The Impact of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) on Various Industries

Overview

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) has emerged as a transformative force in the search landscape, significantly influencing user interactions and presenting new opportunities and challenges for businesses across various industries. This in-depth analysis delves into the impact of SGE on nine key industries, examining query distribution, SGE states, and emerging features.

Industry Breakdown

To assess the impact of SGE, BrightEdge analyzed one billion queries across nine industries, categorizing them into three SGE states:

1. Collapsed:

A truncated AI-generated answer is displayed.

2. Opt-in:

Users must actively request an AI-generated answer.

3. None:

The query does not trigger SGE.

Key Findings

1. Healthcare:

– Healthcare queries experienced the most significant impact from SGE, with 76% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was the dominant state, accounting for 70% of healthcare queries.
– Opt-in SGE was also notable, comprising 17% of healthcare queries.

2. Ecommerce:

– Ecommerce queries were moderately impacted by SGE, with 49% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was less prevalent in ecommerce, accounting for 25% of queries.
– Opt-in SGE was more prominent, encompassing 72% of ecommerce queries.

3. B2B Tech:

– B2B tech queries saw a moderate impact from SGE, with 48% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was present in 23% of B2B tech queries.
– Opt-in SGE was again prevalent, accounting for 72% of B2B tech queries.

4. Insurance:

– Insurance queries experienced a moderate impact from SGE, with 45% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was observed in 34% of insurance queries.
– Opt-in SGE was present in 35% of insurance queries.

5. Education:

– Education queries were moderately impacted by SGE, with 44% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was less common in education, accounting for 17% of queries.
– Opt-in SGE was dominant, encompassing 80% of education queries.

6. Restaurants:

– Restaurant queries experienced a moderate impact from SGE, with 36% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was minimal, present in only 4% of restaurant queries.
– Opt-in SGE was highly prevalent, accounting for 96% of restaurant queries.

7. Entertainment:

– Entertainment queries saw a moderate impact from SGE, with 36% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was limited, present in 5% of entertainment queries.
– Opt-in SGE was prominent, encompassing 91% of entertainment queries.

8. Travel:

– Travel queries were moderately impacted by SGE, with 30% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was observed in 16% of travel queries.
– Opt-in SGE was prevalent, accounting for 81% of travel queries.

9. Finance:

– Finance queries experienced the least impact from SGE, with only 17% of queries triggering SGE.
– Collapsed SGE was minimal, present in 5% of finance queries.
– Opt-in SGE was present in 38% of finance queries.

Emerging SGE Features

1. Places:

– Places has emerged as the most common type of SGE module.
– It mirrors the local pack and includes prominent citations and user reviews.

2. Unordered Lists:

– Unordered lists have seen accelerated experimentation since the start of the year.
– Google has added more context, including images and descriptions.

3. Reviews:

– Clickable snippets taken from full reviews are now displayed across all industries.

4. Perks:

– Perks, such as free delivery or stock status, are shown for ecommerce products in SGE and AI-driven shopping experiences.

Impact on Businesses

1. Shifting Customer Journey:

– Jim Yu, BrightEdge co-founder and executive chairman, emphasizes that SGE represents a fundamental shift that will impact companies and their bottom lines.
– Marketers will have less influence over the customer journey, as Google assumes a more prominent role in determining the quality and relevance of brands.

2. AI-Generated Opinions:

– SGE incorporates AI-generated opinions, highlighting pros, cons, and critical considerations.
– This contrasts with traditional search results, which typically reflect web content.