The inevitability of AI-driven search results with interactive capabilities is upon us. Search marketers can either resist these changes and remain passive or proactively study and adapt to the emerging landscape. Both Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Bing offer approaches to AI that blend traditional search with chatbot functionalities. However, the current state of AI search results in startups differs significantly from these established players. What’s experimental could become the standard in the coming year or two.
Getting Ready for the Era of AI-Powered Search
Numerous AI search engines are introducing innovative search approaches that surpass the capabilities of both Google SGE and Bing. Therefore, it’s valuable to examine their methods. Perplexity AI is one such AI search engine with impressive technology, poised to disrupt the search landscape potentially. As of the time of writing, the search query “Crocs cowboy boot” was gaining significant traction and trending according to Google’s Daily Trends dashboard.
Enhancing the Google Search Generative Experience
It’s a common observation that the Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) might reduce website clicks. However, the notion that Google is on the path to diminishing website traffic is based on a flawed premise—the idea of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) consisting solely of ten blue links no longer holds.
The era of the traditional ten organic links started fading away with the introduction of Google Local Search in 2004. In 2005, Google began displaying quick facts and fast answers to queries about celebrities, science, and other fact-based topics.
The concept of ten blue links essentially vanished in 2014, following Google’s rollout of Featured Snippets, Local Packs, and numerous other search features. As an industry, we need to shift our thinking away from specific positions like position five, position eight, or position ten. For the past nine years (and even longer), only the top three positions on the SERP have genuinely mattered. So, it’s time to move away from the belief that SGE will disrupt organic SERP traffic, as that paradigm no longer holds.
Here are some key factors to take into account:
• Typically, the top three search results consistently generate the highest click-through rates.
• Advertising and the top three organic results significantly sway user engagement.
• For all practical purposes, content positioned below these top three spots often goes unnoticed.
• Even for more general or ambiguous search queries, the traditional concept of the top three results is evolving. Google refines such queries by integrating elements like People Also Ask, videos, and featured links to news.
The critical point is that the top three positions in the search results carry the most weight. In contrast, anything positioned lower has significantly diminished in importance.
The Pinnacle of Organic Search Results
An intriguing aspect of Google SGE, which appears not to be by chance, is that it presents three search results. Given that the top three results have historically garnered the highest click-through rates, it’s logical for Google to retain this approach in the Search Generative Experience. Upon careful reflection, the notion that the AI apocalypse is poised to annihilate SERPs is poorly reasoned and excessively exaggerated.
Cracking the Code: Mastering SEO in Google’s SGE Era
For years, Google has been on a mission to evolve into a natural language search engine that doesn’t solely rely on keywords. This transformation has become a reality. Technologies like BERT have revolutionized how web pages are comprehended and ranked. The SEO landscape, which emphasizes crafting sensible, helpful, and adequately informative content, will likely remain crucial. However, to secure clicks in the current SGE SERP environment, it’s imperative to contemplate selecting a featured image that stands out and effectively conveys the topic’s essence.
Given that Google Search Generative Experience might become the default search method, watch how SGE lists websites. Clear thinking about featured images is especially important for attracting attention, not only in terms of Google Discover traffic but also for mastering SEO in the realm of Google AI Search—a task that’s far from trivial.
The present state of generative AI search relies on a blend of generative search and traditional ranking algorithms, although this may evolve in the future. Emerging search engines, particularly startups, are already emphasizing AI in their search results. We must remain prepared for the many new challenges and opportunities as we navigate this evolving landscape.
