Google’s SGE (Search Generative Experience) has begun its rollout globally, launching in the US earlier this month. The AI-powered search tool is a significant advancement in the platform’s development and is set to change how people search and discover content.
What is SGE?
Google’s SGE represents the evolution of search engines by integrating artificial intelligence-generated answers directly into search results. Simply put, SGE operates by sifting through a series of sources to create a brief, concise result called ‘AI Overviews’, which appears at the top of your results page. Its aim is to simplify the search process, improve user experience, and give the user a fast answer drawn from various sources deemed credible by its algorithm.
It prioritises referencing ‘experts’ in its answers to ensure reliability and credibility. This focus reinforces search result quality, maintaining user trust. Understanding these aspects helps businesses adapt to current search trends and meet audience needs as effectively as possible.
How does this impact brands?
While ranking number 1 on Google’s results page may have been a priority, the goal is now to be referenced in Google’s AI-generated answers, leading to more click-throughs to a brand’s website. But what is Google looking for in a piece of content?
1. Quality over quantity – Brands producing top-notch content from informed perspectives tailored to their audience stand a good chance of benefiting from SGE’s referencing tool.
2. Human touch matters – Don’t shy away from adding unique opinions, viewpoints, or case studies to your websites. This authentic and engaging content will rank highly and retain the audience’s interest in a sea of options.
3. Links and sources – Integrating links to your brand’s social media accounts offers users additional avenues to connect and engage. Similarly, author names, professional credentials, and citing reputable sources foster trust in your brand for users. An excellent example of this is having a team homepage, introducing your members and instilling a sense of culture in your brand.
4. Staying user-friendly – SGE reinforces demand for user-centric, comprehensive content. This might begin with your website design but also includes engaging visuals or interactive experiences, gaining brand loyalty from users. Remembering more simple forms of user experience enhancement, such as readability, using headings, bullet points, and strong punctuation, is equally important.
The most important takeaway for now is that SGE will undoubtedly shape the future of online search and content discovery. While this article only touches the surface of Google’s SGE, the coming months will be a learning curve for us all as we adapt to the new SGE and gain insight from experience. If you have any questions about SGE and how it might affect your brand, get in touch with us today.
If you’d like to know how Houston can help you, get in touch with our team