From SEO to Google SGE or Google Search Generative Experience.
If you have a website or e-commerce take 5 minutes and read this article because it could greatly affect your Business.
Google SGE could positively or negatively impact your website’s visibility on the search engine.
Over the past 10 years I have met so many Entrepreneurs. The majority have realized the value of being in the top positions of Google.
So many were aware that, being placed in the top results of Google’s SERP, was anything but simple.
Well, today the world’s most widely used search engine is about to launch a new revolution called Google Search Generative Experience or SGE.
Before delving into technicalities and descriptions, it is important to consider 3 factors.
- Google’s goal is to make money
- To continue to make money, it must continue to be the most widely used search engine in the world
- To maintain this primacy, it must make sure that users find the best answer to their search immediately.
Google’s goal clashes with the goal of millions of businesses that want to be visible in the search engine’s top 10 results.
As a result, the competition becomes even tougher for SEO Specialists who, like us, year the arduous task of ranking websites on the search engine.
In fact, today we no longer speak of Search Engine Optimization but of “Search Experience Optimization.”
Google SGE: what is generative search and how it works
If, like yours truly, you are an SEO enthusiast, you too must have experienced these past few months with a tiny bit of anxiety and stress.
It has been a succession of announcements. The update to the search engine core, those related to the removal of AI-generated content, and, as if that were not enough, the arrival of SGE.
SGE or Search Generative Experience is a feature, in the experimental stage, that uses “generative AI” artificial intelligence to provide a more comprehensive and informative search experience.
Basically, the user after performing the search displays a box that can vary in size and includes 3 items:
- A summary of the topic, obtained from several sources
- Facts relevant to the topic
- Links to additional resources for further study
Basically, when Google SGE is activated, it tries to understand the search intent. It consults various sources including Google search results, social media, and the knowledge graph to generate a relevant response for the user.
The time required to generate the result may vary depending on how many “elements” will make up the response: text, images, video, and multimedia content.
SGE is currently under development and available only to a limited number of users in the United States.
We asked Gemini, Google’s AI engine to give us 3 examples:
Example 1: Research on a complex topic
Question: What is the future of generative artificial intelligence?
SGE response:
- Summary: Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly revolutionizing the world in which we live. AI has the potential to transform many aspects of our lives, from the way we work to the way we interact with the world around us.
- Facts:
- The global AI market is expected to reach $156.9 billion by 2030.
- AI is used in a variety of sectors, including health care, finance, manufacturing and retail.
- AI has the potential to create new jobs and increase productivity.
- Links to additional resources:
- Wikipedia article on artificial intelligence: Wikipedia Artificial Intelligence URL.
- Beginner’s guide to artificial intelligence: URL Beginner’s guide to artificial intelligence
- The top 10 applications of artificial intelligence in 2023: URL The top 10 applications of artificial intelligence in 2023
Example 2: Research on a product
Question: What is the best smartphone on the market?
SGE response:
- Summary: There is no single “best” smartphone on the market, as each individual’s needs are different. However, some of the best smartphones currently available include iPhone 14 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Google Pixel 7 Pro.
- Facts:
- The iPhone 14 Pro Max has an excellent camera system and long battery life.
- The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a large display and a built-in stylus.
- The Google Pixel 7 Pro has excellent software and a powerful camera.
- Links to additional resources:
- Review of iPhone 14 Pro Max: URL Review of iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Review of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: URL Review of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Review of Google Pixel 7 Pro: URL Review of Google Pixel 7 Pro
Example 3: Research on a location
Question: What is the best place to visit in Italy?
SGE response:
- Summary: Italy is a beautiful country with many things to see and do. The best place to visit depends on your interests. If you are interested in history and culture, you could visit Rome or Florence. If you love nature, you could visit Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast.
- Facts:
- Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world.
- Rome is the capital of Italy and home to the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain.
- Florence is known as the cradle of the Renaissance and is home to the Uffizi Gallery and the Ponte Vecchio.
- Links to additional resources:
- Italy Travel Guide: URL Italy Travel Guide
- The 10 best things to see and do in Italy: URL The 10 best things to see and do in Italy
- The 5 most beautiful places to visit in Italy: URL The 5 most beautiful places to visit in Italy
Google SGE: Conclusion
These are just a few examples of how SGE can be used to provide more comprehensive and informative search results.
The advent of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is revolutionizing online search, ushering in a new era of contextualization and insight in information discovery.
In my opinion, SGE will change the way an SEO strategy is implemented. Today it is perhaps premature to define new ways and settings, however, I believe that it will be increasingly difficult to define and predict how a piece of content will rank on Google.
There are more and more factors in play, and it is also important to consider Google’s use of snippets and “Zero Click” content.
That is, those contents that give the user an exhaustive answer to the search query and therefore do not generate a visit to a website.
How SEO strategies are changing
This technological advance is radically changing SEO strategies. On the one hand, it requires professionals to take a new approach to content creation; on the other hand, it simplifies search for users.
If you are wondering which path to take to implement your SEO strategy always keep in mind that the main factor remains the quality of content.
As stated in the Google Search Console guide, Google’s goal remains “Reward high-quality content, regardless of how it is made“
Google’s ranking systems aim to reward original, high-quality content that demonstrates aspects of what we call EEAT, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness.
As always, if you would like to explore this topic further, or need more information, you can write to me directly at donato.cremonesi@factorycommunication.it
Have a great day
Google’s generative experience: FAQ
Here you will find a list of FAQs we have selected for you:
Google Search Generative Experience is a new experimental feature that uses generative artificial intelligence to provide users with quick and clear answers directly on the search results page. SGE collects and synthesizes information from various web sources, presenting it in a concise and detailed manner without the need to visit individual websites.
To activate Google SGE, you need to:
1. Use the Chrome browser
2. Have a personal Google account
3. Be of legal age
4. Be in one of the 120+ countries where SGE is available
Once you meet these requirements, you can activate SGE by following these steps:
1. Log in to Chrome with your Google account
2. Open a new tab and go to Google
3. Select the “Labs” icon at the top right
4. In the “SGE, generative AI in Search” tab, click on the switch to activate the function
The main advantages of Google SGE include:
1. Quick and concise answers directly on the results page
2. Synthesis of information from multiple sources
3. Ability to understand and answer complex queries
4. Follow-up function to delve deeper into topics
5. More intuitive and conversational search experience
No, Google SGE will not completely replace traditional search results. Currently, SGE is shown above organic results and advertisements. Google is combining AI-generated content with traditional search results, not completely replacing them. In addition, only users who have activated SGE will see AI-generated results.
Google SGE could affect the organic traffic of websites, especially for basic information queries. Because SGE provides answers directly on the results page, users may not need to click on individual websites to get the desired information. However, Google stated that SGE is showing more links and different sources on the results page, creating new opportunities for content discovery. It is important to note that the actual impact on organic traffic may vary and that Google is still testing and refining this feature.
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