarization into ‘satisfied with summaries’ and ‘browsing sites'” (Published June 25, 2026)

• Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei Cross Trend), “AI search spreads, zero-click rate rises to 68%, site traffic wavers” (October 18, 2026)

#ZeroClickSearch #EhimeCustomerAttraction #MEOStrategy #AISearch #SEO #EhimeRestaurants #Chichitoko