Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) is causing anxiety in the SEO industry, but it's not time to run for the mountains just yet.
Before you claim that “SGE has destroyed SEO”, SGE is still a work in progress and we don't know what impact it will have or how its functionality will change.
Even if organic traffic declines as a result of SGE, that doesn't necessarily mean SEO has become a less viable channel. Because all marketing channels become more expensive and less impactful over time as they become saturated.
So what needs to change now that SGE is here?
It is important to continue to focus on core EEAT and content quality factors, as well as withstand algorithm updates. Because that's the best way to survive traffic loss.
This means that as marketers, we need to redefine how we benchmark our SEO performance so that it is no longer perceived as a disappointment. It's time to ditch the techniques he uses SEO as a siled channel and pave the way for multi-channel marketing. That's the way of the future.
To maintain your overall SEO performance amidst these changes, there are several strategies you can employ to prepare for Google SGE and develop a successful multichannel marketing strategy.
What is Google SGE?
Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) is an AI-powered program that aims to create a more “natural” way to conduct research and dig deeper into a topic.
It provides a detailed overview of the topic directly in the SERP, reducing the need to click through several different web pages to find the answer.
Unlike the featured snippets already in place at Google, SGE provides a wide range of information, including links, images, and intuitive ways to deepen the user experience.
Essentially, it's a “natural” way to simplify your research and streamline your Google searches.
For example, SGE allows you to ask follow-up questions directly on the SERP instead of starting a new query.
SGE is not technically a certified feature and is only available through Google Labs. It is currently available in the United States and works in 120 countries around the world. He is available in 5 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, and Indonesian.
At the moment, the EU is excluded due to strict data privacy laws, so it is difficult to say whether it will reach these markets.
It will be interesting to see how things change over time, but we can only wait and see.
Google hesitates on full-scale launch due to lack of monetization
Although SGE has some innovative aspects in theory, it is still considered more of a concept than a full-fledged product launch. Google hasn't decided exactly what it will do with it yet, and there's been a lot of speculation about the program as a whole.
Since its inception, SGE has been a bit of an ever-expanding experiment. But this isn't an entirely new move for Google. In fact, we think we may have been introduced to SGE because Microsoft integrated ChatGPT into Bing.
Google prefers to keep AI in the background, as it has done with programming since RankBrain debuted in 2015.
In SGE, AI will usher in SERPs, resulting in several new hurdles. This is explained by his strategic SEO and growth advisor Eli Schwartz.
Despite all the “red flags”, that doesn't mean SGE will go away. And in the world of marketing, functional fluctuations within SGE will continue to change his day-to-day SEO operations.
What impact is SGE expected to have on SEO performance?
Every marketer wonders how SGE impacts SEO performance. Organic traffic is expected to decrease due to fewer links in the SERPs, but what can you expect?
Let's take a look at the following three studies.
Initial research conducted by the Wall Street Journal found that the same media sites are estimated to lose 20-40% of their SEO traffic from Google SGE.
A second study conducted by BrightEdge analyzed over 1 billion queries across nine different industries. You can see the impact of SGE by industry in the graph below.
What exactly does this mean? As with many things in SEO, “it depends”, but mainly due to the different impacts on your industry.
SGE will definitely change things, but is it possible to predict how much traffic will be lost? And if you know what to expect, instead of focusing on the loss? Can you adapt your strategy to benefit from Google SGE?
The key is to estimate how much your traffic will be affected by Google SGE and take a proactive approach to remediating your content.
By doing this, you can optimize your pages for a chance to appear in the SGE snapshot carousel.
5 Tips to Optimize Your SEO Strategy for Changes in Organic Traffic Related to SGE
It's hard to say at this point how SGE will impact SEO, but rather than focusing on the fate of traffic loss, it's important to look at the opportunities presented in the SGE snapshot.
Here are some strategies you can use to do just that.
1) Assess SGE's current risk to organic traffic
The first thing you need to do is see how SGE affects your current traffic.
Aleyda SolÃs, international SEO consultant and founder of Orinti, has put together a helpful risk assessment sheet that allows you to easily identify potential risks for different queries.
In addition to the level of user satisfaction and journey accomplishment, three different types of SGE snapshots are considered: overlap, summary or completion, and accelerator.
After assessing the risk of SGE to organic traffic, you will have a better idea of ​​where to focus your SEO efforts.
Additionally, marketers need to redefine how they benchmark their SEO performance so that it is no longer perceived as a disappointment. You can then calculate the organic traffic loss and update her KPIs to reflect this.
2) Shift your SEO focus from #1 keyword rankings to overall organic SERP visibility
Another way to adapt and overcome is to stop focusing on #1 in keyword rankings as a benchmark for the success of your SEO efforts. Holistic and organic SERP visibility is much more beneficial and will help you succeed with Google SGE.
Research on SGE by Authoritas shows that nearly 94% of Google SGE links do not match the top 10 organic search results, even if they currently rank as one of the top results for a specific keyword. Ta.
This is great news if you are struggling to rank for certain keywords but still manage to show up in SGE snapshots.
Overall, try to focus on the overall brand appearance and content rather than the link position. Google SGE includes several links to help users easily access pages that support what is shown in the summary.
Google notes that this reduces potential misinformation issues and adds functionality that complements, rather than replaces, traditional search (of course, all SEO professionals should be relieved here) sigh).
3) Focus on EEAT
Above all, you need to leverage experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (EEAT) to showcase your content.
This allows you to adapt to AI instead of waiting for Google to adapt to AI and then adjusting accordingly. As Orbit Media co-founder and CMO Andy Crestodina says in the video, “It's time to focus more on users and less on Google.”
Google’s SERPs are skewed by simple things like SGE, AI updates, and even affiliate marketing.
A recent study of 7,392 product review search terms across Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo found that the highest-ranking pages were more optimized and contained more affiliate links, but had lower text and quality. is.
This could be one of the reasons why Google SGE links don't match the top 10 SERP results, and focusing on quality content helps you stay relevant despite continuous changes. can.
As the quality of Google search results declines and the prosecution of AI content becomes more widespread, the best thing marketers can do to respond is to include as much brand-specific and small business content as possible to meet EEAT standards. Include more.
4) Be aware of market-specific SGE function algorithm changes
It is important to keep an eye on how the situation changes as SGE continues to unfold. This feature is very dynamic and the same search query seems to vary greatly from user to user.
A recent example of testing by Aleyda Solis shows that Google SGE's capabilities mimic those of major retailers in some ways, but that's not necessarily what you should expect.
In reality, there is a large amount of change happening all the time, so it is essential to keep track of changes related to your industry.
And get used to change – SERP fluctuations seem to be the new way of life for SEO.
5) De-silo SEO and shift focus to multichannel marketing
In the dynamic landscape of Google SGE developments and AI-powered advancements, succeeding in the SERPs requires a strategic shift away from reliance on SEO as a sole channel to drive business growth.
Embracing multichannel marketing is the best way to ensure your strategy aligns with the evolving demands of your industry, and it's the way of the future.
To achieve this, you need to do three important things:
- Assess the customer journey holistically: This means considering the entire customer journey and its multiple touchpoints. Keep in mind that customer interactions occur across a variety of platforms and channels, all of which need to be considered.
- Develop synergistic collaboration across channels: In marketing, each channel plays a role in driving conversions and they are all interconnected. Gain a deeper understanding of your customer touchpoints with GA4 Conversion Tracking.
- Diversify your strategy to reduce risk. Relying solely on SEO or a single marketing channel will set you up for failure. Relying exclusively on one channel cannot meet the diverse needs of today's customers. There are too many limits.
Navigating the future of SEO amidst the uncertainty of Google SGE
As uncertainty surrounding SGE looms, it is important for marketers to remain calm and use the tools they have to adapt strategically.
SGE poses some potential challenges, particularly with regard to organic traffic, but the program is still in an experimental phase and its full impact remains uncertain.
Google SGE may introduce new dimensions to the way people formulate search queries online, but it also presents opportunities.
Marketers now have a chance to redefine their strategies and embrace the future of multichannel marketing before they are drowned out by the loss of organic traffic or AI replacement.
Other resources:
Featured image: /Shutterstock