A reflective examination of the evolving landscape of AI-powered search engines and its implications for the field of SEO.
The certainty of AI-driven search results that engage users is undeniable. Search marketers have a choice: resist this change and remain passive or proactively examine the emerging landscape.
While Google SGE and Bing adopt similar AI strategies, combining conventional search with chatbot functionality, the current landscape of AI search startups paints a different picture of what AI-driven search results entail.
Preparing for the Era of AI-Powered Search
Several AI search engines are pushing the boundaries of search capabilities far beyond what Google SGE and Bing currently offer. Therefore, it’s valuable to explore and understand their unique approaches.
One noteworthy AI search engine with promising technology that has the potential to disrupt the search landscape is Perplexity AI.
At the time of writing, the search term “Crocs cowboy boot” was gaining viral attention and trending according to Google’s Daily Trends dashboard. I conducted a search on their platform to gauge how Perplexity AI handles such a trending search query.
The title becomes crucial in drawing clicks in a potential future dominated by Perplexity AI in SERPs. However, the significance of the website favicon must be considered.
Moz’s icon, in particular, catches the eye. Assessing SERPs and identifying the websites that stand out most will likely become a routine part of our online experience.
Optimizing SEO for the Google Search Generative Experience (SGE)
There’s a common belief that SGE might lead to declining website clicks.
Upon careful consideration, I respectfully disagree.
Firstly, the notion that Google is poised to obliterate website traffic overlooks the traditional concept of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) comprising ten blue links has long evolved.
The paradigm of ten organic links started fading as early as 2004 with the introduction of Google Local Search.
In 2005, Google displayed quick facts and instant answers for inquiries regarding celebrities, science, and other fact-based queries.
The traditional paradigm of “ten blue links” faded in 2014 with Google’s introduction of Featured Snippets, Local Packs, and numerous other search features.
As an industry, we must shift our mindset away from positions like five, eight, or ten.
For the past nine years, and even longer, the only SERP positions of true significance have been the top three.
Therefore, let’s discontinue the notion that SGE will disrupt organic SERP traffic because that paradigm no longer holds.
Here’s what warrants our consideration:
Typically, the top three search results consistently garner the highest click-through rates.
Advertisements and the top three organic results hold sway over user attention.
Anything below these positions often needs to be noticed.
For ambiguous search queries, even the top three positions can lose relevance as Google refines such questions with elements like “People Also Ask,” videos, and featured news links.
Recognizing that the top three positions in search results carry tremendous significance is crucial. At the same time, anything lower down the list has, realistically, ceased to be of significant importance for quite some time.
The Significance of the Top Three Organic Results
A noteworthy aspect of Google’s SGE, which is not a random choice, is that it displays three search results.
Given that the top three results have historically received the highest click-through rates, it’s logical that Google has extended this pattern to the Search Generative Experience.
After careful consideration, it becomes evident that the notion of an impending AI apocalypse poised to annihilate the SERPs is poorly conceived and greatly exaggerated.
SEO Strategies for Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE)
For several years, Google has been striving to evolve into a natural language search engine that operates without heavy reliance on keywords. This vision has become a reality.
Technologies like BERT have brought about significant changes in how webpages are comprehended and, in turn, ranked.
The SEO principles of crafting coherent, valuable, and appropriately sized content will likely retain their significance.
Nevertheless, obtaining clicks from the prevailing style of SGE SERPs may necessitate a more profound consideration of selecting a featured image that captures attention and conveys the topic’s essence.
Considering that Google Search Generative Experience might eventually become the default search method, monitoring how SGE ranks websites is prudent.
Thoughtfully strategizing about featured images is worthwhile, mainly since it is crucial in garnering attention for Google Discover traffic.
Understanding how to optimize for Google AI Search is a complex matter.
The present deployment of Generative AI search relies on a fusion of generative search and conventional ranking algorithms.
This dynamic might evolve as emerging search engines from startups are beginning to favor AI-driven search results to a greater extent.
However, we can address that challenge when it arises. The future holds numerous challenges and opportunities.
If you still find the SEO process challenging and perplexing, please consider exploring our monthly SEO packages. Our team of experts can manage it all for you, providing peace of mind and effective results.
