Announced at Google I/O on May 10, 2023, Google Search Generative AI (SGE) is the future of Google’s search experience. Google is currently testing generative AI to provide improved contextual information with Google searches.
After introducing their chatbot and competitor to Chat GPT, Bard, in March this year, it’s clear Google continues to feel the pressure of taking AI experiences to the next level. In addition to SGE, Google announced at I/O that they have removed the waitlist for Bard and are planning to launch extensions for the tool that integrate their own apps and third-party tools soon.
Why Bring AI to Search?
So, with all those changes to Bard, why introduce Search Generative Experience? SGE presents a lot more like Bing Chat with an in-search results experience that allows you to dig deeper for additional information with ease. It’s no surprise that Google is pushing to launch an in-search AI feature after Bing gained market share following the launch of Bing Chat. Plus, SGE will bring AI to the forefront of search, rather than saving it for those who deliberately seek it out. Google’s goal with SGE is to “take more of the work out of searching, so you’ll be able to understand a topic faster, uncover new viewpoints and insights, and get things done more easily.” Want to check it out? The waitlist for SGE is now open, and the video below shows more snapshots of what it will look like:Shifting SERPs & User Behavior with SGE
Bard originally stood out from Bing Chat as it didn’t cite sources, but just gathered information from across the web. SGE on the other hand, was designed with search in mind. SGE features links to publisher’s sites within the answer and additional relevant sources through their “toggle deeper” feature. SGE isn’t replacing search altogether, upon scrolling you’ll find that search results are still available.
The Continued Rise of the Zero-Click Search?
Because SGE has just been introduced, we don’t know exactly how it will impact user behavior, but it is safe to assume that the click-through rate of that first search result won’t be as high as it once was. Now, with what is essentially going to act as a large, interactive featured snippet, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if zero-click searches continue to rise. At least, what we tend to think of as a zero-click search. Users may use the toggle deeper feature or continue the conversation with Generative AI to find the information they’re looking for, rather than selecting an organic result.What About Ads?
With SGE doing the “heavy lifting” for the searcher, some industries may see more of an impact than others. But there’s one thing we can promise: Google Ads aren’t going anywhere. After all, ads drove 80.2% of Google’s revenue in 2022. Google has confirmed that with SGE, search ads will continue to appear in dedicated ad slots throughout the page.Local Search Results from SGE
In the local search space, users aren’t looking for facts. They’re looking for businesses that can be trusted to provide a service. For local and commercial queries, SGE delivers comparative results that take the idea of a local pack to the next level. Google shared a preview of what these results could look like with SGE, and notable features include images, reviews, and context beyond the justifications currently offered in the local pack.
