AI Transformation: Moving from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Generative Search Experiences (SGE)

The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing search engines. Recently announced at Google I/O 2023, Search Generative Exprience (SGE) has the potential to disrupt traditional SEO strategies. Instead of receiving links to crawled webpages as search results, users will now be prioritized for AI-generated answers.

The most important part of Google's announcement is the transformation of search with generative AI called Search Generative Experience (SGE). The search interface will remain the same, but AI-generated answers will appear at the top of the search results, along with related links and the source of each sentence. There's also an "Ask a follow-up" feature that allows you to ask additional questions. This change also affects Google's advertising business model, and the Google Shopping feature will be linked to the AI-generated answers. This will allow users to complete the process from search to purchase in a single step. These changes also have important implications for search engine optimization (SEO), and SEO strategies are expected to become more competitive as AI answers rise to the top.

This is an effort to maximize the efficiency of search by providing more direct, clear, and personalized answers to users' questions. This approach aims to increase the value of information and improve the user's search experience.

However, it doesn't replace all information. Google emphasizes that "people value other people's thoughts and opinions" and claims that traditional search methods are still valid. However, with the introduction of SGE, the quality, and profitability of search are expected to change dramatically.

SEO professionals will need to adapt and create new strategies to prepare for this change. Businesses will need to redefine their SEO strategies to align with SGE, and their marketing strategies will need to reflect this. This is both a challenge and an opportunity to explore new ways to use AI innovations to enhance the user experience and increase brand value.

SGE offers users better access to information by providing more accurate and personalized search results, allowing businesses to create more effective marketing strategies with a deeper and more accurate understanding of their products or services.

It's time for SEOs and marketers to shift their strategy from traditional "search engine optimization" to "generative search experiences. This means evolving from simply optimizing for keywords to enhancing the user's search experience.

Author: FUNCTION12 Growth Marketer Yoon Roy Kim

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