Google has in several countries rolled out a new update called Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) which is likely to hit Denmark in 2024. Google SGE represents a big change in how Google search results are ranked and presented and this will bring both challenges and new opportunities for your business.
What is Google SGE?
Google SGE represents an ambitious change to Google’s search engine algorithms, which aims to improve the user experience by delivering more relevant and comprehensive search results. This means that Google will in 8 out of 9 times show generative AI answers as the first search result.
When the generative AI answer pops up, there will also be presented a link to the source of the answer. Users can click on the link and will be taken to the website that provided the information. Your website will no longer appear as a search result; it will now also act as a source in the generative AI answer.
Google’s generative AI answers questions directly. This means Google SGE understands the user intent and the context behind searches better and will match queries with precise and in-depth answers, making Google search more intuitive, personalized and insightful. To be visible in Google’s generative AI answers, companies need to continue with a holistic approach that focuses on delivering value, quality and a better user experience. At IIH Nordic, we help and advise our customers to navigate through the changes to provide continued business growth in the digital world.
What impact will Google SGE have on SEO?
Google SGE marks a new era in the digital world. The update will change how Google evaluates and ranks web content with an increased focus on user intent and contextual relevance. With Google SGE producing large amounts of content is no longer enough. Authority through in-depth, well-researched and credible content is more important than ever. Businesses need to be experts in their field to be chosen as Google’s generative AI answer. It is also important to have a strong presence across different platforms. Google will assess how a brand is mentioned on third-party sites, social media and other digital platforms. This will ensure that businesses will be recognized for their expertise and relevant content, and therefore selected as an answer in Google’s generative AI.
The launch of Google SGE means that the user experience on the website is a critical focal point. Websites must therefore be intuitively designed with a fast load speed so that users can easily find and interact with relevant content.
Here’s what you need to pay attention to:
- Content depth and quality: With Google SGE, it becomes even more important to develop in-depth, well-informed and user-friendly content.
- User experience: Websites need to have a fast load speed. The page need to be intuitive and easy to navigate to ensure a positive user experience.
- Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness (EEAT): Websites that demonstrate expertise and authority within their business niche are likely to benefit from Google SGE.
- External links and recommendations: Google SGE focuses on how a company’s online reputation is reflected across the web. This means that recommendations, reviews and content on third-party websites become even more important. Therefore, your business should work to build strong relationships and presence on other relevant platforms and media.
- Mark up your content with structured data: AI helps to understand context, but schema markup will assist you in gaining visibility.
IIH Nordic keeps an eye on Google SGE
At IIH Nordic, we are already preparing for the upcoming Google SGE update in the Nordic countries. We acknowledge the significance of this update and its implications for SEO. It will no longer be sufficient to focus on keywords and backlinks. Now it’s essential to create a comprehensive digital presence that engages your customers directly. This involves a deeper understanding of your target audience’s search behavior, producing high-quality content and a strategy that embraces all channels within online marketing.
IIH Nordics specialists are ready to help our customers navigate through these changes. We stay on top of new developments to help ensure our customers remain competitive in an increasingly digitalized world. With the arrival of Google SGE in Denmark, it is time to think about SEO in a new and more comprehensive perspective.
