Google’s SGE is a new search technology that uses artificial intelligence to generate comprehensive and informative responses to user queries. It’s a significant departure from traditional search results, which primarily list web pages that match the search terms. As user behaviour continues to change, Google’s SGE is poised to revolutionise how we interact with search engines. But what does this mean for businesses and digital marketers?
For those who’ve worked with Yoghurt Digital since our inception a decade ago, you know our insatiable curiosity about anything shaking up the digital marketing landscape. So, when we heard that Google’s SGE beta started circulating, we were beyond excited to give it a whirl.
With our technical know-how and a sprinkle of VPN magic, all above board, we infiltrated the beta of SGE. We then tried out a range of random keywords and phrases, eager to see what kind of search experiences SGE would generate. Here’s what we found, and more importantly, how we can help you navigate this new frontier.
Here’s What We Did
To start to gain a well-rounded understanding of SGE, we sat down to watch Google’s carefully crafted reveal video to get some first thoughts on what it means for our industry.
Next, we leveraged our collective expertise and conducted user interviews with each other, running through some real-life scenarios on queries to simulate what everyday users might feel. For example, Matthew, the managing director and founder of Yoghurt Digital, recently became a new dad and was craving a relaxing holiday. We tested SGE to see how it could help him plan a getaway itinerary. Meanwhile, Amy, our head of UXC, was on the hunt for a punching bag to improve her fitness without damaging her ceiling. So, we searched for her specific query, “how to properly install a hanging punching bag.”
By combining methods – industry knowledge, internal expertise, and real-world user simulations – we gained a diverse set of initial impressions on SGE’s strengths and weaknesses. This spectrum of experiences allows us to offer a more comprehensive analysis of its potential impact.
A Mixed Bag of First Impressions
Our initial SGE trials revealed mixed opinions but united our team with curiosity:
- Accessibility: UXC Coordinator Nat is all smiles about SGE’s potential to level the information playing field. This could benefit users who might find traditional search methods a tad daunting.
- Efficiency: Darren, our senior UI & UX designer, digs the idea of streamlined information gathering, but the mobile experience feels a tad cluttered, which could be a little overwhelming at first. Our copywriter Kate, however, finds it quite nicely organised.
- Reliability: Bec, our performance PPC manager, loves the visual elements but worries about the trustworthiness of AI-generated content, especially on mobile.
- Content Depth: Head of UXC Amy finds the product tiles helpful for quick punching bag overviews, but SGE provided more product information than ceiling installation advice, missing the intent of her query. Maryanne, our head of paid media, shares her concern – she prefers organic results or trusted sources for in-depth information.
- Reduced Bias: Kate sees promise in SGE’s ability to draw from various sources, potentially reducing bias in search results and presenting a more well-rounded perspective, not just the loudest voices.
- Content Preferences: Our managing director, Matthew, noticed that SGE isn’t ideal for those who love side-by-side comparisons. Details and visuals like images and reviews are crucial for planning a family vacation, and SGE seemed a bit light on those. Think booking a hotel blind – risky, even for well-rested travellers.
Preparing for the SGE Shift
As SGE continues to develop, let’s see how it might shake things up in all the different corners of the digital marketing world:
- SEO: In true SEO fashion, Dan, our technical organic search specialist, advises practitioners to ‘wait and see’ and assess the real-world impact of click-through rates (CTR) thanks to this innovative new feature. He thinks it’s key to educate all stakeholders and see what emerges in an SGE world.
- User Experience (UX) Design: Darren emphasises the need to be prepared for how SGE might change user behaviour and search patterns. Darren emphasises that we need to be ready for how SGE might change the way users search and what they want to interact with on a website. Gotta adapt to survive!
- Paid Media: Joe, our senior paid media manager, says SGE might change the game for creating paid ads, especially for budget-conscious businesses. Bec suggests revamping campaigns to fit SGE’s new search layouts.
- Content Strategy: Kate and Dan think that high-quality, trustworthy content that speaks SGE’s language (think natural language processing) is key.
- Data Analysis: Maryanne’s tip is to keep an eye on how SGE affects things like click-through rates and traffic. Adapting strategies based on data from other markets outside of Australia would be super helpful.
- Affiliate Marketing & Blogging: The impact might vary depending on your industry, Matthew suggests. So, a little landscape assessment to understand keyword value could be a wise move
Optimising Your Strategy with Yoghurt Digital
While we’re getting a wide variety of first impressions from the team, one thing’s for sure: at this stage, we can only act on what we know rather than what we think.
As much as we’d like to try to predict the future, we recommend first seeing how SGE clicks in the Australian market. If there’s anything our decade of experience in the digital space can tell us, it’s that technology, no matter how cutting-edge or revolutionary it may appear to be, will always go down differently when introduced to human beings.
With SGE still in its early stages, here’s how Yoghurt Digital will help you stay ahead of the curve:
- Knowledge is Power: We’ll keep you in the loop about all things SGE and its potential impact and equip you with awesome educational resources.
- Data Detectives: We’ll be laser-focused on tracking how SGE affects your search rankings, click-through rates, and overall traffic. Plus, we’ll leverage data from other markets to predict what’s coming next.
- Content for the SGE Era: We’ll focus on creating high-quality, authoritative content that aligns with natural language processing and ensure your website is optimised for both traditional search and SGE.
- Adapt Strategies: We’ll be prepared to adjust your SEO and PPC strategies based on SGE’s influence. This may involve restructuring campaigns highlighting product-specific searches and leveraging new search layouts.
Change is Our Game
The arrival of SGE might shake things up a bit, but that also means exciting opportunities for more dynamic and engaging searches.
Yoghurt Digital will take care of any SGE mysteries, maintain a flexible approach, and embrace new tools and technologies that can enhance search visibility and overall digital presence. You just focus on what you do best – running your awesome business. In the meantime, try not to eat too much glue.