Zero-click search: Tracking phone calls and nailing attribution

The rise of zero-click search now means around 60% of searches end without a single click. Result? Traditional marketing funnels and lead attribution are breaking down. Now, prospects are getting answers and contact details directly from AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Google Business listings. Welcome to the zero-click search era.

So, how do marketers stay visible, relevant, and competitive in a world where customers skip the website and go straight to the phone? That’s where AI-powered call intelligence comes in. Check out the on-demand webinar if you want to take a deep dive ⏬

Why zero-click search matters now

"Search engines have become answer engines," said Hannah Spellman, Head of SEO at I-COM, about this evolving landscape. "Marketers need to shift from chasing clicks to building brand presence across AI-powered experiences."

In this new zero-click search world, users might never hit your homepage. They’ll get a summary from Google Gemini, an AI overview, or ChatGPT, find your phone number in a result, or spot your business in the local map pack, then pick up the phone.

What marketers are missing

The problem? Many of those phone calls go untracked.

Our Chief Customer Officer, Daniel Wilkinson, put it simply: "Without call intelligence, you won’t know which AI-driven experiences are generating leads. There’s a growing blind spot, and it’s affecting marketing ROI."

Infinity bridges that gap with powerful tech that helps marketers attribute and optimise every call. This is what that looks like in practice:

• Assign channel-specific numbers that surface in AI-visible listings (like Google Business Profiles or LLM results)
• Use phone call ad extensions. In AI search results, these often appear before site links, driving calls directly from the SERP. With a unique number, you’ll be able to track every lead.
• Dynamically insert numbers based on search source, making sure they’re traceable from AI summaries to phone conversations.
• Visualise funnel performance from first interaction to final conversion, all in one place.

With customisable dashboards and proactive alerts, Infinity turns call data into real-time marketing intelligence. No more guessing where leads came from or where your next conversion will be. Quickly and easily spot which calls are coming from AI search experiences and never miss a beat!

Practical tips for marketers

If you're navigating zero-click search, here are five takeaways that’ll help future-proof your strategy:

1. Optimise for AI visibility. Think beyond rankings. Structured data, concise content, and credibility markers will help you appear in AI-generated summaries.
2. Invest in local SEO. Most zero-click conversions happen close to home. Keep your Google Business Profile accurate, and use tracking numbers to identify local performance.
3. Use trust signals. AI tools prioritise brands with strong reputations. Reviews, consistency, and quality content matter more than ever.
4. Align online and offline journeys. Calls driven by AI don’t follow a linear path. Bridge the gap between digital discovery and real-world conversations.
5. Track what drives real conversations. As Daniel said: "The future isn’t just about optimising for clicks, it’s about understanding the full journey."

Say hello to tracking for zero-click search

With an AI-first call intelligence platform like Infinity, you’ll be able to:

• Gain full-funnel visibility across digital and AI search experiences
• Attribute high-value calls back to AI touchpoints using dynamic tracking
• Understand caller behaviour with real-time transcripts and intent tagging
• Reduce acquisition costs by identifying which channels drive quality leads

We're fast approaching a world where AI doesn’t just surface your number, it could place the call too. Without tracking, those leads vanish into thin air, so make sure you have the right tools and tech in place to make sure they don’t!

Check out the full on-demand webinar to get the full lowdown.