Google’s new Search Generative Experience (SGE) significantly changes how search results surface to users. Google has been experimenting with AI-driven and semantic (Search | Google I/O 2023) search since 2019 with their BERT update.
In response to Bing’s Open AI integration, the current release is a comprehensive overhaul of their search interface. SGE uses AI large language models (LLMs) to deliver thorough and informative search results. The changes from Google can create specific challenges for businesses. Brands must work hard to ensure that they own the answers to the questions posed by the users. Brands and SMBs must change their SEO strategy to hold the answers.
The key difference from previous SEO initiatives is that Google prioritizes delivering a higher user experience. Brands and Businesses need to start thinking about what users want to know about the business rather than providing information about themselves.
To prepare for SGE, we recommend three critical areas of focus with the SEO strategy.
1. Entity Optimization
Entities will be the critical elements in Google’s Knowledge Graph that link user queries to brand information. We do not look at entity identification and optimization as a one-time effort but as a sustained initiative to maintain the presence in search results.
- Knowledge Panel – Ensure the knowledge graph and knowledge panel accuracy for the business.
- Schema Markup – Content is fully marked up and served up to the search engines.
- Visual Optimization – SGE will favor sites with lots of Images and Videos. But the caveat is that these assets are fully optimized with high-quality scores and have relevant metadata and alt-tag information.
- Technical SEO – Maintaining a sane and clean website devoid of technical issues and with high core-web-vitals score is going to be essential. Google prefers websites that deliver high-quality user experience.
2. Helpful Content
SGE is more likely to show results for long-tail keywords, which are more specific and less competitive than short-tail keywords. Businesses must research to find long-tail keywords relevant to their business and develop Helpful content for these queries. Some types of Helpful content include FAQs, How-Tos, Events, Blogs, Web-stories to name a few. This content needs to be marked up with Schema and have relevant assets.
3. Local Identity
Local helps businesses ensure their Google Business Profile is updated with local information, description, services, product listing, and inventory. Businesses must ensure that other relevant social media channels, citations, and links carry similar information that Google can index.
Image: Critical Areas of Focus
Milestone has been at the forefront of preparing Businesses for this paradigm shift driven by Google Search. Milestone products and solutions have been helping businesses meet their organic search needs.
Milestone’s products and solutions will help customers gain relevance with SGE.
1. Entity Optimization
- Knowledge Panel: Milestone Local solution and Knowledge Graph solution will help capture the brand and location presence in Knowledge Panel
- Schema Manager: Milestone Schema Manager with search intelligence built-in will help businesses and brands to markup the content on their site
- Visual Optimizer: Milestone DAM, together with its integration into Google Vision and NLP AI, will deliver a much-needed optimization for Images and Videos.
- Edge SEO Manager: Milestone Edge SEO Manager will help brands implement recommendations that address their SEO gaps and deliver a powerful website.
2. Helpful Content
To meet the needs of content velocity and address content gaps in business websites, Milestone delivers an AI-enabled FAQ Manager and Content Studio with the Events Calendar and Web Stories. These will ensure that content on the website addresses user experience needs and keeps the content on the website fresh.
3. Local Identity
Milestone Local, Reviews, and FAQ provides an industry-leading solution to ensure that brands and locations optimize local identity. In addition, Brands can manage their reputation, understand the user sentiment from reviews, and respond to reviews. Milestone Local also allows us to upload product inventory in to Google Local and promote them. With AI support, Businesses can keep their description optimized and fresh.
As we continue to monitor Google SGE and Bing’s OpenAI at Milestone, we can assure our customers and businesses looking for solutions that we will continue operating at the search solution’s leading edge.
To know more about how Milestone can assist with your customer experience and SEO strategy, contact us at [email protected] or call us at 408-200-2211.
