What Is SGE?

How Is AI Changing Google Search?

UPDATED: January 2024

Google and other search engines are currently experimenting with AI-generated search results known as  Search Generative Experience (SGE) or Generative Captions if you use Bing. Whatever search engine you use, we believe that AI-assisted search results are going to become a regular part of your future.

Here are some of the most important things to know about artificial intelligence in search. 

• SGE aims to offer a conversational search experience by displaying AI-generated answers above regular search result listings. Marked as experimental by Google, SGE resembles a more robust version of featured snippets, with generative text and citation links occupying a significant space in search results.

• We believe it’s possible websites will experience fewer clicks while rankings stay the same. AI snapshots are designed to keep users on the results page and end up pushing traditional, organic results further down the page. We believe these factors will impact a website’s clickthrough rate but not its effectiveness. 

• At LeadsNearby, we’ve understood the importance of FAQ content on websites, even before AI was a factor. In recent years, FAQs have been used strategically on our websites to generate Featured Snippets on Google. Since these high-profile results account for 35% of clicks, we have made it a priority to get clients in that position. SGE is just the next step in this strategy and we are in a great place to handle it. 

• Including high-quality and relevant images in your content is another great strategy to maintain your position through changes in search. Engaging titles, content that aligns with user intent, and structured data all contribute to better categorization by search engines. This keeps you as close to the top of the results as possible.  

• AI pulls a lot of information from your Google Business Profile. Ensuring your GBP has the correct information and is continuously optimized is critical. Fortunately, that is another thing we can take care of for you at LeadsNearby with our Google Business Profile Management.

What Is In SGE’s AI-powered Snapshot?

This screenshot shows some of the additional information displayed on Google’s Search Generative Experience SERP (or search engine results page).

  1.)  A short description showing the AI-generated answer to your search query. Google calls this a snapshot. The drop-down arrow will take you to other snapshots that AI believes to be related to your initial search. You can also get this information in the #3 section.

  2.)  Map results. This matches what you currently see on the standard SERP.

  3.)  Links to more AI-generated snapshots. These are for questions Google believes are similar to the one you searched.

  4.)  Services that are related to your current search, listed by company. The drop-down arrow links to new snapshot similar to the #1 section at the top.

  5.)   These are questions that Google feels are related to your current search. You’ll also see Ask A Follow-Up under these questions. This will allow you to ask your own questions, leading to a new result.

These features can and will change rapidly as Google and other search engines continue to learn how this experience best serves the searcher as well as their own bottom line. We will track these refinements to make sure that our clients always have the most current information!

If you have any questions about this or any changes that are impacting your business, you can always give us a call here at LeadsNearby! Call 919-758-8420 or contact us online for a free, informative, 25-minute consultation about your marketing strategy.