Google's Generative AI Search: Opportunity or Threat for Small Business SEO?
Everzocial | Digital Marketing Agency
Connecting customers to your brand.
As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you might be wondering how Google's new generative AI search will impact your website's SEO and online presence. In this article, we'll break down the potential threats and opportunities that generative AI search presents for small businesses and provide actionable insights to help you stay ahead of the curve.
Threats
1. Potential Loss of Visibility on the SERP: With generative AI search, users may no longer need to click on your website to get the information they need, resulting in zero-click searches and reduced visibility .
2. Changing Success Metrics: The line between clicks, impressions, and conversions could become blurred, making it difficult to attribute sales or leads to specific marketing activities .
3. Hyper Long and Specific Search Queries: Generative AI search allows for more natural, specific conversational search queries, shifting the focus from traditional keywords to understanding the context behind a query .
Opportunities
1. Provide a Better Customer Experience: Generative AI search can help you reduce friction with your customers by showing key information directly on the search engine results page .
2. Links Are Not Going Away: Google's generative AI search engine is linking back to sources more frequently than initially expected, providing an opportunity for search engine optimizers to capitalize on creating people-first content and optimizing on-page experiences .
3. Schema Markup Is Key: Implementing connected Schema Markup can help generative AI search engines understand and contextualize your content, improving your website's performance in search results .
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4. Focus on Content Quality: Create high-quality, trustworthy content that addresses specific topics relevant to your audience, ensuring your content is created by human writers .
What Small Business Owners Can Do
To prepare for the impact of generative AI search on your website's SEO, focus on the following:
1. Create people-first content that addresses your customers' needs and showcases your expertise.
2. Implement connected Schema Markup to help search engines understand and contextualize your content.
3. Monitor and optimize your website's core web vitals and on-page experiences.
4. Stay informed about the latest trends and developments in SEO and generative AI search.
In conclusion, while the full impact of Google's generative AI search on SEO is still uncertain, small business owners and entrepreneurs can take proactive steps to adapt and capitalize on the opportunities it presents. By focusing on content quality, implementing Schema Markup, and optimizing your website's user experience, you can stay ahead of the curve and maintain a strong online presence in the ever-evolving world of SEO.