The future of SEO with Search Generative Experience
Written by Daniël van Meerendonk
Digital Marketing & AI Agents
SEO as we know it is going to change. This is due to the arrival of Search Generative Experience (SGE). This development has brought about a shift that will change the foundation of search engine optimisation. In this article we look at what SGE means and what impact it has on the digital strategy of businesses.
What exactly is Search Generative Experience?
SGE is a new approach to search, in which answers are generated directly in the search engine without users having to click on a link. The experience feels like a conversation with a chatbot. The AI in SGE draws information from various sources and also offers users follow-up questions. Also take a look at this blog post from Google about Search Generative Experience (SGE).
Although traditional search results are still visible, SGE offers a more integrated and interactive experience. Compare it to a robot helper that searches on your behalf and cites a source for everything you ask it. This turns searching and online shopping into more of an interactive conversation with a chat. That way, while searching for a product or service, you can indicate what matters most to you, and your search results are more tailored.
The arrival of SGE affects how users search for and consume information. Search behaviour is going to change as a result. This trend was already set in motion by the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT. More and more people now put their questions to an AI tool such as ChatGPT to arrive at an answer. With SGE, Google is responding to this trend.
At its ‘Think’ event in Amsterdam, Google announced that AI will have an even greater impact than the invention of the internet. In the first stage, SGE will probably lead to a drop in clicks to websites. Research by Gartner shows that by 2026 clicks could fall by around 25%. For businesses that depend heavily on Google, it is therefore a necessity to respond to this and adapt their digital strategy.
The impact of SGE on users and businesses
Preparing for Search Generative Experience
For digital marketing, SGE means a shift in strategy. The focus should no longer be on keywords and rankings alone, but more on branding and providing specific, relevant information. The days of optimising for general search queries are not yet over, but in addition, businesses should focus on answering users' direct and unique questions. That is probably also the content that will perform better in Google's AI Overviews within the search results. Important areas to get started with:
- Position your company/brand as an authority by creating content that directly answers your target audience's questions.
- Adapt your content to be included in Search Generative Experience by applying the EEAT principle (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Read more about it here.
- Also consider investing in other platforms such as YouTube, Pinterest and TikTok.
- Test different approaches to see what resonates with your target audience and how best to respond to specific search queries. Monitoring search queries closely is therefore important with the arrival of SGE.
How BE Digital supports your business through this change
At BE Digital we are responding to SGE by already preparing our clients for its arrival. We do this by focusing more on USPs that appeal to the target audience, in both SEA and SEO copy. Once SGE is fully rolled out, specifically written pages that customers are searching for will be shown more quickly by the AI-driven search engine than generic pages that describe a product or service.
Let's explore together how these changes could affect your strategy. Get in touch for a no-obligation consultation to talk about the best approach to your unique challenges.