SGE is Google’s new Search Generative Experience, and is set to be one of the biggest changes we see in the SEO world. This means we need to consider and adopt our approach to content, in order to stay ahead of the curve and seamlessly implement this strategy.
Want to know how to prepare for Google SGE? Join us as take a look at the 5 key things you should be focusing on to stay ahead of Google’s AI-driven search experience, including:
1. Think beyond traditional SEO methods
3. Monitor your online reputation
What is SGE?
SGE stands for Google’s Search Generative Experience, an AI-driven initiative that aims to provide personalised and conversational answers to user search queries.
Put simply, imagine asking your friend about their favourite restaurant, you’d expect them to give the name of the restaurant and share details like location and their best dishes, for example, right? That’s exactly how Google aims to answer your queries through SGE – providing complete information without needing follow-up questions.
How will the SGE update affect marketing?
Yes, SGE will create a significant shift in how users interact with search engine results pages (SERPs). Personalised answers to user queries, conversational queries and featured snippets will be taking centre stage, and they’re more likely to appear as AI-generated text rather than typical web content, which may increase the time users spend on SERPs.
It’s predicted that Google’s SGE will roll out in 2024, but nothing has been officially confirmed as of yet, so how SGE will look and feel could change. So, instead of anticipating a drop in website traffic, marketers and content creators should look for ways to increase it by leveraging the ranking opportunities presented by Google’s generative AI.
Which leads us to how to prepare for Google SGE?…
1: Think beyond traditional SEO methods
When it comes to understanding how to prepare for Google SGE, you need to start by thinking beyond the traditional, and that includes your typical SEO strategies.
Generic answers and traditional search tactics aren’t enough anymore. The focus has moved towards creating content that offers a unique experience and reflects real human perspectives and conversations.
To prepare for Google SGE, you need to make sure your content is also personality-driven and thought-provoking to set it apart from the generic content most publishers are churning out, with the help of several overused AI tools.
2: Keep E-E-A-T in mind
Google’s search algorithm values E-E-A-T guidelines – experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness – more than ever. How you can prepare for Google SGE, is by ensuring your SEO strategy priorities these elements to effectively drive traffic.
Here’s a few ways you can ensure you meet each of the points in E-E-A-T:
Experience – Experience is a core differentiator between human and AI-written content.
- Show that there’s a real organisation behind your site
- Highlight the expertise in your organisation and in the content and services you provide.
- Show that honest and trustworthy people stand behind your site
A well-thought out About Us page where you share team credentials and qualifications is a great way to showcase your experience.
Expertise – Expertise relates to the extent of knowledge demonstrated within your article or by the writer.
- Include quotes from experts
- Have experts write the article or piece of content to highlight your expertise
Authoritativeness – Authoritativeness considers the extent to which a content creator is known as a go-to source on the topic:
- Establish a strong content architecture covering all aspects of a particular topic
- Authority-boosting activities like; link building and trust building, through customer reviews and case studies
- Build a digital profile or personal brand as an expert in a particular topic
Trustworthiness – Trust is developed by showcasing experience, expertise and authority consistently online.
3: Monitor your online reputation
Another great way to prepare for Google SGE, is to ensure your reputation management game is on point. This is because Google wants to ensure that every SGE response is accurate, and to do this, it pulls answers from reputable sites, which you want yours to be considered as.
Building a good online reputation involves drumming up positive reviews, being active on social media, and actively looking for negative reviews so you can combat them. You should also consider running a PR campaign to promote mentions of your brand in a positive light, and this is also advantageous for link building purposes too. By doing this, you signal to search engines that you’re producing valuable, relevant content.
Want to know where your brand is mentioned online and take control of your online brand reputation? It all starts with our free brand tracking audit.
4: Use longer tail keywords
Using long tail queries are super important for SGE. Their unique and specific nature allows AI to generate personalised, detailed answers from various sources. When AI links to you as a source, that can boost your visibility and engagement on search engine result pages. This is why informational queries, particularly long-tail ones, are anticipated to gain prominence in Google’s SGE.
To tap into this potential, it’s important to comprehensively answer questions users have. That means, to prepare for Google SGE, you should try to create and optimise content specifically for question-based queries. Plus, long-tail queries have the added advantage of having higher conversion rates than their short-tail counterparts, so it’s a win-win really.
5: Maximise real experiences
In the era of SGE, first-person narratives have taken centre stage. You might be asking why? Well, they provide glimpses into real human experiences that AI simply can’t replicate. These narratives give life and authenticity to your content, making them invaluable assets when dealing with complex topics or answer-focused inquiries.
When crafting your content, ensure you’re using conversational language and addressing follow-up questions naturally within the text. Write for the audience, not just the keyword or strategy.
With the impending SGE update, it’s essential that you adapt to the new digital landscape to help your business thrive. If you’d like to stay ahead of the curve, hone your strategy to better accommodate to the new SGE update, and receive specialist advice on where to start, get in touch with our expert team, and request an SEO audit to get the ball rolling.
