The study, done by Authoritas, looked at 1,000 words used for shopping, tech, health, and more. It found that most of the links SGE shows (about 94%) are not the same as the top links you get from a regular search. This means the info SGE gives can be pretty different from what websites say. Let’s explore about it.
Highlights:
Authoritas’ 1,000 Keywords
SGE: 2021 Development
Direct SERP Answers
AI-Powered Snapshot
Organic Search Impact
Diverse SGE Searches
Beyond Top 10
Link Discrepancy Analysis
Limited Unique Links
Varied Industry Study
First lets understand what is Google SGE.
SGE stands for “Search Generative Experience.” “Search Generative Experience,” was introduced by Google a few years ago. Its initial use and development primarily occurred around 2021. It’s a smart feature by Google that directly shows answers to questions on the search results page.
SGE appears somewhat like this on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). A short video snapshot is below
When a user queries Google and gets a response through SGE, the information provided isn’t termed as an ‘answer’ by Google. Instead, it’s referred to as an output generated by Google’s “AI-Powered Snapshot” of the search keyword.
Will these SGE results impact Organic Search?
So, when Google displays its “Answers cum AI Powered Snapshot” before the organic and PPC research results upon user queries, does it devalue the organic website results below?
Well, that’s not entirely accurate. Let me explain why you shouldn’t worry too much.
Essentially, SGE isn’t designed to show all users the same content. Instead, SGE results are intended for exceptional queries where the answers might not be readily available in top websites content. Below are some examples
- Complex Search – First comes ‘Complex Search.’ When users input complex keywords, Google’s SGE results may appear if the answer to that keyword isn’t currently available on top organic search websites.
- Broad Topic Search – This falls under the category where users search for a broad topic, such as ‘Can I go to Himachal in winter with kids, parents, pets?’ In cases of such ‘Broad Searches,’ SGE results may be displayed.
- Conversational Search – This means users ask queries in a natural language style, like talking to a person, for more intuitive search results. It involves using complete sentences or phrases, often with question words like ‘what,’ ‘how,’ ‘where,’ ‘can,’ etc., to ask questions or seek information from search engines like Google. SGE (Search Generative Experience) might utilize this conversational search style to present more intuitive and direct answers to users’ inquiries.
- Creative Idea Search – In SGE, “Creative Idea Search” refers to a type of search where users seek unique and innovative concepts or ideas. It involves entering various queries to discover something different or novel. SGE aims to provide better and distinctive responses for such queries to offer users new and creative ideas.
- Shopping Related Search -Shopping-related search” in SGE is a method used to explore queries related to shopping. Here, users search for products, prices, reviews, and related information. SGE aims to offer unique and updated shopping content to provide users with accurate and fresh information.
- Local Search – Local Search” in SGE refers to queries related to finding nearby businesses, services, or locations. Users seek information about local stores, restaurants, services, or events within a specific area or vicinity. In this context, SGE aims to provide unique and relevant content tailored to the user’s geographic location, offering precise and up-to-date information about local establishments or events.
So Ideally, Anticipations suggest that Google’s SGE may considerably diminish website traffic derived from organic searches for various keywords, given that searchers can instantly access answers through Google’s AI-generated responses.
Yet, there’s a potential upside. Websites unable to secure a position within Google’s top 10 organic results might find visibility through links within SGE.
But it’s not like you should become carefree or unconcerned about the SGE.
When you compare the links SGE shows with the normal search links, there’s not much overlap. Only about 4.5% of the time do they show the same link, and 1.6% come from the same website, but not the exact page.
This could affect websites. Because SGE gives answers directly, people might not visit websites as much. If your site isn’t in the top Google results, there’s a chance SGE could still show it, giving you a shot at being seen.
Links in SGE – Within SGE, the typical display includes roughly 10 links, yet only around four of these are distinct. Moreover, these links often stem from four distinct websites. Essentially, this signifies that, on average, two to three links within SGE responses direct users to the same website.
The study, done by Authoritas, looked at 1,000 words used for following categories:-
Automotive
Ecommerce & Retail
Entertainment
Fashion & Apparel
Finance
Food & Beverage
Health & Wellness
Legal
Technology & Electronics
Travel & Hospitality
