A recent analysis by Authoritas suggests that Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) may lead to a decrease in traffic for brand-related terms. The introduction of AI-generated answers through SGE opens up opportunities for third-party sites and competitors to rank for brand terms that businesses care about. Google has reported that SGE is displayed for 91.4% of all search queries, indicating a widespread impact on search results.
Quora and Wikipedia were identified as top performers in SGE, with Quora ranking in the top 20 generative domains in 11 out of 15 categories. On average, SGE answers contain 10.75 links from 4.3 unique domains, with 62% of generative links coming from sources outside the top 10 ranking organic domains.
Paid search ads appear alongside SGE results for over 50% of keywords, with ads appearing above SGE 51% of the time and beneath 49% of the time. Shopping Ads, on the other hand, are more likely to appear below SGE results.
The analysis looked at 2,900 keywords for 251 prominent U.S. brands across 15 industry verticals. The study provides valuable insights into the impact of SGE on brand and product terms. It is essential for marketers to stay up to date on the development and impact of SGE, as Google continues to refine and expand this feature.
For a more in-depth understanding of SGE and its implications, additional resources are available for further exploration. These include information on Google’s ongoing testing and development of SGE, differences between generative links and organic search results, and predictions on how SGE will impact traffic and SEO strategies. Marketers are encouraged to prepare for the changes brought about by SGE and consider strategies for recovery in case of traffic loss.
Overall, the analysis highlights the evolving nature of search results and the need for businesses to adapt their SEO strategies to remain competitive in a landscape shaped by AI-generated answers and Google’s Search Generative Experience.
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