Search engine optimization is expected to undergo significant changes in the New Year, which will arrive sooner rather than later. The innovative (and blatantly futuristic) new methods people can communicate with search engines are among the SEO predictions for 2024. In this article, we will discuss a few SEO predictions for 2024 regarding zero-click search, Search Generative Experience (SGE), SGE vs SEO and the impact of AI on them. We will also discuss the strategies to pursue your SEO efforts wisely through AI SEO optimization of the website.
The Search Generative Experience (SGE) by Google is the most significant development; it is expected to revolutionize the search engine market when it launches in early 2024. SGE offers AI-powered Snapshots, in particular, in response to specific requests. These Snapshots include extensive information in addition to three pertinent internet sources and directly address user inquiries.
Microsoft’s Bing has also included AI via its chatbot Copilot (formerly known as Bing Chat), in addition to Google. Although customers may continue to use Bing’s old version, Copilot, the chatbot driven by Artificial Intelligence, can write original content, create new graphics, and respond to user inquiries. Digital marketers will face significant problems as a result of the significant changes that these improvements are bringing about in the online search experience.
One growing trend in search is the so-called “zero-click” search, in which users get all the information they want from a search engine results page (SERP) without having to click on any results.
With SGE and other AI SEO optimization expected to launch in 2024, this trend is probably going to continue. If you want to be successful online, you’ll need to be able to adjust to it. Fortunately, we have devised strategies to address every obstacle that 2024 may provide. Stay tuned for the additional SEO predictions for 2024.
All Website Traffic Will Drop by 25% Due to Google’s Search Generative Experience
The SGE testing phase in Google Search Labs concluded in December, and the technology is prepared for a live launch in early 2024. SGE is still in experimental mode, although it may now be enabled when surfing for a limited number of people in the US. It can only be accessed on Android smartphones running the most recent Google app version and in English.
These are the required requirements and actions that you must follow in order to activate SGE’s AI Snapshot on your phone. When SGE was made accessible in Search Labs earlier this year, SEOs worldwide—including us—did not hesitate to take advantage of it. We thoroughly tested and experimented with SGE SEO for months before coming up with our first 2024 projection.
Our analysis indicates that when SGE launches, all websites that are now listed on Google Search will have a 25% decrease in organic traffic.
For what reason is it the case?
It’s because the AI-powered Snapshot works so well. We anticipate that a significant percentage of people will find what they need here and navigate away from the SERPs since they offer comprehensive responses and information to user inquiries.
Additionally, the top-ranked organic results are pushed down the page by the AI Snapshot, which is displayed at the top of the SERPs and is likely contributing to the 25% decrease in traffic.
Top Tips for Preparing Your Site for SGE
Knowing that your site will see a decline in traffic and that the organic ranks you have worked so hard to get will no longer be as important makes it difficult to celebrate. However, that does not imply that you should give up on SGE SEO efforts altogether.
Rather, our research also showed that there is a brilliant light at the end of the tunnel. The 25% traffic drop will only affect low-quality visitors who were never going to convert anyhow if your site is properly optimized for SGE SEO.
You’ll probably start seeing the word “SGE-friendly” wherever you go, so here are some simple recommendations for making your content SGE-friendly:
SGE Generative AI in search engine optimization will only pull data from reliable websites with solid reputations; thus, establishing a solid backlink profile is more crucial than ever. To maximize SGE traffic, your content should concentrate on longer, more conversational inquiries rather than short-tail keywords. Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines—experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness—should be incorporated into your material since this is how the GAI will evaluate its quality. These are the most effective techniques to prepare your website for SGE without having to overhaul your present SEO efforts completely.
The good news is that Google’s GAI is more likely to include you in the AI Snapshot if you currently rank #1 or #2 for specific keywords. Keep in mind that on-page SEO and traditional technical aspects still matter, so make sure they are in good functioning order. You won’t have a chance to be included in the SGE Snapshot, for instance, if your web pages don’t pass Google’s Core Web Vitals test or if you didn’t correctly optimize each page for your keywords. For this reason, performing frequent on-page and technical SEO audits on your website is still essential.
The Usage of Zero-Click Searches Will Increase
SEOs used to tell each other frightening stories before bed about the impending future of zero-click searches. As frightening research by SEMrush found that 25% of desktop searches and 57% of mobile searches conclude without clicking on any results, zero-click searches have been around for a long.
Why is this taking place?
The reason for this is that SERP elements like knowledge bars, local packs, and highlighted snippets are providing visitors with the information they want. Users may get instant answers to quick calculations, such as asking Google, “What time is it in Australia?” using SERP features, which eliminates the need for them to click on any organic results.
This insight significantly reduces the scary factor of the SEMrush number above. This is because, similar to the 25% of traffic lost from SGE, searchers seeking basic information like a time conversion or business hours from a nearby restaurant aren’t likely to visit your site and become customers anyhow.
The dangerous aspect comes when artificial intelligence (AI)–powered search tools like SGE are included. It’s concerning that consumers may obtain answers to queries they would typically find in your material with SGE’s AI Snapshot. You should get ready for these kinds of zero-click searches (and perhaps even pen a terrifying fiction about them just to be safe).
How can your website be ready for searches that need no clicks?
Currently, the most effective method is to make those annoying AI Snapshots and SERP features work in your favor rather than against you. This is how you can harness the AI impact on SEO. Your brand awareness and organic traffic will skyrocket if you can secure “position zero” using a Snapshot or SERP tool.
By doing this, you’ll increase the likelihood that consumers will go over to your website to learn more from you than what the Snapshot/SERP function offers and position your business as a thought leader in your industry.
Finding the keywords that cause a highlighted snippet or other SERP feature to appear is the difficult part. You may use the Keyword Magic Tool from SEMrush, among other methods. Click the “Search” button after typing a term associated with your specialization into the search area.
After that, click on Advanced Filters and choose Featured Snippet from the drop-down box under SERP characteristics (you may also filter for other SERP characteristics). All of the following keywords will now cause Google to display a highlighted snippet. Make sure your content will activate SERP features by using Google’s Rich Results Test, which is a free tool. It’s helpful to know that you can input a URL to have the tool evaluate it and find out all the SERP characteristics it qualifies for.
Conclusion
These SEO predictions for 2024 has a lot of potential to change the SEO automation through using AI in SEO. AI SEO Optimization is here to stay, so if you want the content on your website to be relevant, you’ll need to adjust to things like ChatGPT and Google SGE. It would be wiser to start getting ready for these new search experiences now, while you still have time, rather than lamenting the past.
