When we think of search results, the image of endless lists of links and the snippet of a website comes to mind. However, search habits continue to evolve. According to Salesforce, 34% of people are now turning to AI to learn new things. The appeal lies in getting a complete answer that directly answers the question, a feature that traditional search results like Google have not yet fully adopted. In May 2023, Google entered the race by testing its Google AI presentation function, which occupies an important part of the first page. This offers marketers new ways to present their content, but it also means that the competition to stay on the first page has become fiercer than ever.
What is generative AI
Generative AI is an algorithm that can create new content, be it text, images or videos. Imagine asking ChatGPT to come up with a design for your next sustainable fashion campaign. Instead of spending hours researching, You will get a personalized and concise answer. As people increasingly prefer quick and personalized responses to clicks on many pages, tech giants like Google have felt this change. As a result, Google is making progress by using AI to provide clear and direct answers in search results, going from simply specifying an excerpt from a high authority web page to answering your question.
The role of AI in the design of your search results
SEO has moved away from the emphasis on keywords. Google’s commitment to improving search quality has led to a shift to higher quality content and a more advanced crawling system. Google has intensified its content evaluation process to decide what appears on the coveted first page. Researchers are often frustrated when links do not provide complete answers, resulting in a poor user experience. The integration of AI in Google search has increased the standard, more than mobile optimization and keywords. From now on, the content must provide valuable information and contribute positively to the wider conversation in order to get a first place.
How to stand out
Since the AI overview takes up more space on the first page, there is less space for other pages. This intensifies the competition to appear on the first page. A study by Backlinko found that 27.6% of all link clicks go to the first page, while less than 1% of searchers click on something from the second page. Here are two things to keep in mind:
Be original and profound: Using generative AI tools to brainstorm ideas and improve your work is one thing as long as it is guided by a clear and defined goal. However, relying solely on AI as a ChatGPT for your creative tasks is another story. AI-generated content that contains Spam or duplicates will not get you far and may even damage the authority of your website. Google’s AI overview prioritizes more in-depth and high-quality information for its answers.
Sharing authentic stories: Understanding the target audience has always been in the marketers’ playbook, but it is the key to survival. Gaining a deep understanding of your niche will help you identify relevant industry trends that you are actively engaging with. While traditional news organizations may dominate the news landscape, independent authors like you bring unique perspectives and valuable information through blogs. Regularly sharing updates and key information that show the growth and development of your business will help you build a loyal fan base.
Conclusion
Although AI is changing the way search engines work, that doesn’t mean we should let AI do all the creative work. Of course, AI can simplify research and learning, but it cannot replace authentic content that really connects to people. There is still considerable skepticism about the accuracy and possible bias of AI, which makes human monitoring essential. In addition, in order for your content to be referenced by generative AI tools such as Google AI Overview, it is important to create thoughtful and original content rather than simply copy and paste it. As a digital agency, Click Creative focuses on optimizing the performance of your website through SEO and CRO. It’s not just about launching keywords, but refining your website and making sure that your searched keywords work as they should.
