Introduction to Google’s Generative Search Experience (GSE)

Google has always been at the forefront of search technology, continually evolving to better meet the needs of its users. The latest advancement, called “Generative Search Experience”, marks an important milestone in this journey. marks an important milestone in this journey. But what does this mean for the world of search engine optimization (SEO)? This article delves into the nuances of this groundbreaking update, examining its implications for web traffic and the strategies webmasters and SEO Experts must adapt to thrive in this new landscape.

Understanding the concept of generative search

Generative search is not just an incremental update; it is a paradigm shift. Unlike traditional search algorithms, which focus primarily on keyword and phrase matching, generative search leverages advanced AI to understand and interpret user queries in a more contextual and intuitive way. This results in more dynamic, relevant and personalized search results, fundamentally altering the way information is retrieved and presented.

Key features of the Google Generative Search Experience

At the heart of Google’s Generative Search Experience is a sophisticated integration of AI and machine learning technologies. These innovations not only increase the accuracy of search results, but also improve the overall user experience by providing more intuitive and contextually relevant information.

Google will use generative AI to create new search result formats, such as:

• Content summaries – Google will be able to generate summaries of website content so users can get a quick overview of the content.
• Answers to questions: Google will be able to generate answers to user questions, even if the questions are open-ended, challenging or strange.
• Data visualizations: Google will be able to generate data visualizations so that users can better understand the data.

Some of the benefits of generative search include:

• Providing a more complete understanding of topics: Generative search can generate different content formats, allowing users to gain a more complete understanding of the topics they are interested in. For example, if a user searches for “how to make a cake,” generative search could generate an image of a cake, a recipe for a cake, or a tutorial on how to make a cake.
• Make search more appealing: Generative search can make search more appealing to users. For example, if a user searches for “how to draw a dog,” generative search could generate an image of a dog, a tutorial on how to draw a dog, or a song about a dog.
• Make search more personalized: Generative search can be personalized to users’ interests. For example, if a user has searched for information about cooking in the past, generative search could generate more results related to cooking when the user searches for information on other topics.

Generative search has the potential to revolutionize the search experience. By allowing users to obtain information in a more complete, engaging and personalized way, generative search can make search more useful and enjoyable, but… what are the detriments?

Impact on SEO: An overview

The introduction of generative search is poised to significantly alter traditional SEO practices. Early observations and analysis suggest a change in how search rankings work, forcing a re-evaluation of existing SEO strategies.

Seven months of activity for the new search approach in the United States have yielded initial findings. According to a report by IT consulting firm Gartner, in more than 90% of queries performed on SGE, an AI-generated question and answer form organically occupies the top position. In other words, in most searches, an AI-prepared comment or answer now tops the results, similar to what happens when interacting with its Bard assistant or ChatGPT.

The report goes on to note that the expansion of artificial intelligence in search engines, including Google and Bing, will result in a decrease in organic search traffic for brands. Marketers should be prepared for revenue disruption. According to the report, by 2028, organic search traffic for brands is expected to decline by 50% or more.

Brad Jashinsky, one of the consulting firm’s analysts, points out that search is at a turning point and notes that nearly half of consumers prefer to use SGE instead of traditional search results. This percentage is expected to increase in the future as users become more familiar with the technology.

Google explains that they are reinventing what a search engine can do through new advances in generative AI. With this powerful new technology, they can address entirely new questions that were not previously thought possible to answer through search and transform the way information is organized, helping people sort and make sense of the vast amount of information available.

The new SEO in the face of generative search now called GEO

With the new update, SEO professionals must rethink and innovate our strategies. The key to maintaining an effective SEO approach and being future-proof lies in understanding how users interact with search engines on a deeper level.

To begin with, it is crucial that we understand that generative search is not just about isolated keywords, but about understanding the context and intent behind search queries. We, as SEO professionals, must learn to anticipate user needs and create content that is relevant and useful in response to those specific needs.

Recent research, conducted by teams from Princeton University, Georgia Tech, Allen Institute for AI and IIT Delhi, evaluates which strategies are effective in improving visibility on these types of search engines.

The study reveals that by implementing generative engine optimization (GEO) methods, such as the inclusion of citations, references from relevant sources and statistics, SEO professionals can significantly increase a website’s visibility in AI-driven search results.

This topic was previously addressed with the introduction of Google Bard, where it was explained how its optimization could be similar to the strategies used to leverage featured snippets.

Key findings from the study include:

• Focus on impression metrics: Traditional metrics employed in search engine optimization (SEO) are no longer sufficient for generative engines. Instead, the “GEO” analysis suggests a new set of impression-based metrics that assess the visibility and relevance of citations in relation to the user’s query.
• Citation and reference inclusion: The study examines various “GEO” methods and their effectiveness in improving source visibility. Of particular note are methods such as the inclusion of citations and references from relevant sources, as well as statistics, which can increase the visibility of sources by up to 40% in the responses generated by the engine.
• Domain-specific optimization: The study underlines the importance of applying optimization strategies adapted to each domain. Different GEO methods show varying effectiveness depending on the domain, highlighting the need for specific adjustments to improve visibility. For example, the use of authoritative language was most effective for improving historical content, while citation optimization is most beneficial for factual queries and statistics improve visibility for legal and government topics.

It is important to recognize that as Google continues to develop the SGE (Google Search Generative Experience), the relevant SEO factors may evolve over time. However, certain current practices provide a solid foundation for optimizing websites for SGE. These include:

• Content Quality: Sites with relevant, high-quality content on specific topics are more likely to stand out in SGE results.
• Website Design and Performance: Good design and performance improve user attraction and retention, which can result in higher engagement and clicks in SGE results.
• Quality Links: Inbound links from recognized sites increase the site’s authority, improving its position in SGE results.
• EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust): Includes demonstrating expertise and detailed knowledge, establishing credibility and trust through security, transparency and reliable reviews.
• Structured Data: Employ structured data markup to facilitate indexing and improve representation in search results, using schemas such as Schema.org.
• Conversational Style: Adapt content for conversational and voice search, using natural language and anticipating user intent.

User experience and its growing importance

User experience (UX) has always been a crucial component of effective website design. However, with Google’s new update, the importance of UX in SEO has multiplied.

In particular, the SGE impacts UX in the following areas:

• Relevance: SGE uses artificial intelligence to understand the context of the user’s query and generate results that are more relevant to their needs.
• Usability: SGE can generate result formats that are easier to understand and use, such as content summaries, answers to questions, and data visualizations.
• Satisfaction: SGE can help users find the information they need more quickly and easily, which can lead to a more satisfying search experience.

New ways to search in 2024

As 2024 kicks off, the tech firm is introducing two major updates that bring this vision to reality: Search with a circle on Google and a new AI-powered multi-search experience.

• Search with a circle: This feature makes search easier and more accessible for users, especially those unfamiliar with using a keyboard.
• SGE itself: This feature has the potential to transform the way users interact with information. By generating more relevant and useful search results, the SGE can help users find the information they need more quickly and easily.

Impact on e-commerce with BMSs

E-commerce is among those most affected by these changes. This section discusses how online shopping search results have been altered and how e-commerce strategies must adapt to remain competitive.

Benefits of the EMS in E-Commerce

The key features of the SGE (Experience Generation Service) for e-commerce are:

• Product Summaries: The SGE generates concise and informative product summaries from a variety of sources, providing a complete overview of product features, reviews and pricing.
• Contextual Shopping Assistance: Based on the user’s search query, browsing history and shopping behavior, the SGE suggests relevant products, facilitating the discovery of options that might go unnoticed.
• Visual Product Experiences: The SGE’s ability to generate product images helps users visualize their appearance and features, proving especially useful on e-commerce platforms that sell physical products.
• Interactive Product Comparisons: The SGE allows different products to be compared interactively, helping to make more informed purchasing decisions.

The impact of the EMS on e-commerce search results is considerable, providing users with more relevant, engaging and personalized information. This leads to higher product discovery, customer satisfaction and conversion rates for businesses.

Challenges of EMS in eCommerce

With the introduction of SGE, brand retailers may experience a decrease in organic search traffic. This affects not only their product detail pages, but may also divert traffic to other online stores that sell their products.

Google’s algorithms may prioritize data and information from other stores in SGE results. Since SGE results are similar to product listing pages (PLP), they offer a full product description and a product carousel, possibly with information from other websites.

When a customer selects a branded item, a Product Knowledge Panel (PKP) is displayed with PLP information and results from other online stores/distributors. These stores have optimized their feeds with structured data to display the same brands to customers.

In addition to challenges similar to PLPs, the SGE presents other difficulties that companies must address to remain competitive:

• Evolving BMS Capabilities: Companies must constantly adapt their strategies to stay current, which may involve investing in data analytics, website design changes and content management systems.
• Product Data Maintenance: To ensure accurate and reliable EMS results, it is crucial to keep product data complete and up-to-date.
• Balance between Personalization and Privacy: It is essential to find a balance between delivering personalized experiences and protecting user privacy.
• Market Differentiation: EMS can make it difficult for e-commerce companies to stand out, so it is necessary to develop innovative ways to promote brands.
• Early Adoption of EMS: Being an early adopter of EMS can provide a competitive advantage.

Adaptation of E-Commerce Companies to the SGE

E-commerce companies, as we explained earlier in this same article, must pay attention to the EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust) signals for effective SEO. Here is a guide to address each aspect:

Additional Tips:

• Improve structured data implementation.
• Prioritize contextual relevance.
• Leverage user-generated content.
• Dynamic content updates.
• Diversify keyword strategies.
• Implement natural language processing (NLP) techniques.

In short, adapting to SGE in e-commerce involves a holistic approach that integrates advanced structured data, user-generated content, dynamic updates and a nuanced understanding of conversational search patterns. This not only enables adaptation to the changing nature of AI-driven experiences, but also helps to stand out from the competition.

Conclusions

Google SGE presents both a challenge for organic top results CTR and an opportunity to gain visibility in a new results format. While what is applied to rank a website is still relevant, becoming a referral source for Google’s AI-driven results is now a key additional goal. Although already launched in 120 countries, it is unclear whether Google SGE will be fully rolled out and available for all searches. The Google SGE dashboard is likely to evolve, and it is essential to keep an eye on these changes to prepare to compete in this new visibility space.