How Google SGE May Impact Your Web Traffic

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been dominating the conversation in tech and marketing for a while now. But as we prepare for outlook for 2024, we’re starting to see signs that the first wave of AI hype is dying down.

For example, a recent batch of news stories shared opinions that OpenAI’s wildly popular ChatGPT language model may actually be getting “lazy.” Users report that the chatbot – first launched to the public in November 2022 – seems to be putting less effort into each inquiry now that demand has increased. Who said AI wasn’t human-like?

Besides the accusations of slacking – which OpenAI hasn’t explicitly denied – over the summer we saw ChatGPT’s user growth decline for the first time ever. At Google, internal managers and developers are reportedly questioning decisions to invest in Bard, its own AI-powered chatbot. And while the initial hype phase of AI may be ending, companies large and small are still in the early innings of learning how to apply artificial intelligence in ways that move the needle for their main products or services.

That’s exactly what Google is going for with its new Search Generative Experience (SGE) functionality, which adds generative AI to the existing search engine experience. 

These changes are designed to help people find things more quickly on the internet, but SGE’s impact on search engine optimization (SEO) and web traffic as a whole has been a mixed bag.

What is Google Search Generative Experience (SGE)?

According to official company documents, SGE is Google’s “early step in transforming the Search experience with generative AI.” Practically speaking, SGE offers a few significant features for search users:

• AI-powered overviews. When someone types in the right search term, SGE will display a longer overview screen above the normal search engine results page. Overviews will also provide links to the most relevant pages and follow-up questions that you may want to search next.
  
• Shopping assistance. Drawing on data from its own Google Shopping product index, generative AI will attempt to answer questions about the average prices of common products or which ones may be most suitable for specific consumers.
• High-quality links. The pages Google considers most relevant to your search will be displayed in the overview section, similar to the existing snippet or “snack pack.” 

In all of its communications about SGE, Google makes it clear that this is just an experimental tip of the iceberg. They’re not the only ones making AI moves: earlier this year, Microsoft launched its AI-powered Edge browser and Bing search tool, which the tech giant collectively renamed “Microsoft Copilot” this past November.

It’s clear that AI in search is here to stay – the real question is what it means for marketers.

How will Google’s SGE impact your presence on search?

Generative search experience was announced in May 2023, meaning we don’t yet have a ton of data on exactly how Google SGE for plumbers and HVAC companies will impact search engine marketing. Some have speculated it could cause an across-the-board drop in web traffic between 15-25%.

Google would tell you that its goal is to improve user experience, and if your page helps search engine users find what they are looking for, it’ll benefit from increased traffic. Because SGE is so new, it’s hard to say exactly what it will do to your search engine ranking or overall web traffic. Given the scope of change, Generative search is likely to cause in the coming months and years, it won’t hurt to review your current SEO strategy to get ready for a negative outcome – prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. 

How should you handle HVAC website optimization for Google SGE?

A lot of SGE’s impact is up in the air, but you can minimize a potential drop in traffic with these tips:

• Focus on longer keywords. Most people’s first interaction with AI will be in the form of a question or a longer phrase with more detail. Just take a look at the example search used on Google’s main SGE page: “What’s better for a family with kids under 3 and a dog, bryce canyon or arches?”
  
• Improve pages already getting traffic. If you’ve already been practicing SEO for HVAC companies and other home contractors, you know some pages bring in more organic search views than others. Since AI search tools will be recommending more pages upfront, it’ll likely be more beneficial to improve sites already getting visibility instead of trying to rank with brand-new pages.
• Diversify your marketing into more controlled assets. The uncertainty around SGE for plumbers and other local businesses is another great reminder not to put all your marketing eggs in one basket, especially if you don’t own it. If you’ve been highly dependent on search traffic, now is a good time to start building a presence on other channels. 

Get ready for AI in search

Like it or not, artificial intelligence is already beginning to shape some key elements of business, including search marketing. While fads may come and go, large tech companies like Google and Microsoft will continue to pour billions into using AI to offer products and services that more people want to buy.

Looking for some assistance diversifying your marketing strategy, or wondering how to update your shop’s plan for the emergence of AI? Get in touch with our team so we can discuss your specific needs and ensure advancing technology becomes a boon instead of a burden.