The digital marketing landscape feels crazy right now, doesn't it? Seriously, I'm worn out and I'm only about 15 words into this article.
If there is a slight feeling of moving goalposts in marketing at the moment it's because of the rapid evolution of technology and what that's doing to customer behaviour - which I think is pretty obvious to say. It seems like everything is changing and everyone is scrambling to figure out how to either take advantage or stay afloat. But actually, as we'll get to, the fundamentals of good marketing are not changing, so if you're doing the right things now, everything will be okay. I know you're here to read about Google SGE. I just wanted to set the scene a bit first.
Now I'm going to tell you all about Google SGE and how it's going to affect marketing your SaaS solution or your managed service or whatever it is you're flogging.
What is Google SGE?
First things first: Google Search Generative Experience represents a leap forward in how search engines understand and process user queries, employing advanced artificial intelligence to deliver more relevant, personalised search results. Sounds great! Unlike traditional search engines that rely heavily on keyword matching and link analysis, SGE employs AI to comprehend the context and intent behind users' queries, and give them responses that are not just relevant but also contextually rich and informative.
Why's that good?
The AI-driven approach allows Google SGE to generate responses that feel more conversational and intuitive, closely mimicking human-like interactions. Which is what we all want isn't it, more human connection... No, no, we probably do actually need to meet up in person more.
The technology behind SGE is built upon the foundation of machine learning and natural language processing, enabling the system to learn from vast amounts of data and improve over time. This ensures that the search experience becomes increasingly personalised and effective, and capable of handling complex queries with a high degree of accuracy. Which actually is unironically good. We all know the mild (or not so mild) frustration of not quite being able to find what we're looking for.
The SGE strategy explained
The strategy behind Google SGE is all about enhancing the capabilities of search to meet the evolving needs of your users out there who just want everything handed to them. I mean, me too. We want it now! And, by golly, it better be accurate! It better know me. The goal is to revolutionise the search experience, making it more aligned with how we think and communicate.
Now this might be just me, but I think when ChatGPT came out people went, okay, this might replace 'Googling', so it's not a surprise Google has come up with SGE. It had to move beyond the limitations of traditional search algorithms and offer a more dynamic, interactive, and helpful search experience. Otherwise it would be replaced. Hot take: it might still be replaced.
The strategic thinking of the big ol' tech giant in Mountain View is centred around three key pillars:
- Understanding and anticipation: By analysing the context of search queries, SGE aims to understand not just the words but the intent and nuances behind them. This allows the system to anticipate users' needs and provide answers that go beyond the surface level, addressing underlying questions or related topics that users might not have explicitly mentioned.
- Interactivity: SGE introduces a new level of interactivity to search, inviting users to engage in a dialogue with the search engine. Imagine! Talking to a search engine! But what that does is it makes the search process more dynamic, allowing for clarification, refinement, and exploration of topics in a conversational manner.
- Continuous learning: Central to the SGE strategy is the concept of continuous learning. The AI systems behind SGE are designed to learn from interactions, feedback, and new information, ensuring that the search experience improves and evolves over time. This adaptive learning approach ensures that SGE remains at the cutting edge of search technology, capable of addressing the changing behaviours and expectations of users.
By harnessing the power of generative AI, Google SGE is set to transform how we seek and consume information on the internet, making the vast web of data more accessible and useful for everyone.
Integrating SGE into digital marketing
How does it affect me? I hear you ask.
We're talking about a new era of search here, pal. And that's going to have an effect on digital marketing practices. The essence of SGE – to provide users with more intuitive, conversational, and contextually relevant search results – means that marketers must adapt to ensure they continue to be seen and heard.
Okay, but I still don't quite get what it is?
SGE's core functionality is about delivering content that not only answers queries but anticipates the needs and intentions behind those queries.
Wait just a second there, brother. That sounds a lot like what plain, old content marketing practices try to do. Know your audience? I've heard that before. A lot.
Well, that's because it is. Successful SGE practices for your brand really boils down to the same thing you'd do within a sophisticated content marketing strategy. Content marketing is all about creating and sharing valuable content to help people, not directly selling to them right away, etc. It's about answering their questions, solving their problems, and engaging them in an interesting way, like telling a good story instead of just saying, "Buy this now." SGE will be able to show your specific audience very specific content that fills a specific need for them. It's all very specific. The people want specific.
Another hot take: in the future we're going to create hyper-specific marketing content for the individual. We're not there yet but with the power of gen AI and really smart marketing platforms this is actually realistic. And SGE is the next step in getting hyper-specific content to the people it was intended for.
Content marketing 2.0
SGE gives the concept of content marketing a crate of Red Bull. It's designed to better understand the intent behind what someone is searching for. If you create content that really helps answer people's questions and is engaging, SGE is more likely to show it to them. It's not just about using the right keywords anymore; it's about creating truly valuable content that rocks (<-- oh, see what we did there?)
Yes, I know, we have been saying this for literally years; to worry less about keywords and focus more on quality. But hey, maybe now you'll listen. I'm not mad, I'm not.
Another way to think of SGE is to imagine it as your amazing, attractive, intuitive partner who seems to just know what you need even when you're not quite sure how to ask for it.
The differences between SEO and SGE, and how you can adapt
Understanding the differences between traditional SEO and SGE is crucial for marketers looking to navigate the changing digital landscape. While SEO has traditionally focused on optimising for specific keywords and building backlinks to improve search rankings, SGE demands a broader approach. The AI-driven nature of SGE means that it looks beyond keywords to understand the context and intent of queries, requiring marketers to think more about the overall user experience and the comprehensiveness of their content.
Google SGE marks a significant shift in digital marketing, pushing marketers towards a more nuanced understanding of search behaviour and content relevance.
Optimising content for Google SGE
Okay, so now you know what it is, here's what you need to do.
SGE, with its pesky AI-driven approach, not only seeks to match queries with relevant information but also to understand the intent and context behind them. How annoying for whomever is creating your content. But here's a few tips on how to optimise:
- User intent: Develop content strategies that address the why behind searches, not just the what. This involves creating content that answers potential follow-up questions and covers related topics, thus providing a more satisfying search experience.
- Content quality: With SGE's ability to parse and understand content more deeply, the quality of content becomes paramount. Marketers should aim to produce well-researched, authoritative content that establishes them as thought leaders in their field.
- Structured data: Structured data will continue to play a vital role by helping SGE understand the content of web pages more effectively. Implementing schema markup can aid in delivering more accurate and relevant search results.
- Being adaptive: As SGE evolves, so too will its impact on search dynamics. Marketers must stay informed about updates to SGE and be ready to adjust their strategies in response to new insights into how SGE interprets and ranks content.
- Experimentation: Since SGE aims to provide users with comprehensive answers, experimenting with different content formats such as FAQs, guides, long-form articles, and videos could be beneficial. Diverse content formats can cater to varied user preferences and search intents.
All the A's: Awareness, Affinity, Action
The absolute classic triple A strategy – Awareness, Affinity, Action – provides a marketing framework for guiding potential customers through their journey with your brand, and it’s especially relevant in the context of SGE.
- Awareness: The first step is making sure your target audience knows about you. With SGE, this means creating content that answers broad questions related to your industry or service. This content should be informative and designed to show up in searches by people who are at the early stages of seeking information.
- Affinity: Once people are aware of your brand, the goal is to build a relationship with them. This involves creating content that resonates on a personal level, demonstrating your values, and showing how you can solve their specific problems. For SGE, think about creating content that engages users in deeper conversations about their needs and how you can meet them.
- Action: The final step is encouraging your audience to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. Content optimised for this stage in SGE should be focused on conversion, providing clear calls to action and making it easy for users to understand what steps to take next.
Optimising for SGE using the 3A strategy involves creating a diverse content portfolio that addresses each stage of the customer journey, from initial discovery to final decision-making. This approach ensures that your marketing strategy is not only SGE-ready but also aligned with the evolving expectations of your audience in the age of AI-driven search.
Embrace the need for actually good content that people want read and engage with
How do I try it?
Google SGE is currently in beta testing mode, which you can access on your personal account. This blog has a bit of a how to, to get you started.
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