It was not long ago that Google announced AI Overview, its own artificial intelligence tool. According to the company, the big change will be the customization of responses to searches. That is, when the search engine receives a query, it will not provide links to texts, videos, social networks, or maps — it will give a direct answer. The goal here is to make the user’s life easier, as they will not have to curate among search results to find what they need; Google will do that and deliver the best answer.
In practice, the change may cause users to visit fewer pages, and as a result, interact less with websites and other digital environments created by other companies. And this can completely change the marketing and sales strategy of several of them.
“Let’s give an example: you just moved to a new neighborhood and are looking for a new gym to train. You go to the Google search engine and type ’10 best gym options in [fill in your neighborhood] and near my home.’ Instead of several automatically generated links ranked by keywords, or a confusing map with several marked points, you will receive a complete and organized list – in an order defined by AI Overview,” predicts Thaís Faccin, partner at Jahe Marketing.
The tool is already integrated into Google search in the United States and by the end of 2024, it will reach billions of people worldwide.
“In terms of marketing, this changes the playing field and will put companies in a new race for attention and audience. This is because the company’s role on the web, as a distributor and monetizer of attention, is enormous. Any change in its search engine has consequences for brand strategies,” says the expert.
“Using the search tool has become such a daily and natural action as breathing,” says also partner Satye Inatomi. She points out that Google is responsible for over 90% of web searches worldwide – 99% in Brazil. Over 50% of searches on Google result in clicks on one of the top three results. And it holds more than 70% of the paid search market worldwide.
But for entrepreneurs and companies, the challenge is even greater. How to produce content that is discoverable on the internet and used in AI Overview responses? What will happen to this whole structure once the AI Overview is expected to drastically reduce click rates, scrolling through screens, searches made from multiple sources? Does this mean that ads will be seen less, clicked less?
“It will be necessary to monitor the development and use of the new tool to understand how the pieces of this puzzle will come back together. However, it is worth investing in some elements that, as far as we know, are part of the path that AI takes to deliver a search,” says Inatomi.
One of them is the content that can answer common questions and, consequently, is included in the snippets – blocks of information that appear at the top of the search page and are frequently used by AIs.
They are designed to provide direct and concise answers to user questions, without the need to click on a link to get the information. According to Google itself, when the platform recognizes a question at the time of the search, its programming detects pages that answer the question, displaying this content as the main result within these blocks.
“Meanwhile, it’s worth creating sections of frequently asked questions (FAQs) with quick answers. This also increases the chance of your material being ‘picked up’ by an artificial intelligence platform. Sites with high authority are more likely to be referenced by AI systems.”
Until then, it is certain that the competition between brands and the battle for public attention will become increasingly fierce. Creativity is needed, knowing how to adapt to market changes, and devising the best strategies to boost your business.
