What is Google's generative AI?
AI has been in the news a lot in recent months. We were introduced to ChatGPT: an AI that can type almost anything for you in a matter of seconds. This is a form of generative AI: using artificial intelligence to create content such as text or images. Google’s generative AI is ushering in a new way of searching. Google has many components, but the search engine remains essential. With the arrival of ChatGPT, that search engine faces more competition. And Google is responding to this with its own version of generative AI.
For example, Google also has the Bard chatbot. However, this is separate from the new generative AI.
With generative Google Search AI, a search query is also the first step. However, whereas you used to break your query down into multiple questions and search for the right information yourself, this new way of searching allows you to ask your entire question in one go. For example, ask the question, “What are the best hiking boots for a five-kilometer hike on dirt trails?” Instead of the familiar list of blue links, possibly accompanied by an additional piece of information (a featured snippet) from websites like Wikipedia, you’ll see a new, large field containing an answer or explanation to your search query or question. It also includes links to websites to verify that the information displayed is indeed accurate.
Don’t have the full answer yet, or do you have other questions? You can also ask follow-up questions. Google Search AI is different from other software like ChatGPT or Bing: it doesn’t have a conversation mode. Additionally, Google still displays ads alongside search results.
The Benefits of Google's Generative AI
This generative Google Search AI makes searching the web even easier. Getting quick, clear answers to your questions takes even less time and effort: the AI gathers information from sources across the internet and provides you with an answer. You’ll grasp topics more quickly, discover new perspectives, and get your work done faster. Generative AI is a particularly useful tool when making complex purchases, for example.
How does generative Google Search AI affect SEO and CTR?
Because of the new information block, regular search results are less visible. Plus, the block already provides the answer to your question: why would you click through? These are known as “zero-click searches”: search queries where Google provides the answer itself and you don’t click through to an external website.
All in all, this means less website traffic and a lower CTR from Google. Still, it’s not as bad as it sounds. There are a few reasons why people will still click through and why Google continues to focus on clicks to websites:
- The reliability of the information The information provided by AI sometimes contains factual errors. As a result, there is a good chance that users will still click on external websites during searches to verify the content.
- AI needs sources The AI's response is based on content from creators. Google Search AI needs that information to generate a response. That is why Google will continue to support creators and prioritize website traffic.
- This is revenue for Google A large portion of Google’s revenue comes from Ads. These remain visible with generative AI. Websites want to continue receiving traffic, and ads are part of that. Website owners don’t want those ads to appear below an AI-generated response, even though they have to pay a lot for them. This applies to both Search Ads and Display Ads (bids for ads on high-traffic websites).
- Sometimes there will be no generative AI response This applies to topics for which there is simply not enough high-quality information available, which would make the AI's response less reliable.
Incidentally, a highlighted block of information at the top of search results is nothing new. This already exists in the form of featured snippets.
Google Search Generative AI offers many benefits for users. However, when it comes to SEO, things may become more challenging for websites. The focus used to be on keywords and backlinks to rank higher for specific search terms. With this new way of searching, that focus must shift to detailed, high-quality content, user experience (good navigation), and contextual relevance (coherent and relevant industry information). Valuable content remains the foundation, both for SEO now and in the future with, for example, this generative AI.
JKC Media will handle the SEO for your website, resulting in improved search engine visibility (in the long term).
When will the AI be available to us?
Currently, generative AI—which Google calls the Search Generative Experience (SGE)—is available only as a test in the U.S. on Chrome for desktop and the Google App for Android and iOS.
