Social Savvy: Google Search is changing – May 2024

By Irene Williams

Google Search’s next incarnation represents a massive shift in the way the world finds online information. Google holds 92% of the search engine market, processing upwards of 8.5 billion queries every day. It’s no revelation that your customers are googling to find and interact with your business. Any and all notable changes to Google Search are relevant to you. Whether you opt to brace or buckle up, one thing’s for sure: you’ve got to get ready. Here’s a top-line look at what you need to know and how you can prepare for what Google has in store.

HOW IT WILL CHANGE
The next era of Google Search is known as Search Generative Experience (SGE). At the time of this writing, SGE is in experimental mode, available to Chrome users across 120 countries who choose to opt in. Word is it will roll out fully at some point in 2024, though no exact date has yet been announced. In the meantime, here are some key points:
• It runs on AI: Artificial intelligence is front and center as the fuel for the engine of SGE. The stated intention is to interactively optimize search results based on users’ queries, thus creating a more concise, beneficial experience.
• It trims the clicks: In SGE, Google serves up highly refined, relevant content snippets at the top of the search results page. With lightning speed, users will presumably be served exactly what they need to know without having to click through to various pages. Some are calling this the dawn of “zero-click marketing.”
• It’s conversational: SGE invites users to converse with the search engine in a natural back-and-forth manner in order to home in on the exact results they’re seeking. Even if a question or request is complex, the user and the AI of SGE can collaborate to narrow and simplify the desired results. It’s like SEO meets Q&A.
• It’s a task master: SGE seems to be especially handy at helping busy people with specific tasks: finding answers quickly, pinpointing an overview of a topic, getting how-to instructions and identifying summaries/key takeaways. Think of it as search results for the TLDR (too long, didn’t read) generation.
• It has a new look: The appearance of SERPs (search engine results pages) is different with SGE, with the main feature being Google’s AI-generated responses at the top of the results. This is called the “AI spotlight.” It’s accompanied by fields in which users may input additional queriers to continue the Q&A without scrolling or clicking.

HOW IT WILL IMPACT YOU
Savvy marketers who’ve done due diligence to optimize their websites may shudder at the news of SGE. How can businesses succeed in reaching audiences if the world’s biggest search engine is designed to reduce clicks to websites and minimize, if not eliminate, the need for people to scroll for specifics? It’s no wonder some marketing leaders are advising to brace or buckle up for this monumental shift. Before anybody busts a buckle, let’s take a sober look at the situation.

People-first content is more of a focus than ever.
According to Google search liaison Danny Sullivan on the topic of upcoming changes, “those who are making good, people-first content should be fine.”

If you’ve been in the SEO game a while, you’re probably familiar with tiresome keyword strategies that have come and gone. Thankfully, we’re long past the time of black-hat tactics in which online marketers stuffed sites with keyword-heavy content. Some would even ‘hide’ non-related yet highly searched terms just to get more traffic. Suffice to say, keyword stuffing often made site content anything but “people-first”; it was all about pinging the web crawler to show up in search results.

For several years now, Google and other search engines have focused on rewarding real content written for real people with higher rankings in search results. While keywords and targeted content have remained vitally important, sites using outdated tactics have suffered in search rankings. Hopefully, you’ve embraced the people-first approach for the content of your site. If you have, that’s great news for your business-especially as search continues to evolve.

Your business is very specific. So are SGE results.
From what we know of SGE, top-of-page results are intended to make it easier for people to quickly get the specific answers they need most. If someone is using SGE to look for your business type in your geographic region, using relevant terms included in your people-first site content, you may actually have a better chance of being found. Rather than appearing in a glut of results that include tangential sites, your site has a healthy opportunity to make it into the “AI spotlight” as the ideal response.

Google (still) wants to make money.
As a business leader, you are well aware that Google is an “ad engine” as much as it is a search engine. Search results have long been “pay to rank.” That’s why you dropped your sole reliance on organic search more than a decade ago and invested in paid search as part of your marketing strategy.

Google is a big business committed to profitability. Even amidst its current shift, it will continue to capitalize. Advertising may shift, too, but it’s not going away. If you’re already an advertiser, you’re in a good position for the changes to come, as Google will surely do its best to guide current advertisers (and groom new ones) into the SGE era.

TAKEAWAY TIPS
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by SGE, focus on these starter tips you can apply right now for your business.

1. Review and refresh your site content ASAP.
• Read your content as if you’re a customer. Is it written for people…by people? (Google is cracking down on content that’s obviously AI-generated.)
• Key in on your keywords. Are you using the best keywords and phrases, including geo-targeted terms?
• Consider updating or adding fresh Q&A and how-to content.
• Reference website analytics to assess what’s working well or needs improvement.
• Check the alt-text on your site’s photos and graphics.

2. Focus on your Google ad strategy.
• Review your current campaigns. How are ads performing?
• Make sure those in charge of your Google ads are up to date on SGE.
• Think ahead about ad messaging and creative that will stand out on SGE results pages.

3. Keep calm and market on.
This is all quite simple, really. You care about your customers and offer products and services they need. You engage in search engine marketing so that the customers you care about can find and buy from you. Sure, you may need to try out some new strategies with SGE, but it’ll be worth it to connect with your customers.

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