Maximising Website Visibility with Google SGE

Google SGE (Search Generative Experience) will have a major impact on both paid search and organic search.

Find out what it is, what impact it will have and how this should be influencing your digital search strategy. In particular, how websites can leverage Google SGE to increase their visibility and engagement.

What is Google SGE?

Google SGE brings the power of AI to the results provided by search engines. Unlike traditional search results, which typically display a list of links to individual web pages, SGE leverages generative artificial intelligence (AI) to provide users with concise and informative overviews directly within the search results page. This means that users can obtain relevant information without the need to navigate through multiple websites, saving time and streamlining the search process.

Google SGE compared to Rich Snippets

Both Google SGE and rich snippets aim to provide users with valuable information directly within search results. However, SGE focuses on generating summaries from multiple sources of search topics, whereas rich snippets highlight specific details extracted from web pages.

Google SGE and rich snippets both enhance the search experience, but they serve different purposes and operate in distinct ways, with SGE focusing on generating overviews of search topics and rich snippets highlighting specific details extracted from web pages.

Google SGE is currently only available in some countries (and not expected in the UK until January 2024). As this gets rolled out is it likely this will replace ‘Rich Snippets’.

Key Benefits of Google SGE for Websites

1. Increased Visibility: With Google SGE, websites have the opportunity to be prominently featured in the search results, even without users clicking through to their site. By optimising content to align with SGE’s criteria, websites can enhance their visibility and reach a wider audience.
2. Enhanced User Engagement: By delivering quick and clear overviews of search topics, SGE encourages users to engage with the content directly on the search results page. Websites that provide valuable and informative content are more likely to capture users’ attention and drive traffic to their site.
3. Improved Brand Authority: Being featured in Google SGE results can bolster a website’s credibility and authority within its niche. Users are more likely to trust information that is displayed prominently by Google, leading to increased brand recognition and loyalty.
4. Streamlined User Experience: SGE simplifies the search process for users by presenting relevant information in a concise format. Websites that optimise their content for SGE can provide users with the answers they need quickly and efficiently, resulting in a positive user experience.

SEO Tips for Optimising Website Content for Google SGE

1. Focus on Quality: Create high-quality, informative content that provides value to users. Content that is well-written, authoritative, and relevant to users’ search queries is more likely to be featured in SGE results.
2. Structured Data Markup: Implement structured data markup on your website to help Google understand the content and context of your pages. This can improve the chances of your content being selected for inclusion in SGE results.
3. Use Clear Headings and Summaries: Organise your content with clear headings and concise summaries that highlight the key points. This makes it easier for Google to generate informative overviews for users.

ExtraDigital’s SEO strategy already takes account of the likely impact of Google SGE.

Paid Search Tips taking account of Google SGE

1. Focus on Quality Score: Google prioritises high-quality, relevant ads for inclusion in Google SGE results. Therefore, focus on improving your Quality Score by ensuring your ads are closely aligned with the search intent, using relevant keywords, and creating compelling ad copy.
2. Create Comprehensive Ad Extensions: Ad extensions can provide additional context and information about your products or services. Utilise ad extensions such as sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets to enhance the visibility and relevance of your ads in Google SGE.
3. Include Structured Data within Landing Pages: Google SGE relies on AI to generate overviews of search topics. By implementing structured data markup on your website, you can provide clear signals to Google about the content and context of your pages, increasing the likelihood of your ads being featured in SGE results.

We recommend checking how well your paid search accounts are structured to consider Google SGE; contact ExtraDigital for an account review and recommendations.

Conclusion

Google SGE represents a significant opportunity for websites to enhance their visibility and engagement in search results. By understanding how SGE works and implementing SEO and Paid search strategies to optimise content accordingly, websites can do well as Google SGE is rolled out.