Google's SGE: What Is It & What's to Come?

In May 2023, Google announced its plans to completely change search by adding AI-generated answers. This new era of search, known as Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), is the company’s latest and most advanced update to its search engine in the last decade. 

What Is Google’s Search Generative Experience?

With SGE, when you do a Google Search, you see AI-generated answers returned at the top of your results. This section answers your query directly, and below the generated answers, you'll find the classic search results interface. 

SGE opens up new possibilities that transform traditional search. For instance, you can:

• Ask entirely new types of questions that you never thought search could answer.
• Quickly get an overview of a topic with links to relevant results to explore further.
• Ask follow-up questions naturally in a new conversational mode. As of July 2024 this has not been rolled out to everyone but we know this is coming from our experience testing SGE in the opted-in experience.

Google's SGE: Initial Reactions and Adaptations

Google’s AI Search has received different reactions because it has the potential to shape search as we know it. For internet users, it’s a mindblowing feature that gives detailed answers to any query without opening 20 tabs on their computer. However, for businesses and the SEO community, SGE presents a unique challenge because they rely on the traffic that AI is undoubtedly going to affect.

Business Reactions and Adjustments

Businesses have had to rethink their strategies in response to SGE so they can continue to draw customers through search result clicks. They’ll have to improve their traditional SEO tactics as AI-generated overviews get smarter and take up more space on search results pages. Many companies are now focusing on optimizing their content and experimenting with new content formats and layouts to increase their visibility in SGE overviews. 

User Feedback and Experience Changes

While there is hesitation, users have generally been intrigued about the AI-powered search experience. According to Statista, about 40% of millennials and 32% of Gen Zs would switch to an artificial intelligence (AI) powered search engine.

SGE has also made search faster, with a 40% reduction in latency for English users in the US. This speed improvement significantly boosts user satisfaction by creating more personalized search results. The shift also means that users get more direct answers from the AI-generated snippets.

Examples of Adaptation

Several businesses have started adapting creatively to the SGE environment. For example, as SEO agencies anticipate a drop in organic traffic due to AI overviews, they have begun to include concise summaries at the top of content in an attempt to capture AI snippet spots.

Companies are placing a greater emphasis on Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) principles. Google ultimately knows that people prefer to read content written by humans with expertise and can be trusted. Search will continue to be your jumping-off point to what makes the web so special. By ensuring your content is well-researched and verifiable, you can boost your chances of being featured in AI overviews.

Changes in User Experience and SEO Strategies

Google's Search Generative Experience reshapes how users interact with search results. Previously, the top spot, or "position zero," featured a snippet from a website that Google ranked as the most informative. With SGE, the AI compiles comprehensive answers from multiple sources directly on the search results page with links to the original articles.

Impact on SEO Strategies and Best Practices

With these new changes, SGE fundamentally changes SEO strategy as users spend more time on search results pages with complete answers.

Here are some ways that SGE could affect your SEO strategy:

• Content authority and thought leadership — With AI in search, keyword research will not be enough. The success of SEO now revolves around creating content that is both valuable and unique, which helps differentiate it from the typical generic AI material.

• More focus on E-E-A-T signals — As Google prioritizes Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness, demonstrating expertise and building website authority through backlinks will be essential to staying ahead of the competition.

• Reputation management — Search engines only fetch responses from reputable websites. So, the best strategy is to build a strong, positive online reputation through positive reviews and an active social media presence.

• Optimizing for long-tail queries — Aim to optimize content to answer queries thoroughly. For instance, instead of targeting the keyword "tomato," focus on a narrower topic like "Why do tomato plants turn yellow?" This helps to establish you as an expert with precise answers and better align with how users are searching.

Adapting to these changes and creating authoritative and trustworthy content can help your business thrive in this new era of AI in search.

Future Developments of SGE

Google’s Search Generative Experience is going to transform the future of SEO by changing the way users interact with search results and how your business optimizes content. SGE generates billions of searches a day already, but this number will increase as the technology improves. Here are some trends we should expect in the future:

Role of Artificial Intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence will allow you to analyze a lot of data deeply to better map out users' behavior, preferences, and trends. This will enable you to create more impactful content and adapt your online strategy to your audience's dynamic needs. 

Impact on Organic Search Traffic

Many are expecting a drop in organic search traffic due to the increasing presence of Google-owned properties and paid ads in search results which will be even more prominent with SGE. This will continue to push traditional organic results further down the page, and in many cases to the second page of results, now that Google is reintroducing pagination in its SERPs.

We do expect that informational queries and traffic will be most impacted, where users are trying to find a quick answer. This means SEO should prioritize optimizing for users that are more engaged or have a specific need by focusing on transaction-focused keywords.

Future Integrations with Other Google Services

As Google continues to innovate and expand its use of AI in its products, the Search Generative Experience is expected to integrate with Google services to enhance user experience and functionality. Here are some anticipated integrations and their potential impact:

• Google Assistant — Integration of  SGE with Google Assistant could lead to more personalized responses to voice queries. For example, if you ask Google Assistant about the "best Italian restaurants nearby," SGE could provide a detailed answer that may include user reviews and menu items.

• Google Maps — Integration with Google Maps is another exciting prospect. For instance, if you’re searching for directions, you can also get the fastest route and information about interesting sights along the way. SGE could further enhance this by providing real-time updates about traffic and weather conditions.

• Google Workspace — Integration of SGE with Google Workspace could revolutionize productivity for professionals. SGE can learn from documents, which can help generate relevant data or summarize a complex topic directly within your workspace.

Preparing for the Future of SGE

Although SGE has already changed how businesses approach SEO, it does not mean the end of traditional SEO. The use of AI presents new opportunities for your business to stand out by leveraging this new powerful tool. Here are some strategies you can implement to make the most out of SGE and thrive in the era of AI:

Optimize for Conversational Search

The biggest leap with SGE is the "conversational mode," which is Google's answer to ChatGPT. This mode will remember a user’s initial query so you can refine your search with simple follow-up questions beyond the traditional Search Engine Results Page (SERP). To stay ahead, you must predict the types of follow-up questions that might arise from short-tail queries.

While this follow-up feature is not yet available for all users, we do expect to see it in the near future.

Create Unique, Experience-Based Content

SEO strategies that rely solely on basic questions and previously published information may soon become obsolete. Google knows that users want new, timely information and will be looking to reward the publishers that are providing it.

Your content should demonstrate your expertise and establish an opinion, something that is typically lacking when relying on AI-generated articles.

Establish Deep Topical Authority

With the introduction of the Search Generative Experience (SGE), Google is moving towards more personalized search experiences. This means that people are more likely to ask complex, natural language long-tail queries, which will increase the demand for relevant content that can back up these queries.

You can take advantage of this opportunity by building deeper topic clusters that cover a wider range of queries and target narrower, more specific audiences. For instance, if your website helps businesses with advertising strategies, create multiple guides tailored to specific industries with content like “Advertising Strategies for Retail Businesses” or “Ad Campaigns for Tech Startups.”

Semantic Keywords for Better Search Rankings

Semantic keywords are closely related words that help search engines understand the complexity and diversity of your content. To make the most of SGE, you can create a comprehensive strategy that utilizes semantic keywords so you can offer deeper coverage of different topics. 

Stay Ahead of AI-Driven Digital Marketing with Marcel Digital

Are you looking to stay ahead in the AI-powered era of digital marketing trends and search engine optimization? Marcel Digital is here to help you take advantage of SGE and ensure your online presence remains strong and competitive. We have extensive experience in the field of SEO to optimize your business for SGE and other emerging trends in digital marketing.