Google just threw a grenade into the search results.
During their annual developer’s conference, Google I/O, Google leadership unveiled a new, improved organic search experience called “Search Generative Experience” (SGE).
The new search uses AI to answer certain queries — and it looks quite different from the “10 blue links” or even the featured snippets we’re used to.
Now that more people are starting to get access to SGE through Google’s new Search Labs program, many SEO professionals are wondering what it means for their clients’ websites… and for their jobs.
What’s the Big Deal?
While the essentials of SEO have remained largely the same over the past two decades, this is by no means the first disruption we’ve seen in the world of SEO.
Back in 2011, the “Panda” update filtered out many lower-quality websites from search results. A year later, “Penguin” penalized websites using low-quality linking practices. Google and other search engines have rolled out many other updates over the years, all aiming to improve the quality of search results.
Seen in this context, SGE could simply be another update that ends up improving the quality of search engine results for everyone, allowing the best content to rise to the top.
But, if the impact is more extreme, the new search model could change whether the average business can rely on SEO as a customer acquisition tool.
What Do the Experts Say?
As a newer SEO professional myself, I’ve been watching these updates and carefully following professionals who’ve successfully navigated these past disruptions.
As I’ve researched different perspectives, I’ve noticed there are a few areas where most of the experts agree… and a few areas of contention.
- Where they agree: Every true expert admits it’s still early days for SGE. A lot is up in the air, and we don’t know yet what the impact will be. Much will depend on how users respond, because ultimately, it’s in Google’s best interest to keep users on the platform.
- Where they disagree: I’ve seen some differing opinions about how huge the impact is likely to be. Some experts think a lot will change, while others believe the update won’t overturn long-standing best practices.
Let’s dive deeper into a few of these opinions and look at the experts’ top strategies for navigating these updates.
Heather Lloyd-Martin: Don’t Be Afraid of the “New Google”
Heather Lloyd-Martin, founder of SuccessWorks and Charisma Boost, is one of the early pioneers of SEO copywriting. And she’s been encouraging her clients and followers not to panic.
Lloyd-Martin recently wrote on LinkedIn:
“So many companies are afraid of the “new Google.” They’re afraid their clients will drop away. They’re afraid they can’t compete. They’re afraid they’ll lose to AI. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. What I know is, there are always new opportunities — even if Google disappears tomorrow.”
Heather says we can’t be sure what will happen to SEO. But she’s argued that it’s quite possible smaller brands and creators will have new opportunities with SGE.
“The new Google may provide additional content and personal branding optimization (PBO) opportunities,” Heather said to me in an email, referring to SGE’s “Perspectives” feature that highlights differing viewpoints from creators.
Heather continues to share and teach SEO copywriting principles, and she emphasizes the importance of excellent content marketing and writing skills in any SEO campaign.
In the meantime, she strongly advises companies have a strong email newsletter, so they can continue to reach their intended audience, if something dramatic does happen. “All these ‘what-if’ scenarios aren’t as scary, if you know your list is strong and you can pivot to other channels,” she says.
Kevin Indig: Reverse-Engineer Generative AI to Stay Ahead
Kevin Indig, former director of SEO at Shopify, writes extensively on his blog about changes in organic and paid search.
Shortly after the annual Google I/O event, Kevin published a post about the future of SEO, and then followed it up with a more detailed blog highlighting findings from his experiments with AI.
“While SGE is still in beta and has many flaws,” he writes, “the search landscape [is changing] significantly and pushes us to face new problems and learn new skills.”
One of the strategies Kevin recommends is to reverse-engineer the content that ranks high in SGE results.
For instance, in one of his experiments, Kevin searched the term “corporate credit card.” The generative AI gave an answer that listed both the benefits and risks of corporate credits cards, while the first article in the AI Snapshot carousel specifically highlighted the risks of corporate credit cards.
“By explicitly writing about an angle AI Snapshots highlight, websites might increase the chance of ranking in the carousel,” Kevin continues.
For now, it will take more experimentation to uncover patterns in generative AI and see if they work to boost rankings.
Eli Schwartz: Companies Need SEO Professionals Now More Than Ever
Eli Schwartz, author of Product-Led SEO, has been writing extensively about these changes, as well.
In his view, SGE will disrupt the profession. But that doesn’t mean SEO professionals are obsolete — they’re needed more than ever before.
“Laying off an SEO team during a generational change in search is like throwing away your steering wheel while driving down a mountain,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
Eli’s recommended strategies, which he shared in a recent email newsletter, include targeting middle- and bottom-of-the-funnel topics as opposed to top-of-the-funnel keywords. His reasoning? AI is most likely to answer basic, research-level queries.
“Generative AI responses dominate the top of the funnel for most queries,” Eli writes. This means that early-journey content will be “eaten” by AI.
He then gives an example of a top-of-the-funnel query like, “hotels on Las Vegas strip,” which he says generative AI can easily answer. “Romantic experience at MGM Las Vegas,” on the other hand, is a mid-funnel query, better explained by someone with personal experience with the topic.
To use Eli’s strategy, writers can prepare by focusing less on basic, straightforward queries in their keyword research, and instead prioritizing queries that move readers closer to purchase.
Russ Henneberry: Master “Intent,” and You’ll Be Okay
Russ Henneberry, founder of theCLIKK, co-author of Digital Marketing for Dummies, and instructor of AWAI’s SEO copywriting certification, has always emphasized the importance of mastering intent.
In his SEO certification, he teaches that writers can create outstanding content by focusing on topics and assets that build true business value and anticipate what the user is trying to accomplish.
In a recent issue of his newsletter theCLIKK, Russ specifically addressed the rise of “AIO,” which stands for Artificial Intelligence Optimization, or the ability to improve the market positioning of information available to AI.
The opportunity here is for companies to ensure they’re publishing comprehensive information about their products online — otherwise AI won’t be able to give reliable information to searchers.
“While AIO will certainly represent a shift in tactics, the fundamentals of SEO and content marketing will continue to serve you well,” Russ writes. “Anticipate the INTENT of your market. Create content and copy that satisfies that intent. Repeat.”
Responding to intent is essentially what Generative AI is trying to do. If we, as writers, can meet intent even better than AI can, then we’ll always have a place at the digital-marketing table.
How to Prepare for Changes in SEO As a Digital Copywriter
One thing these experts have in common? No one is simply twiddling their thumbs, waiting to see what will happen.
Even though they’re already at the top of their game, every one of them is researching, experimenting, and constantly practicing their skills.
So, what does this mean for you and your own digital-copywriting business?
If you’re currently offering SEO services and wondering how to prepare, here are my top tips.
- Stay up to date with what’s happening. It’s a lot to keep up with, but it’s wise to follow experts, read articles like this one, and take up-to-date trainings, if you need to. I’d also recommend doing your own experiments with SGE, if you can get access.
- Recognize that clients need you. Understand that your clients need your services now more than ever! Many companies are overwhelmed with all the changes in SEO and marketing, and they need fearless writers and strategists to help them tackle this challenge.
- Lean into strategy. While writing can still be a big part of what you offer, my recommendation is to lean more into the strategy side of your SEO work. As a strategist, you can help them prepare for changes in search and understand how to use AI, if appropriate.
Time will tell exactly what the impact of Search Generative Experience will be for marketers.
In the meantime, embrace the opportunity to keep learning, and do what you can to stay ahead of the curve. Your clients will thank you for it.
