The google SGE rollout
What is the Future of SEO with SGE?
It is hard to predict the exact future and potential disruptions SGE will have on the search landscape, however, having taken a look at some of the returning SGE results in comparison to existing Google Search it seems clear that a lot of UK companies need to catch-up on 2023 and focus on the content, intent and technical elements of their site pages, whilst also looking a fresh at local SEO.
In addition, the image optimisations are becoming more complex with much greater meta detail being necessary, especially in those reliant on shopping ads and eCommerce product searches… it is no longer just about the title and alt-tag plus image size and format that matters.
Impact of SGE on UK SMEs
• Greater emphasis on content quality: As SGE prioritises understanding user intent and delivering comprehensive answers, high-quality, informative content that directly addresses user queries will become even more crucial.
• E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) remains vital: Google will likely continue to favour websites with established expertise in their field. SMEs can focus on building trust by showcasing their knowledge and showcasing positive reviews and testimonials.
• Personalisation: SGE’s potential to personalise search results based on user data might make user intent even more critical. SMEs should tailor their content strategy to address the specific needs and search queries of their target audience.
Big Brands
Likely to dominate
Addressing the dominance of established brands:
- While established brands might benefit initially from SGE due to their existing authority, SMEs can still compete effectively through:
- Long-tail keyword targeting: Focusing on specific keywords relevant to their niche offerings can help the SME attract users further down the purchase funnel who are actively seeking solutions within their domain.
- Building a strong online reputation: Encouraging positive customer reviews, actively engaging with customer inquiries, and maintaining a consistent brand image across various platforms can build trust and user loyalty.
- Leveraging local SEO: Optimising Google My Business profile, incorporating location-specific keywords, and engaging with local communities can significantly improve visibility in local searches.
- Linkbuilding: creating a strong and strategic plan for quality linkbuilding will serve invaluable as increased DA/DR will further serve to improve the trust factor and authority of the site content.
Gearing up for change
Overall, while SGE may present a slight shift in SEO strategy, it is my opinion that the average SME may have to work a lot smarter and harder to gain national or generic search queries of volume.
By focusing on high-quality content, building subject matter expertise, and catering to specific user needs, SMEs can still achieve good search ranking and reach their target audience effectively, it is likely, in my opinion, to allow us to deliver more relevant and engaged traffic, potentially alleviating some of the wildcard search queries that can occur naturally within content.
I think also there will be a more noticeable serving of different media formats depending on the type of query, for those of you nailing the featured snippets and SERPs Features already, you should find the transition a breeze.
I will be updating this post during the coming weeks-months – please do get in contact if you would like to discuss your SEO strategies.
