What does Google SGE mean for SEO and affiliation?

What is Google SGE?

Announced at Google I/O 2023, the Search Generative Experience (SGE) aims to deliver more comprehensive and contextual search results to Internet users. In concrete terms, when a search is performed on Google with SGE activated (which is not yet the case in France at the time of writing), a brand new insert appears:

It's easy to see what Google SGE is all about: a personalized response for the surfer, even before the SERPs results are displayed. This highly detailed response is generated by artificial intelligence. It includes results from websites related to the question, and enables the "conversation" with Google's AI to continue. It's also possible to give your opinion on the result (with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down). However, the main interest of Google SGE lies not in its form, but in its content: it enables conversational interaction. Thanks to this mode of operation, web users can ask for clarification on the results displayed (among other possibilities). In short, the aim is to offer an ever more natural and precise way of working.

How does Google SGE affect affiliate marketing?

This question is still difficult to answer at the time of writing. Indeed, Google SGE is not yet available in France, which prevents us from sharing precise data. However, on the other side of the Atlantic, a panel of media outlets was surveyed and found to have increased their audience on shopping guides by 15%. As a result, affiliate revenues are on the rise. Although this requires confirmation, it's already an excellent start.

Nevertheless, we can wonder about the future effect of SGE on affiliation. For a query like "What's the best product in this category?", SGE could use a qualitative buying guide found on a site monetized by affiliation. The good news is that SGE's way of "thinking" can be transposed to many queries. If your site responds well to the question posed by the surfer, then your chances of appearing in the SGE insert will be that much better. In other words, Google SGE could be an excellent opportunity for affiliation, unlike e-commerce sites which could lose out in terms of ranking; Amazon US lost 80% on its "generative ranking" compared to its "organic ranking".

How can I benefit from Google SGE?

We haven't yet measured the impact of Google SGE on visitor traffic... In fact, it could well completely reshuffle the cards when it comes to SEO! That's why it's urgent to pull out all the stops and adopt a few potentially profitable strategies:

• Create high-quality content: you need to be an expert in your field. Content needs to be detailed, well-researched and go beyond descriptive information. You'll be expected to give a clear, unambiguous opinion on what you're explaining. The types of content most appreciated by SGE are blog articles, practical guides (such as buying guides), case studies or expert opinions (such as tests).
• Optimize "rich snippets": these are also known as featured snippets and are often used by SGE. In concrete terms, this means optimizing elements such as title tags, bulleted lists, tables... a bit like what you're reading now ;)
• Think voice search: while Google SGE is likely to become a reflex for search engine users, we recommend you think voice. AI will become increasingly natural in its use, especially in voice exchange (as with a Google Home). Integrating natural (and therefore unformatted) phrases seems essential. Use H1, H2 and H3 tags and short sentences for the most important information.
• Create multimedia content: videos are the best example (and perhaps the fastest-growing content medium in recent years), but other types of content can also be interesting, such as infographics or interactive tools (quizzes...).
• Take advantage of strategic partnerships: if you have the opportunity, collaborate with an author who is recognized in his or her field, or vice versa. The goal is to have your work validated by a credible, recognized author.

Of course, as with any source of content, you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket. To this end, maintain a multi-channel strategy. For example, social networks and newsletters are still among the best levers of audience. Think about it.

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