Google Search queries without SGE increased from 25% to 65% last month, a significant drop. This reduction is linked to Google's Opt-in results type, where users must request an AI-generated answer. The data was provided by enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge and the company's BrightEdge Generative Parser.
Many SEOs have expressed concern about the potential impact of Google SGE becoming the default experience on organic traffic to websites. However, Google has been testing various factors over the past year with the aim of improving it for a wider launch.
In addition to showing on fewer queries, the space SGE occupies has been shrinking over the past month, dropping from around 1200 pixels to under 1050 pixels. There was also a significant drop in the SGE format at the end of April.
The Apparel carousel results format type gained visibility in SGE for queries specific to apparel. A new warning, "Generative AI is experimental," appeared universally across industries and query types in April.
SEO for Classic Search will remain important, but AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization) may become equally or more important in the future for AI Search, according to BrightEdge founder and executive chair Jim Yu. BrightEdge continues to monitor live SGE updates as part of its resource, The Ultimate Guide to Google SGE.
