The impact of Google’s SGE & What To do About it [With SGE Impact Assessment Sheet]

THE IMPACT OF GOOGLE’S SGE IN SEO BY @ALEYDA FROM
@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY The impact of Google’s SGE & What To do About it THE IMPACT OF GOOGLE’S SGE IN SEO BY @ALEYDA FROM @ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY LLMs took SEO by storm in 2023, first with ChatGPT, then Bing & Google with their Chatbots & SGE

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Bing clearly differentiated the scenarios for which they would give a chat vs a “traditional” search experience https://blogs.bing.com/search-quality-insights/february-2023/Building-the-New-Bing

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Google started the SGE test in May 2023 specifying how they took LLMs limitations into account https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//search/howsearchworks/google-about-SGE.pdf

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//search/howsearchworks/google-about-SGE.pdf Snapshots are meant to give a synthesis supporting users journeys, providing links to continue exploring

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY https://labs.google.com/search/experiment/1?authuser=0&source=srp So yes, Google SGE Snapshots are designed to be Featured Snippets on “Steroids” SGE Snapshot Featured Snippet

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY However, at the start, there was a lack of links, that Google started to include further after complaints May 2023 January 2024

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Now SGE snapshots feature their source in carousels at the top right and within the content itself by clicking, showing usually content from top-ranked pages

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY SGE snapshots now also show overlays of concept sources too, linking to learn more about it

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Also, Google has become more selective of queries for which they give a snapshot at all or on demand May 2023 January 2024

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY The nature of topic and usefulness of the SGE snapshot given existing search results play a role

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY However, even after these refinements, the SGE impact on the CTR of top ranked pages across certain type of searches can be game-changing

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY The worst is that we can’t block it either! Google- Extended doesn’t work with the SGE, only blocks access to Bard and Vertex AI https://searchengineland.com/google-extended-does-not-stop-google-search-generative-experience-from-using-your-sites-content-433058

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY It’s then understandable that a high share of SEOs are afraid of a potential SGE launch https://chat.seofomo.co/forum/seo-ai/are-you-worried-about-google-s-sge-impact-poll

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY #seohorrorstories23 by @aleyda from @orainti https://searchengineland.com/how-search-generative-experience-works-and-why-retrieval-augmented-generation-is-our-future-433393 But in a study from Mike King, only 40% of SERPs add a SGE snapshot, and half are shown to informational queries

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY This was also found by Onely, SGE snapshots are more prevalent for some topics and intents https://www.onely.com/blog/all-the-useful-data-about-sge-you-need-to-know-right-now/

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY #seohorrorstories23 by @aleyda from @orainti https://searchengineland.com/how-search-generative-experience-works-and-why-retrieval-augmented-generation-is-our-future-433393 Additionally, a high share of the top 10 ranked pages are used within the SGE snapshot too

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY So, by ranking well in top organic positions our chances to get included increase! Should we be then scared or not?

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY DUPLICATIVE SGE SGE Snapshot duplicating or with high overlay with current organic search results or features SUMMARIZING / COMPLEMENTARY SGE SGE Snapshot summarizing and / or complementing current organic search results or features ACCELERATOR SGE SGE Snapshot directly featuring next step of search journey information LOW RISK LOW-MEDIUM RISK MEDIUM-HIGH RISK SGE TRAFFIC RISK LEVELS https://searchengineland.com/google-extended-does-not-stop-google-search-generative-experience-from-using-your-sites-content-433058 It depends! Some SGE scenarios carry a higher traffic risk than others based on impact on users’ search fulfillment

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY We have the duplicative SGE Snapshot with low traffic risk, that happens with snapshots duplicating an existing search feature, such as a map pack

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY (Not so) Hot Take! One of these will be gone for the release. It doesn’t make sense to have both.

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Something similar happens with SGE vs existing search features of informational recipes queries

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Another duplicative low risk scenario happens with the non-clickable listings provided for some commercial queries with similar clickable search features

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY (Not so) Hot Take! The snapshot will disappear or inherit the search feature behavior to fulfill users’ needs (and then the search feature would be removed)

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY We have also summarizing and complementary SGE snapshots with Low- Medium traffic risk, like the ones of template queries, for which you still need to go to the source to fulfill need

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Another low-medium risk summarizing scenario happens with informational how-to queries that require more comprehensive insights to be fulfilled, like how to wash sneakers

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Something similar happens with queries that require more comprehensive content in different visual formats, such as “ab workout at home”

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY (Not so) Hot Take! The snapshot is a nice summary but won’t fulfill users need most of the time, who will still need to click on pages

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Then we have then the accelerator SGE Snapshots with Medium-High Traffic Risk, for non- branded commercial queries like backpacks for women

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY (Not so) Hot Take! Top ranked listing pages of highly authoritative ecommerce sites will lose traffic to their product pages in the snapshot (if they’re well optimized and included) or to the ones of competitors

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Something similar and likely more impactful happens for well known brands with branded transactional queries like Air Jordan sneakers

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY (Not so) Hot Take! The brand category/facet that ranks first will lose a lot of that traffic to its own and resellers PDPs in SGE

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY But likely the worst scenario of “accelerator” snapshots happen with navigational queries like “Amazon watches”

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY (Not so) Hot Take! The brand top ranked PLPs will lose a high share of traffic to their own PDPs (if included) and competitors ones

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY There’s then certainly some traffic risk for some queries depending on the snapshot role and search fulfillment

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Informational queries Like informational queries with summarizing SGEs and commercial with accelerator ones Commercial queries + Summarizing SGE Accelerator SGE

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY It’s definitely important to take action to be prepared when -and if- the SGE is finally released https://chat.seofomo.co/forum/seo-ai/are-you-worried-about-google-s-sge-impact-poll Hurry up! I’ll help you next

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Here’s an SGE assessment checklist to help you identify the potential risk for your own customer journey queries https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xQzAA81dWyY6BPxPOrLbo5nBxLEjQYhsvmqJZIUTsRo/edit#gid=0

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Verify the SGE inclusion for major traffic and conversion driver terms you target, representative of different intents https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xQzAA81dWyY6BPxPOrLbo5nBxLEjQYhsvmqJZIUTsRo/edit#gid=0

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Identify the traffic erosion risk to prioritize action depending on SGE type, inclusion and query fulfillment https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xQzAA81dWyY6BPxPOrLbo5nBxLEjQYhsvmqJZIUTsRo/edit#gid=0

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Take a look at the already SGE featured pages and analyze their characteristics vs yours to identify opportunities https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xQzAA81dWyY6BPxPOrLbo5nBxLEjQYhsvmqJZIUTsRo/edit#gid=0

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY If you’re already ranking and not yet included in SGE: what content type, insights, format are those included showing that help to fulfill the search need that you’re not? Identify and close that gap!

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Develop a content gap analysis using content optimization tools to accelerate the process Frase

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Enrich or expand your content addressing SGE’s follow up questions

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Leverage “People Also Ask” questions and those asked over social platforms (reddit, quota, etc) about the topic to enrich and expand the content further too

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY You can use keyword tools like AlsoAsked or Keyword Insights to quickly identify top questions to address Alsoasked and Keyword Insights

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Is your content featuring descriptive and well optimized images and titles correctly displayed in SGE carousels?

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Do this not only for currently ranked pages but the SGE featured one. Like PDPs over PLPs for commercial queries Descriptive metadata Unique description Product structured data High-quality images Reviews Q&As FAQs Merchant Center Feeds Internally linked XML sitemaps inclusion Inventory reliant indexability PDPs

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY It’s about the optimization alignment across areas and user journey to make the content best in class to compete https://www.aleydasolis.com/en/seo-flowcharts/

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Really?

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Really! a research was published about optimization tactics for generative search, introducing GEO https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY The usage of citations, quotations from relevant sources and stats were found to boost source visibility https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12-F9Z4NzDADOFRQtOiN-CtjY2aaqj-R5CcrJNCuTha4/edit#gid=0 These are not very different from some of the guidelines to improve content quality and helpfulness, which I highly recommend integrating! Follow this checklist

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY https://chat.openai.com/g/g-WxhtjcFNs-content-helpfulness-and-quality-seo-analyzer Use the Helpful Content Analyzer GPT to accelerate your content quality analysis process vs the SGE included pages

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY https://searchengineland.com/google-ceo-on-sge-and-search-evolution-well-get-it-right-431888 At the end, remember that fulfilling users search needs and referring when relevant is at the core of how search engines work and their business model, so there’s an incentive to “get it right”

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY https://www.seroundtable.com/google-sge-december-end-date-removed-36600.html SGE might not even get released as it’s still being tested and the end date was removed at the end of 2023

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY But it’s time to own those test SGE snapshots, just in case

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY It’s possible! Time to get ready

@ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY I’m Aleyda Solis * SEO Consultant & Founder at Orainti * SEO Speaker at +100 Events in +20 countries * Author “SEO. Las Claves Esenciales.” * Crawling Mondays Video & Podcast Series Host * SEOFOMO & MarketingFOMO Creator * Maker LearningSEO.io * European Search Personality of the Year in 2018 * remoters.net Co-Founder THE IMPACT OF GOOGLE’S SGE IN SEO BY @ALEYDA FROM @ORAINTI AT #SEARCHDAY Thank you!

The impact of Google’s SGE & What To do About it [With SGE Impact Assessment Sheet]

The impact of Google’s SGE & What To do About it [With SGE Impact Assessment Sheet]

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