SGE stands for Search Generative Experience, which is Google's new AI-generated search results, and it is responsible for an 18% to 64% drop in website traffic! That's huge and is affecting our businesses! What does Search Generative Experience even MEAN? Here's the down and dirty explanation: SGE is powered by Google's AI engine Gemini. So every time someone searches for an answer, instead of Google showing searchers different websites, Google is showing Sponsored Ads first, then a host of AI-Generated Answers with drop down arrows to keep your would-be customers busy, ONLY THEN does Google show answers connected to local website listings. So your searchers are clicking on Ads or AI Answers loooooooong before they even POSSIBLY see a link to your website.
As with any change Google makes to their algorithms, there are no published guidelines that give us direction as to how to navigate SGE. Those of us playing the field out here in "Business Land" are left trying to test the new environment to try to figure it out. The one thing we know for certain, is that these new changes are rolling out in stages and west Georgia has just recently started seeing them. Many of my Clients, including myself, have seen a major drop in website visits just in the last week. The drop off has been so severe, we're losing Clients! So we've covered the bad news, now let's talk about the opportunity!
What Do We Do About It?
So now that we know what the problem is, how can we get our website visitors back? This is such a new change, we're not 100% sure. But there are people out there that have been testing the algorithm to see what works and what doesn't. One of those "people" is Exposure Ninja. So here are a few things, from the Ninja, that seem to be turning the tide:
Build your existing organic ranking through:
High-authority topical backlinks to your website
Decent website speed (if you're our Client, you're good there!)
Website content quality (time to get that Blog up and running like we told you to!)
Strong website user experience (we did that for you when we built your site.)
How to Rank in Google's AI Search: Put a Blog on Your Site
Match the topic and question being searched extremely closely
Share simple information that’s easy to read
Start with a summary and get to the point quickly
Cover one point per paragraph
Keep things short
Resubmit changes via Google Search Console
This article that you're reading is a perfect example of what you can do on your own website to improve your Google AI Search ranking, thus your website's visitors. Figure out what your customers are searching for (I'll write another article giving you tips about how to do that, so look for it in the next day or two.)
We're still going to have to research more and - you know Google - more changes are coming! So we'll keep our noses to the ground and let you know when we find out information that can help our Clients and Friends navigate this new world of artificial intelligence. If you need help, our office is open for discussion - schedule a session here: www.pearlmarketinggroup.com/calendly. Talk to ya soon!