The Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) is poised to have a significant impact on B2B marketing and SEO in 2024. There are two key ways SGE will impact B2B marketing based on user behavior.
- Google SGE will favor and source content that is well-optimized and matches the user’s intent.
- As it becomes more accurate, users will start to rely on Google SGE’s answers without clicking on the links. This means content to draw people in and how it is shared will need to diversify.
Here, we’ll discuss what Google SGE is, how it will affect a major factor in marketing and SEO, and how to optimize your content accordingly.
What is Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE)?
Google’s SGE is the automatically generated answer to user’s queries at the top or side of the search page. It gives an answer and sources the top search results that it used to formulate the response. Getting your content sourced in Google SGE will bring a whole different level of exposure in traffic and Google search rankings.
SGE is designed to do more than match keywords on a web page to keywords in a search bar. It seeks to take it to a new level by deciphering the context and intent behind the user’s search.
In a traditional keyword search, the search engine would:
- Matching keywords in a query to keywords on web pages in its index, or collection of web pages it has searched and categorized.
- Rank the found pages by factors like how grammatically accurate the page is, the content length, and how often other users clicked the link or linked to the page in their content as a source or recommendation (also known as a backlink).
SGE strives to comprehend the reason the user is searching for this keyword. So instead of focusing on metrics, it will focus on the “why” and human interactions with content. Keywords and metrics will still play a key role in rankings and visibility, but the focus will be on the direct and implied goals of the query.
What B2B Businesses Can Do to Optimize Their New and Existing Content Strategy for SGE in 2024
There are several ways that you can optimize your B2B content to stay ahead of Google SGE. Here are a few simple but powerful strategies you can start using today.
Focus on User Intent
Google’s generative search will be more adept at understanding user intent. This means that a shallow definition of an SEO keyword topic will not be enough to maintain rankings. Experts will need to delve deeper into why the writer is making this inquiry.
For example, if there is a high volume of keyword searches for workplace shoes, it will not be enough to define what workplace shoes are. The writer will need to dive into questions like:
- Why is the searcher interested specifically in workplace shoes?
- Is there a significant difference between a workplace shoe and other shoes?
- Are they looking for shoes suitable for specific industries?
- What trends or news stories could be generating consumer interest? Are influencers trending on the topic? Was there a change in workplace regulations? Is there a surge of hiring in an industry?
- What are they going to want to know about workplace shoes? Are they looking for features? Benefits? OSHA regulations? Safety?
- Where is the reader on the buying journey? Are they just starting to look into the concept? Or are they looking up advanced features and comparing products?
Based on the answers, the writer will need to generate highly specific and relevant content with long-tail keywords like “New OSHA regulations for workplace shoes in 2024 and how to tell if your employees work shoes are compliant,” or “Why Social Media Influencer [Name] says your cashiers need slip resistance in their workplace shoes.” This will allow SEO spiders to pick up on the intent of the blog and match it with the interests and intent of the searchers.
Voice Search Optimization
Keywords based on natural language and long-tail keywords will become even more critical. Optimizing for voice search will benefit you in both Google SGE and the rising trend in voice search traffic.
Diversify Content Past Pure Information
AI and Google SGE are posed to offer accurate and relevant answers to user queries, so users will be less likely to click on links that have the same answers they were just given. However, the flaw of AI and SGE is they lack nuance, and this flaw is something we can leverage in the content we offer. To succeed in 2024, B2B content strategists will need to consider:
- Thought-provoking blogs and articles
- First-person narratives and opinion pieces
- Content that ranks high in E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness) to rank on the first page near the generated response.
- Carefully written meta descriptions that will entice readers to favor the link over the SGE response.
Diversify Content Distribution and Promotion
Promoting content through various channels will be essential to reach the right audience. Not only will SGE reward content that receives engagement and shares, this strategy will also help reach potential clients without relying exclusively on Google SEO and SGE.
Depending on your industry, this could be via podcasts, video platforms, live networking events, published content on spaces like Medium and Forbes, or social media.
laneMKTG Can Help You Diversify and SGE Optimize Your Content Strategy
We offer a range of services, from content audits to social medial and SEO content management. Contact us today to see how you can optimize your content for all the changes coming in 2024.
