Latest news with #SearchGenerativeExperience
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Alphabet (GOOGL) Looks to Checkmate OpenAI With AI Search Strategy
As an investor in Alphabet (GOOGL), I've noticed the growing narrative: that Google is in 'managed decline,' threatened by OpenAI's rapid rise with ChatGPT. This perspective, popularized across podcasts and media, paints Alphabet as bloated, slow, and vulnerable to being overtaken. However, I believe these claims are premature. Confident Investing Starts Here: Rather than merely facing competition, Alphabet is quietly evolving its Search business with Gemini AI. Far from declining, the company appears to be strengthening its competitive edge, positioning itself for sustained growth and long-term outperformance. Google's Gemini Is Far More than a Clone Alphabet has launched the Search Generative Experience (SGE), an AI-powered update to incorporate directly into traditional Search results. Unlike ChatGPT, which runs independently from typical Search behavior, the Gemini-driven SGE is seamlessly integrated into the conventional Search page we've all known for decades. In Alphabet's latest quarterly update for Fiscal 2025, SGE already has over 1.5 billion active users each month, which serves as evidence of extremely rapid adoption. It's clear to me that Alphabet understands its users well: instead of fully reinventing the Search experience, they have enhanced it, drawing from decades of user experience and data. This hybrid version deepens user trust, providing an engaging user experience while limiting incentives for users to migrate to competing products and services. Gemini Doesn't Just Maintain Revenue, It Increases It Another significant aspect of Google's Gemini integration is the clear presence of monetization. Alphabet purposely kept advertising in the mix of SGE. Right in the AI-generated Search responses, you get relevant sponsored responses and product placements. This keeps Google's precious ad chassis model intact without breaking income from it. For instance, searching for 'best running headphones' features prominently sponsored product recommendations and advertisements. The most recent reports from Alphabet show near-double-digit year-over-year increases in Search ad revenue, confirming that this monetization strategy works well for Alphabet. Gemini increases the user's Search experience, verifying this monetization strategy without detracting from the core Alphabet revenue stream. Therefore, it not only maintains Google's current cash flow but also potentially opens up additional opportunities for highly targeted advertising, solidifying Alphabet's lead. Why OpenAI May Face Problems Competing Long-Term OpenAI, while exciting to the market with AI-driven Search via ChatGPT, will face more significant structural limitations compared to Alphabet. It seems that most of the monetization OpenAI will do revolves around subscriptions or application fees, which is far less lucrative, sticky, and sustainable than Alphabet's ad revenue model. This will potentially be a long-term competitive disadvantage for OpenAI when competing with Alphabet, which is underpinned by deeper financial capital and infrastructure. That said, I do think there is enough room for many successful players in this industry. OpenAI's models shouldn't be underestimated, and it is currently the market-leading company for generative AI. The field is still open to play for, and I see many dominant companies winning big, with both Google and OpenAI claiming the limelight similarly. Margins Under Fire Shouldn't Deter GOOGL Investors That said, Alphabet faces significant challenges in managing the substantial costs associated with operating the computing infrastructure necessary for Gemini. AI-powered Search is likely to be significantly more expensive than traditional search, which could put long-term pressure on profit margins. To mitigate this, Alphabet must continue diversifying its revenue streams. Waymo, part of the 'Other Bets' segment, offers one promising avenue. Its autonomous ride-hailing service is already operational in parts of the U.S., though it faces steep competition from Tesla's (TSLA) emerging autonomy network. There's also uncertainty around user behavior. As AI tools—including Google's own subscription-based chatbots—gain traction, they could begin to siphon traffic away from traditional Search. This shift could reduce ad-driven revenue and lead to further margin pressure, potentially forcing Alphabet to lean more heavily on subscription-based models similar to ChatGPT. As a result, some degree of valuation multiple compression may be warranted over the longer term. Still, these risks seem manageable when viewed in light of Alphabet's strong history of adapting its business model to generate durable long-term returns as markets evolve. Is GOOGL a Buy, Sell, or Hold? On Wall Street, GOOGL has a consensus Strong Buy rating, based on 29 Buys, nine Holds, and zero Sells over the past three months. The average GOOGL price target is $199.14, indicating a 15% upside potential over the next 12 months. Alphabet's Moat Isn't Shrinking, It's Evolving The narrative that Alphabet is in 'managed decline' strikes me as an overblown reaction to broader shifts in the tech landscape. In truth, Alphabet is actively leveraging its vast distribution network, proprietary data assets, and mature monetization infrastructure to carve out a defensible position in the evolving AI ecosystem. Rather than showing signs of weakness, Alphabet is executing a strategic evolution—methodically and without premature fanfare. For long-term growth investors seeking both innovation and resilience, Gemini is a strong indicator that Alphabet remains a formidable force. It's not just keeping pace with change; it's positioning itself to deliver sustained, high-quality alpha in a rapidly transforming market.
Time Business News
09-05-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
The Ultimate Guide to Modern SEO Strategies: Beat the Algorithm with Smarter Tactics
Search engine algorithms are evolving faster than ever. In 2025, winning top positions in Google isn't just about keywords—it's about intent, experience, and adaptability. This guide walks you through modern SEO strategies that not only meet current best practices but also future-proof your rankings in a constantly changing landscape. SEO strategies are high-level plans that guide how you optimize your website to increase visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). Unlike SEO tactics, which are specific techniques (like updating a meta description), strategies define your overall direction—such as focusing on topical authority or targeting high-conversion intent keywords. Think of strategy as your roadmap and tactics as the turns you take. For example: Strategy: Become the go-to source for digital marketing knowledge in your niche. Tactic: Publish three blog posts per week targeting long-tail informational keywords. By clearly distinguishing the two, you'll execute more purposefully. Today's SEO isn't just about appeasing algorithms—it's about delivering user-first experiences. Google's advancements in machine learning (e.g., BERT, MUM) mean that content relevance, quality, and engagement carry more weight than ever. Without a strong strategy, even great content can fail to perform. If you want to outrank your competitors in 2025, you need to build a holistic, adaptive strategy. Here's what should be at the core: Modern keyword research focuses less on volume and more on intent. Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Google's Keyword Planner can still help you identify terms, but it's your job to determine the user's goal behind each query. Tip: Group keywords by intent—informational, navigational, transactional—and tailor your content accordingly. While optimizing titles, H1s, and meta descriptions still matters, modern on-page SEO also includes: Content layout & scannability Accessibility (alt text, ARIA tags) Engagement signals (time on page, scroll depth) Make sure every page is built for users first, bots second. Search engines won't rank what they can't crawl. Focus on: Core Web Vitals Mobile usability HTTPS security XML sitemaps and optimization Canonical tags and proper redirects A well-maintained site foundation supports every other SEO effort. Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has become a key ranking factor. Establish topical authority by: Covering your niche comprehensively Updating outdated content Adding author bios and source citations Using internal linking to signal content hierarchy Spammy links can tank your rankings. Instead: Earn links through original research, guest posts, and digital PR Use HARO to connect with journalists Leverage broken link building on relevant blogs A handful of high-quality links from authoritative sources outweigh hundreds of weak ones. Smarter Tactics to Beat the Algorithm With AI-driven updates like Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) changing how results appear, modern SEO demands more than the basics. Below are tactical approaches that align with your strategy—and help you beat the algorithm without gaming it. AI writing tools can boost productivity, but overuse can result in robotic, generic content. Worse, poorly humanized AI content can trigger detection tools used by publishers, educators, and even Google (indirectly). Smarter tactic: Use AI for outlines, ideation, and first drafts—then rewrite with a human voice. Tools like Content at Scale, Koala Writer, or Writesonic can help, but always edit to infuse expertise and natural flow. Aim to pass both human readers and AI detectors. 'AI humanizers' like and AISEO are designed to rewrite content so it appears human. However, they often fail to mimic authentic tone, insight, and emotional resonance. Smarter tactic: Go beyond mechanical rewrites. Include first-hand experience, examples, case studies, and unique analogies. Break the AI mold by writing as if you're speaking to one person, not an audience of bots. Pro tip: Google's Helpful Content System rewards content created for users by humans—don't forget the 'experience' in E-E-A-T. Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better—and can get you featured with rich snippets, FAQs, carousels, or video thumbnails. Smarter tactic: Use JSON-LD to add structured data for: Articles FAQs Product reviews Events How-to guides Tools like Google's Rich Results Test and Validator can help ensure proper formatting. Internal links aren't just for navigation—they signal topic clusters and distribute page authority (link equity). Smarter tactic: Link to cornerstone content from supporting pages Use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text Keep your internal links natural, not forced Maintain a flat site structure for easy crawlability Bonus: This tactic also reduces bounce rate and boosts average session duration. Google's SERP has evolved—ranking #1 doesn't guarantee top visibility. Featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, and video carousels now dominate page one. Smarter tactic: Structure your content with clear H2s/H3s to qualify for featured snippets Add FAQ schema to target People Also Ask Embed optimized YouTube videos with relevant transcripts By aiming for these SERP features, you earn more visibility—even if your organic result is technically 'below' others. Final Thoughts: Staying Ahead of SEO in an AI-Driven Era Modern SEO isn't about gaming the algorithm — it's about working smarter. With the right strategy, quality content, and user-first mindset, you can stay ahead in search engine results pages (SERPs), even as algorithms evolve. Keep your focus on intent, experience, and adaptability. SEO success in 2025 belongs to those who create for people — not just for search engines. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The 60% Problem — How AI Search Is Draining Your Traffic
The online marketing landscape is undergoing its largest change in nearly three decades since the inception of Google. As AI-powered search assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Search Generative Experience by Google are gaining popularity at lightning speed, businesses are witnessing unprecedented dips in organic traffic – but things aren't quite as straightforward as the data makes them out to be. Recent research has shown that AI Overviews can cause a whopping 15-64% decline in organic traffic, based on industry and search type. This radical change is causing marketers to reconsider their whole strategy regarding digital visibility. Roughly 60% of searches now yield no clicks at all, as AI-generated answers satisfy them directly on the search results page. In addition, Google's AI Overviews have displaced top-ranked links by as much as 1,500 pixels – which is about two full screen scrolls on a desktop and three full screen scrolls on a mobile device – significantly lowering click-through rates even for highly ranked pages. "Using search engines like Google is like walking into a library and getting a list of book titles that might help. You then have to go pull the books off the shelves, skim through them, and try to piece together the answer on your own," explains Erik Wikander, Co-founder and CEO of a company specializing in AI-powered SEO strategies. "AI search flips that on its head," Wikander continued in an email response. "It's like having a super smart librarian who reads every book for you and then explains the answer, in your language, tailored to your context. And if you don't quite get it? You just ask another question, and they clarify. It's fluid, interactive and helpful in a way that traditional search simply isn't." If you're not sure what AI Overviews are – you've probably seen them without knowing what they were or how they work. If you ask Google a question such as 'What's the significance of Passover' or 'Who attended the Last Supper' – the first entry at the top of the screen will be a Google AI Overview, which is a curated summarized response with footnotes. For 6-out-of-10 viewers of the response, the summary details are all they need so they don't click any other link from the search screen to another website. While that's fine for Google and other AI search engines, the websites on the other end are seeing a significant decrease of click through rates to their sites. So their keyword advertising, onsite marketing content and search engine optimization activities are going to waste if they're not one of the handful of web pages captured in the AI Overview. According to Winkander, resources based on informational content like guides and how-to tutorials are hit hardest. With AI Overviews providing in-depth answers within search results, the need to click through to these resources has significantly declined. This shift is particularly damaging for content marketers who have built strategies on top-of-funnel informational content to create awareness. And the race for prominence has also gotten fiercer, with AI Summaries usually coming from a few of the highest-ranked websites – usually positions 1-2 or above. This is a case of winner-takes-all, with smaller firms and newer websites having very little to no chance of prominence. In spite of these obstacles, there is a silver lining for companies that are able to move quickly. Wikander continues that even though the total traffic drops, the quality of the visitors that do click through is far greater. 'While AI search engines may drive less traffic overall, the value of that traffic is significantly higher than traditional search. Visitors arriving via AI search are often much further along in their buyer journey — ready to take action. This is especially evident in high-consideration categories like software, where customers typically do extensive research before converting. In fact, many of the companies we speak with report that up to 10% of their conversions now come from AI-driven search,' he wrote. For businesses struggling with these changes, Wikander recommends a complete overhaul of how we go about search engine optimization. "The first step is to reframe SEO as a content-first strategy. The technical SEO playbook still matters, but it's no longer the primary driver of visibility," he advised. "To stand out in AI search, the content needs to answer real questions, not just repeat popular keywords. It should anticipate follow-up questions, be written in a natural, conversational tone, and offer something truly useful, whether that's an expert opinion, proprietary data or unique context." This involves going beyond the conventional keyword optimization, which Wikander describes as "not dead, but no longer the winning move on its own." Rather, businesses must focus on developing content that reads naturally, is rich and delivers concrete value to the reader. As AI transforms the search landscape, companies need to evolve or risk not being seen. The old SEO playbook — built on keywords, backlinks and technical adjustments—is quickly becoming irrelevant. Instead, a new playbook built on quality, relevance and authority is taking its place. "Content is becoming the new performance marketing," Wikander emphasizes. "As paid channels get more expensive and traditional search fragments, your best lever for growth is content. Not just any content, but content that AI sees as helpful, credible and worth including." For marketers who are ready to adapt to this new reality, the dividends are significant. By producing excellent, authoritative content that AI software identifies as worthy, brands can position themselves as trusted sources of information — and secure their place in the AI-driven search future. "Success today means becoming the best answer — in every language, every market and every moment that matters," Wikander concludes.
Globe and Mail
02-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Digital Silk Examines the Impact of Google's Full AI Overview Rollout on U.S. Businesses and Website Visibility
Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - April 2, 2025) - Digital Silk, an award-winning agency specializing in brand strategies, custom websites, and digital marketing campaigns, is shedding light on the implications of Google's latest AI-driven Search Generative Experience (SGE) — now fully rolled out across the U.S. — and its profound effects on website visibility, traffic patterns, and organic search strategies. Google's AI Overview Shakes Up Traditional Search Behavior To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Google's AI Overview Shakes Up Traditional Search Behavior The official U.S. rollout of Google's AI Overview marks a pivotal shift in how users consume information. Instead of traditional search results dominated by a list of links, users now receive AI-generated summaries, consolidating insights and often limiting exposure to organic listings. This transformation is expected to directly influence click-through rates (CTR) and redefine the way businesses approach SEO and digital visibility. According to Statista, Google controls approximately 83.5% of the U.S. search engine market as of 2023, making this change particularly impactful for brands relying on organic traffic to drive leads and sales. "AI-generated overviews are not just another feature—they represent a fundamental shift in how search results are presented," explains Jessica Erasmus, Marketing Director & PR Manager at Digital Silk. "For U.S. businesses, this means it's no longer just about ranking on page one but about being selected by AI as a trusted information source." What U.S. Brands Need to Know to Stay Visible Digital Silk's analysis reveals that businesses that prioritize high-quality, trustworthy, and well-structured content will be better positioned to be featured within Google's AI-generated summaries. The agency stresses that expertise, authoritativeness, and relevancy—core aspects of Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) framework—are now more crucial than ever. Recent data from Statista shows that 42% of U.S. companies have already integrated AI into their operations, but few have adapted their SEO strategies to accommodate AI-driven search results. Digital Silk warns that failing to adjust may result in significant traffic and visibility losses. Digital Silk's Recommendations for Navigating AI-Powered Search To help U.S. businesses navigate this shift effectively, Digital Silk recommends: Creating in-depth, fact-checked, and AI-friendly content Focusing on niche expertise to increase chances of AI Overview inclusion Optimizing for user experience, structured data, and semantic search signals Prioritizing credibility by citing reputable sources and featuring expert contributions "Businesses must recognize that Google's AI Overview is designed to reward trustworthy and expert-driven content," says Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Digital Silk. "By adapting content strategies now, brands can secure a competitive advantage and maintain visibility in the evolving search landscape." About Digital Silk Digital Silk is a full-service digital marketing agency in the U.S. focused on growing brands online. With a team of seasoned experts, Digital Silk delivers industry-leading digital experiences through strategic branding and cutting-edge web design to drive more conversions and digital marketing services to boost awareness and engagement.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google AI will turn your fashion ideas into a real sample for shopping
AI has been a part of the Google Shopping experience for a while now. In October last year, Google started showing an AI-generated brief with suggestions about the products users are looking for, alongside tailored product listings. A month prior to that, the Shopping tab added an AI-powered virtual try-on experience featuring various body shapes to show the right size fitting. Now, Google is giving it another AI-fueled update that involves literally turning your fashion ideas into a digital garment, one that will be used to find similar pieces of real clothing items. Let's say you are on the hunt for 'pink socks with blue flowers and red polka dots.' Entering that query may not necessarily find you real products matching that description, as that would depend on whether a seller of such items has labelled their products and images accordingly to match your description. With AI-generated picture templates, Google will move away from text or metadata matching, and rely on vision-based matching to discover such items. When you look up an item with a very specific set of fashion requirements and scroll past the items list in the Shopping tab, you will see a new tool called 'Can't find it? Create it.' Users can also access the same facility under the'Create & Shop'name on the left side-panel. Tapping on it will present a text box, where you enter the exact description of your dream apparel. This works just like text-to-image AI tools such as OpenAI's Dall-E in ChatGPT or Google's Imagen AI engine. The underlying AI will create a photorealistic image of your clothing idea, with a few variations in tow. Users can tap on the one they like the most, and scroll down to find similar shoppable items listed across the web. This idea was originally launched as an experiment back in October last year, but has remained exclusive to users who opted-in for the Search Generative Experience (SGE) within Search Labs. It is now available widely to all users in the US market on the mobile platform. Google is also expanding the scope of its virtual try-on (VTO) tool. So far, it has only allowed users to experiment with top-wear. Starting today, users will see the option to virtually try bottomwear, such as pants and skirts, as well. Aside from apparel, Google is also focusing on beauty and makeup products. When users are shopping for such items, they can tap on the 'See the looks on you' tool, which launches a front camera preview of their face. Here, users can simply tap on any product listing they are seeing, and it will be applied to their face using an augmented reality makeover. Google says it has improved the AR try-on experience by upgrading the underlying framework to its Gemini AI models.
