68% of web analysts do not think SGE will have a negative impact on traffic: are they wrong?

SGE is Google’s move to transform the search experience by integrating generative AI. With this massive change to SERPs, many marketers are wondering if – or how – it will impact traffic.

According to our Web Traffic and Analytics report, 75% of web analysts believe that AI-integrated generative searches will have a positive impact on their blogs, and 68% predict that their blogs will generate more traffic than before.

But are they right or is this just wishful thinking? Here, let’s take a look at how SGE could impact your site rankings in the long run.

The benefits of integrating AI into search engines

As mentioned above, most web analysts expect AI integration to have a positive impact on SERPs.

For example, SGE will have a positive impact on user experience. It will provide more accurate and relevant information and allow users to find what they are looking for faster and more efficiently.

Additionally, an AI-integrated search engine will create more personalized results based on user preferences and past behaviors. Users will benefit from a more personalized experience with content tailored to their needs.

Accessibility is another great benefit of AI-integrated search thanks to machine translation capabilities, which can facilitate communication between different languages.

AI-generated translations would break down language barriers and make information (and content) accessible to a wider audience.

Additionally, generative AI can help create unique content, such as summaries, suggestions, and recommendations that intrigue users and provide new ideas.

The challenges of integrating AI into search engines

Of course, AI-integrated search has some possible concerns and drawbacks. One concern is impersonal user experience. Our report reveals that many users prefer human responses to generic AI.

An impersonal user experience could also lead to a lack of user trust.

Our report shows that users are skeptical of AI-generated answers because they expect biased or unreliable information.

Additionally, users expressed the need to double-check AI-generated responses due to perceived programmer bias.

It’s also possible that marketers could experience a drop in visibility and organic traffic due to Google’s AI Snapshot feature, which would place certain content under the fold and out of users’ view.

How to Adapt to AI-Integrated SERPS

There are many ways to prepare your website for AI integration in search engines.

Train, research and learn

Train your employees to understand and work with AI tools and technologies. Consider attending conferences, workshops, or webinars to stay informed about AI advancements in your industry and stay ahead of the competition.

You should also research other companies using AI and how they have integrated the technology. Additionally, take steps to understand algorithms, models, and functions.

Integrate and implement

Look for ways to integrate AI into websites and digital marketing strategiessuch as downloading and using AI-based software and applications.

Our research shows that 50% of blog writers use AI in some capacity, whether for brainstorming, describing, or editing.

74% of web analysts whose websites leverage AI say it improves the performance of their content, and 65% say it helps their pages rank higher in the SERPs.

Implementing AI into your digital marketing strategy for the first time can be difficult. You should therefore consider hiring AI professionals and organizing teams dedicated to this technology.

These professionals can test algorithms and perform program testing.

Optimize and improve

Leveraging AI in your strategy is not a panacea. Beyond AI, you also need to optimize your keyword usage, SEO management, keyword research, and search results to track AI-integrated SERPs.

Additionally, SGE will change which content types perform best on the SERPs.

For example, in a post-SGE world, Aja Frost, director of global SEO growth at HubSpot, believes that first-person, expert, personality-driven content will perform better.

As she puts it: “Due to the evolution of AI, there is an exponential increase in the amount of low-value content written by AI. And, in response to this, Google is prioritizing content that is first-person, credible, and personality-driven.

Additionally, update search definitions and website listings. You should also use SERP tools and improve website inquiries and instructions.

So, will SGE have a negative or positive impact on SERPS?

Whether or not you benefit from the changes SGE brings will depend on how proactive your organization is in adapting to AI-integrated SERPs.

According to our report, 57% of web analysts are already taking steps to prepare for integrating generative AI into search engines.

These steps include the tips mentioned above, such as training your team staff on how to use AI and implementing it into their workflow.

There is no way around this problem: SGE will impact your web traffic; its impact depends on your organization’s readiness.