The latest feature to be added to Google’s search engine results page (SERP), Search Generative Experience (SGE) provides users with AI-generated summaries of search results, called snapshots.
Since its launch through Google’s Search Labs in May 2023, it has been met with some mixed reviews.
While some users have criticised the AI- (artificial intelligence) generated answers for using low-quality sources, others have praised the system for providing quick, concise and zero-click answers.
There are advantages and disadvantages to SGE, not just from the perspective of an online marketer, but from a search engine user.
We have detailed a handful of advantages and disadvantages to Google’s Search Generative Experience below. Continue reading to find out more.
Advantages of Google’s Search Generative Experience
SGE is designed to understand multi-part queries better than traditional search algorithms.
Instead of making several searches, for example “dress for an outdoor wedding” and “dresses with 2-day delivery”, with SGE, you’re able to make a single search for “dress for an outdoor wedding with 2-day delivery”.
SGE combines information from multiple sources across the web to provide an answer to the multi-part search, which helps save valuable searching time.
A handy new feature, Google’s SGE allows you to ask to follow up questions that are relevant to your search. SGE is designed to be conversational, and instead of starting from square one, you can choose from a list of ready-made follow up questions that Google has anticipated a user may make.
SGE displays the information of the sources used to generate the answer as cards on the right-hand side of the snapshot summary. This gives more results the opportunity to rank in top position, with three websites visible by default.
Disadvantages of Google’s Search Generative Experience
Since SGE is still in its experimental phase, there is a possibility that the data will be inaccurate. It is advisable to exercise caution when relying on AI-generated responses and conduct thorough research to confirm the accuracy of the search results.
84% of AI-generated answers will cover more than half of the screen, which means users will need to scroll to reach the organic search results.
This may have a negative impact on the click through rate of the top performing pages, as the ‘snapshot’ has adopted the space of the top-ranking positions on Google’s search engine results page.
One of the main disadvantages to Google’s SGE is the speed in which it loads the results. AI-generated answers take a few extra seconds to load. With the standard search results loading almost instantly, this delay may result in users skipping over the snapshot altogether.
While there are pros and cons to Google’s Search Generative Experience, it’s still very much in its early stages, and we’re sure to see some improvements made over time.
Need help getting your website to rank on Google? Contact the friendly and knowledgeable team at Engage Web today.
- The risks and benefits of a link exchange - September 9, 2024
- What are Hreflang tags and why are they important to SEO? - September 6, 2024
- What is a redirect and how do they impact SEO? - September 4, 2024
