Jumping on board the AI hype train, SGE Google’s Search Generative Experience is one of the newest trends to ask the never-ending question, is SEO dead? Our team recently had a session on Google SGE to uncover its advantages over traditional search, plus its flaws.
What is SGE Google’s Search Generative Experience?
Search Generative Experience is Google’s generative AI tool in its traditional search console. It’s a conversational search, designed to learn as you search to quickly get the lay of the land on a given topic.
SGE Google’s Search Generative Experience Live Examples – Demo Video
Not sure what SGE actually looks like and how it works yet? Watch a snippet of our session below, where SEO Specialist, Marius Sprong, walks you through it (providing some SEO opinions as he goes).
SEO SGE Opinions
Before we dive into our SEO thoughts on SGE, it’s important to note that Search Generative Experience is very much in its infancy, and many of its current problems will likely be addressed by Google before it’s more widely served to the public.
SEO and SGE
Redundant answers
The results given by SGE are often redundant with other SERP features available, such as snippets, maps, and shopping.
The text is also sometimes copy/pasted directly from websites.
Accuracy
The accuracy and helpfulness of answers is still questionable. The results can be biased based on search results.
Featured snippets
The Search Generative Experience can provide duplicate results when paired with featured snippets which gives a poor user experience.
Sourcing
There can be a lack of internal links and sourcing.
SEO ranking
Ranking at the top of the search results does not equal the chosen SGE Google result.
What Can We Expect Next?
Given SGE is constantly improving, we’re expecting:
- Inclusion of links/sourcing
- Testing more markets (soon India & Japan)
- Introduction of paid SGE Google results
- Video results
- Faster load times
- Improved accuracy/relevancy
Google had to create something because of the rapid developments and intro of BING AI. However, they are potentially cannibalising their own very successful eco-system. Search Generative Experience will only be introduced if the new experience exceeds the revenue of their existing ecosystem.
AI will, of course, become part of Google Search, but whether this product fills that need is yet to be determined.
Is SEO Dead?
And for those asking the neverending question, is SEO dead yet?
For those helping businesses get found? No.
Independently of the interface, if you provide SEO for a real business with a real product/service, there will always be a need to optimise or maximise visibility.
But will SGE make SEO become more difficult? Yes.
For those who just create content for profit? Eventually.
Aggregated news websites, affiliates, product niche websites. All of these have already seen a hit by content relevancy updates, and they will become more and more redundant with the integration of AI in search.
How to Future-Proof SEO
SGE Google’s Search Generative Experience could make rank tracking redundant. There will be an increase in zero clicks and inconsistent results (clicks, impressions). This means there is an increased need for demonstrating real-world experience.
Rethink your content strategy to provide more personalised results and focus on information gains. What value can you add to what already exists?
Search is going to continue to exist, we just have to evolve with the ecosystem.
- Accelerate your work with the help of AI
- Start playing with SGE and see what types of results are being created for your keywords
- Keep on top of industry updates
