Google’s new AI-powered search, called the Search Generative Experience (SGE), changes SEO efforts in several key ways:

1. Shift to AI-generated answers: SGE provides AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, reducing the need for users to click through to individual websites. This means SEO strategies must adapt to ensure that content is still featured prominently in these summaries, which may prioritize clear, well-structured information.
2. Focus on high-quality, authoritative content: With AI generating answers, Google will rely heavily on content that is authoritative and trustworthy. Websites that produce in-depth, accurate, and relevant content are more likely to be referenced in these AI summaries, so producing expert-level material is crucial.
3. Structured data and schema markup: Structured data helps AI understand the context and meaning of your content. Using schema markup can enhance visibility in AI-driven results by making it easier for Google to identify relevant content.
4. User intent and question-based optimization: Since SGE focuses on answering specific user questions, SEO efforts should increasingly focus on optimizing content around user intent, FAQs, and long-tail keywords to align with conversational queries.
5. Reduced visibility for traditional organic listings: With AI-generated responses appearing before traditional search results, websites might see a drop in organic traffic. SEO strategies may need to include more focus on other channels, such as social media or direct traffic, to compensate.
6. Content freshness and updates: Google’s AI will prioritize up-to-date information. Regularly updating content to keep it current and relevant is essential for maintaining a presence in AI-powered search results.

Overall, AI-driven search means that SEO needs to prioritize content quality, context, user-focused optimization, and structured data.