AI has significantly impacted our lives, and now Google, a direct competitor to OpenAI, is once again making waves with the introduction of a generative AI search experience. While Google recently launched Bard, an AI tool similar to ChatGPT, the integration of generative AI within the search window will have implications for SEO. This raises the question: should we be worried about this?
Moreover, generative AI for search combines Google's expertise in information retrieval with the capabilities of a powerful language model. This integration addresses Google's previous challenges in answering queries that involve extremely specific or long-tail search terms, taking search capabilities to the next level.
In essence, Google's response to ChatGPT was Bard, and now their response to Bing is the introduction of generative search on their beloved website, Google.com, which garners billions of daily users.
However, Google is taking a cautious and gradual approach to the implementation of generative AI. Let’s see what are the prominent changes that we need to know in order to keep ourselves in the AI loop.
What’s New?
So, what exactly is generative AI? In simple terms, Google will soon feature a prominent green box of generative text above search results on its homepage. It's important to note that Bard, although developed by Google, is not part of Google search; it functions as a chatbot. Generative AI, on the other hand, will provide users with custom content directly in their search results.
With SGE(search generative experience) in action, you can follow up with questions and Google searches. A new feature will be introduced, named as “people also ask” with “ask a follow up”. This will help the user dive deeper. Moreover, Google will now be able to answer the questions keeping in view your previous query. With that, follow-up questions will help in acquiring more specific information.
The advent of Search Generative Experience (SGE) is poised to revolutionize the process of finding information, interacting with search engine results, and obtaining answers to queries. This innovative shift will have a profound impact, especially on translational searches. For instance, when searching for a product like "cat litter box for Persian cats," the SERP will now showcase product carousels tailored to match the user's intent. This upgraded presentation is set to make a substantial difference in the decision-making process of buyers, significantly enhancing their overall search experience.
The question is What edge it can have possibly over Chat GPT? Well, It has been analyzed that Google's AI-driven search is more controllable compared to ChatGPT. It avoids discussing controversial subjects such as politics, medical advice, or financial advice. If you ask Google's generative AI about topics like whether Joe Biden is a good president, it will decline to provide an answer.
Google's Data Fetching Power
Google's generative AI employs a robust data fetching mechanism, empowered by the comprehensive Retail Graph dataset. This machine learning dataset encompasses a staggering 35 billion products, including detailed information about the products themselves, the vendors selling them, associated brands, customer opinions, and inventory status. With access to this vast database, Google remains well-informed about the ever-changing landscape of retail goods, enabling them to make data-driven decisions and provide up-to-date information.
Regardless of your product's nature, it is highly likely that Google has insights and information available related to it. This powerful wealth of knowledge ensures that Google's generative AI can fetch data on nearly every product, delivering valuable and relevant information to users across various industries.
Beyond Featured Snippets
One thing that might confuse users would be if it will display our query the same way as the featured product listing, where Google bots display product vital elements like price model etc. But what makes generative AI different is that it will be focusing on the product's use cases. So it will is worth saying that generative Ai will be a search engine but with a brain.
Will SGEO Replace SEO in the Near Future?
Google's Search Generative Experience (SGEO) introduces an experimental AI solution where users receive AI-generated snapshots of information and suggested follow-up queries, rather than actively searching for answers. While SGEO aims to enhance productivity and user experience, it raises questions about the future of traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and content discovery. Will there be a shift from SEO to optimizing the Search Generative Experience (SGEO/SGO)?
As Google's AI takes control of the content presentation, maintaining influence and control becomes a concern for publishers. This shift is expected to have a significant impact on e-commerce websites, reshaping user engagement and product showcasing.
The result of any keyword will be shown as: .
- An AI-driven answer (similar to ChatGPT)
- Product suggestions in the SERPs
- A prompt to "Ask a follow-up" chat
But, What can be done to ensure, that the SEO result position will remain secure due to this seismic change? Well as of now, this won’t directly affect the organic ranking, however, these generative AI answers will eat a big chunk of SERP real estate ads and organic rankings will be pushed down. .
Here are a few ways on how SEOs can prepare for these changes:
- Create “high-quality source” of data that is relevant to the searcher's intent. This is always the most important factor in SEO, and it will be even more important in the future.
- Use structured data to mark up your content so that Google knows what your content is about. By doing so, you will increase your chances to appear in rich snippets.
- Optimize your content for CTR. This is more important than ever, as more and more people are using generative AI to get their answers without clicking on links.
- Diversify traffic sources to reduce the impact of generative AI on immediate click-throughs.
- Implement strategies to adapt to the changing search landscape and maintain a steady flow of website traffic.
Turning Unstructured Data Into Structured Insights
The power of Google's AI continues to evolve, especially in the realm of Search Generative Experience (SGE). Google's AI is now transforming unstructured data from reviews into structured data - a stunning leap in technology.
What does this mean for businesses, especially online stores? Google's approach is to highlight the significance of Authentic Reviews in SEO strategy. User feedback has evolved beyond being mere testimonials and now plays a crucial role as valuable input for Google AI algorithms.
While SGE is still in beta, the implication is clear: the more genuine reviews, the potentially richer data for Google's AI, possibly leading to greater product visibility. As we await further developments, it's wise to be prepared and maximize the potential of customer reviews.
What we've seen so far with SGE?
In SGE, a typical query reveals:
- An AI-generated overview
- High-quality sites contributing to the answer
- A "Here are some...for you" section
- Follow-up questions
- Additional search listings
Supercharging eCommerce Search with Generative AI
The discussion is all about how we can increase our chances to rank in SGE’s results with just a single query. And the tip of the iceberg is that customer reviews will play a significant role to increase the exposure of our goods in listings.
The AI surpasses standard product pages in Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE). It believes that supplemental blogs and information will give users a more thorough understanding of their search. The AI also contains insights from reliable sources, responds to similar queries, and provides more search possibilities in addition to product listings. There's a good probability it will be included in these sections if we produce valuable blog content that is relevant to our product.
These helpful blogs not only increase your chances of ranking higher but also aid in customer comprehension of the product. You can increase your chances of being listed in several areas of SGE's results by writing about the uses, advantages, and market trends of your product.
Limitations Expected so far
- For now, Google has made this significant impact to work for US-based countries only, and that too with limited queries. Unkile open ai , Google has always adopted a hesitant approach when it comes to AI.
- For queries related to health and finance, or sensitive topics where Google lacks sufficient information, it is less likely to generate AI responses.
- The implementation of SGEO (Search Generative Experience) is expected to result in a significant increase in SERP noise above the fold, potentially leading to more zero-click searches and a decline in click-through rates (CTR) for different positions. This effect is likely to be more noticeable in informational searches, with some variations for YMYL niches and other specific areas. As a result, securing the number one position in search rankings will become even more critical, as users are more likely to drop off above the fold and not scroll down.
The Bottom Line
As SGEO continues to evolve, businesses, especially those in the e-commerce sector, must stay proactive in adapting their strategies to leverage the potential benefits and maximize their online presence. Moreover, companies must implement safeguards to verify the accuracy of information served to users due to the potential for language models to generate false or fabricated content. With this seismic shift, the shopping experience will be reimagined, and questions related to products will be answered with tips and product recommendations. However, embracing the opportunities presented by SGEO will be key to thriving in this new era of search.