For a while now there have been many rumors and announcements about Google SGE (Search Generative Experience), the expectations; both positive and negative. This article explores what this new direction means, what it brings to us and why it is essential for your SEO strategy. 

What is Google SGE?

Google SGE stands for Google Search Generative Experience. As the name suggests, this update focuses primarily on integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the search experience. 

Google has evolved greatly in the field of user experience in recent years, with AI playing an increasing role. With the emergence of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google could not be left behind. This led to the development of Google's own AI bot Bard, now known as Gemini. It is currently testing Google SGE, a search method where Gemini provides a generated answer to your query.

How does Google SGE work?

Traditional search methods are based on keywords you type into the search bar. Google SGE changes this by encouraging users to ask complete questions, which saves search time and yields the best answers. 

Currently, Google SGE is in the testing phase, available in the U.S. and through a beta test. The concept is similar to current featured snippets and knowledge graphs, where users receive answers directly in the search results (SERP) without having to click on a link. With SGE, users receive immediate answers to more complex questions in an AI-driven snapshot and can ask follow-up questions without starting a new search.

Implications for your SEO

Google aims for users to spend more time on search results pages and look for the full answer. For your SEO, this means that user-friendliness and quality content become essential.

Google will select the best content to answer users' questions. This implies that SEO is becoming more important than ever. The quality of your content is crucial, as Google will evaluate multiple factors to generate the best answers and provide an optimal user experience.

How Google will incorporate information from websites into the AI-powered snapshots is still unclear. It is hoped that websites will still be listed as URL links or as a sort of "blog snippet.

Impact on website traffic

SGE is expected to have a significant impact on website traffic. This can be either positive or "negative. Although traffic to your Web site will likely decrease, the traffic that reaches your Web site will be more valuable.

Users already find their answers in the search engine and are encouraged to keep asking. When they finally land on your website, it shows genuine interest in your organization, services or products.

This promises to be an interesting change. Many are eagerly awaiting the global rollout of this update. Still, some questions remain and hope for certain desired aspects of the update. For example, what does this mean for the SEA landscape within Google? Time will tell and we will keep you updated as more information becomes available.