Google search is in its heyday. In May 2024, Google unveiled Search Generative Experience (SGE)–a new and powerful integration of AI–into its core search functionality. While AI itself isn’t new to the platform– it’s what drives machine learning, information systems, and large-scale computing, which has helped improve the platform over time–it’s a paradigm shift in how we as users interact with the world’s most popular search engine. Imagine typing in a query and receiving not just a list of links, but a comprehensive, curated answer right at the top of your results page. That’s SGE in action.
Positioned prominently above traditional organic listings, SGE aims to provide users with instant, in-depth information while still maintaining the E-E-A-T principles that have guided Google’s approach to content quality since 2014. From follow-up questions in the “People Also Ask” section to tools for deeper topic exploration, SGE is redefining what it means to search. But what exactly does this mean for SEO, or more importantly, your website’s organic visibility? Contrary to some of the public’s concerns, this AI revolution might just be the boost your digital strategy needs.
Let’s explore how Google’s new Generative AI Search is not only changing the game – it’s creating exciting new opportunities for savvy SEO practitioners.
Google’s Generative AI Search Model & E-E-A-T Principles
At the core of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) lies a fundamental principle that has guided the search giant for years: E-E-A-T. Standing for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, E-E-A-T is not just a catchy acronym, it’s a crucial concept within Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines (SQEG).
While E-E-A-T itself isn’t a direct ranking factor, it significantly influences how Google positions content in search results, including within the new SGE framework. Let’s break down each component:
- Experience: Google assesses experience in two key ways:
- Personal Experience: Content creators should demonstrate first-hand experience or expert knowledge of the subject matter.
- Web Page Experience: The design and user-friendliness of the page matter. Good user engagement signals are crucial.
- Expertise: Content should showcase a well-informed understanding of the topic. The author should be qualified to write about the subject, demonstrating depth of knowledge.
- Authoritativeness: A website’s authority in its niche is primarily determined by its content footprint. Google considers:
- The volume of relevant content on the site.
- The depth of content on individual pages.
- The overall coverage of the topic across the site.
- Trustworthiness: Google evaluates trustworthiness based on several factors:
- Factual accuracy and currency of information
- Credible sourcing to support claims
- Website security
- Transparency about ownership and purpose
In the context of SGE, these E-E-A-T principles play a crucial role. Google aims to surface the most trustworthy and relevant content in response to user queries, ensuring a positive user experience. As SGE generates AI-powered summaries and answers, it relies heavily on content that demonstrates strong E-E-A-T signals.
Why Does E-E-A-T Matter for SGE?
Websites and content creators who have invested in building their E-E-A-T signals are likely to see their information featured more prominently in SGE results. By relying on content that aligns with E-E-A-T principles, SGE can minimize the risk of AI “hallucinations”, and answer user questions informatively and efficiently. Websites with robust content footprints that demonstrate topical authority are more likely to provide the comprehensive, relevant information that SGE requires to meet user needs effectively.
For SEO professionals, this means that optimizing for E-E-A-T is more important than ever and will be key in maintaining and improving your visibility in both traditional search results and AI-generated summaries.
But fear not, for this shift isn’t all doom and gloom!
Google’s Generative AI-Powered SnapShots
Websites that focus on creating high-quality E-E-A-T-aligned content have the greatest chance to be featured within these AI-generated summaries. This means that while direct clicks to your site might decrease, your content could reach users directly through SGE. These AI-generated summaries, or as Google calls them, “AI Snapshots,” aim to provide users with quick overviews and synthesized insights on their search queries. Google selects the most authoritative web pages within specific topic niches to feature in these snapshots, using E-E-A-T as the primary criteria for content selection.
For users, AI Snapshots serve as jumping-off points, offering quick access to key information while providing links to corroborating sources for fact-checking and further exploration. This allows users to dig deeper, discovering diverse content from publishers, creators, retailers, and businesses.
Below, you’ll see an example of an AI-generated Snapshot for the search query, “The best way to tie my shoe,” which lists multiple summaries and featured links that Google has deemed the most authoritative and trustworthy for this topic.
How Will This Impact Your SEO?
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) presents a significant opportunity for businesses to gain prominent visibility in search results. With SGE, you have the chance to appear in a carousel of selected sites offering more information on a topic (as pictured above), positioned just below the AI-generated response. This placement is potentially more valuable than traditional organic blue links or even featured snippets since it’s higher on the page and can be included in the AI summary. Importantly, this new format allows smaller, niche businesses to compete with large brands for expertise on specific subject matters, effectively showcasing your brand in a way that wasn’t possible in legacy SERPs (the traditional, simpler search engine results pages that primarily consisted of organic search listings without the modern enhancements like ads, rich snippets, knowledge panels, and local packs).
The introduction of SGE is also reshaping the SEO ranking factor matrix. Google is placing more emphasis on content quality (50%) and user engagement (15%), while slightly reducing the importance of links (30%) and on-page SEO (5%). This shift underscores the need for businesses to focus on creating high-quality, engaging content that demonstrates expertise and authority in their niche. By adapting your SEO strategy to these new priorities, you can position your brand to benefit from the enhanced visibility and brand showcase opportunities that SGE offers.
Bottomline: Content is Still King!
The key takeaway is clear: to thrive in this new environment, businesses must strive to become leading content publishers in their market niche. “By focusing on authoritative, user-centric content that demonstrates strong E-E-A-T principles, websites can position themselves to capture the lion’s share of relevant organic search traffic, even as the nature of that traffic evolves with SGE,” declares VONT SEO expert Mark Beale.
To start, focus on creating comprehensive, authoritative content that aligns with E-E-A-T principles. Build content hubs around your areas of expertise, cultivate high-quality inbound links, and ensure your website offers an intuitive, engaging user experience. By prioritizing these elements, you position your brand to not only maintain visibility in traditional search results but also to be featured prominently in SGE’s AI-powered snapshots and carousels.
Need help improving your businesses E-E-A-T-aligned content or SEO presence? Get in touch with our experts today.
Sources:
Beale, Mark. “Google’s Search Generative AI: What’s Coming & How SEO Benefits.” SEO Account Services Training . 26 June 2024.
About VONT Performance Digital Marketing
At VONT, we believe that change is the only constant in the digital world—and that excites us. When tools and environments are constantly changing, new opportunities to help our clients achieve success are constantly arising. Each new advertising technology, social platform, or design approach allows us to improve on the results we achieve for our clients.
We believe in the idea of continual fine-tuning so much that we named our company VONT, which means to achieve exponential improvement in incremental steps. It is our core belief, and the reason why we are not simply a web design company or simply a digital advertising agency, but rather a long-term, single-source partner providing a comprehensive array of web development and digital marketing capabilities.
