SGE is (Sort of) Rolling Out
It’s officially here. The moment many SEOs and digital marketers have been anxiously awaiting. Google is testing AI overviews from SGE in search results for select users in the US – even those that didn’t opt into using SGE. In a sense, SGE is (sort of) finally rolling out – with a minimally invasive soft launch.
Here’s a quick TL;DR list of what you need to know:
- Google launched SGE (search generative experience) as an experiment in May 2023 for anyone that opted in
- Search Engine Land reported two days ago that Google will be testing AI overviews in the main search results whether or not you’ve opted in
- This will only be for a small percentage of search traffic in the US to start
SGE Timeline
I put together a quick timeline of Google SGE as a refresher:
SGE is announced at I/O
Google SGE announced is announced at I/O and launched in the US (English-only) as an experiment the same day via Search Labs
Google allows teens to use SGE
Starting the week of September 28th, 2023 Google begins allowing teens ages 13-17 (in the US) use SGE.
Google expands access globally
Google expands SGE to more than 120 countries and adds 4 languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Korean & Indonesian).
End date goes missing
Google removes “Ends Dec 2023” from the SGE cards in Search Labs.
Staying in testing?
Google states that SGE will remain “a testbed for bold new ideas” alongside their Circle to Search & AI-powered multisearch announcement.
SGE soft launch
Google begins testing AI overviews powered by SGE in the main Google Search results.
A busy first year
As the timeline above shows, SGE had a busy first year as an experiment. After expanding to different age groups, across the globe, and to multiple languages quickly, the end date went missing in late December 2023 (below). Personally, I felt an early 2024 launch was enviable. But then things seemed to slow down.
SGE seemed stuck in the sand
In mid-January Google slipped a small update on SGE in with their announcement about Circle to Search and AI-powered multisearch (below). Within the SEO community there was a lot of speculation about what the update meant. Some took the “we’ll introduce [AI features] into Search more broadly” part as a sure sign SGE was alive and well. But from my observations most industry experts took this update as a sign of Google stalling. Later that same month, Search Engine Journal featured an article on why SGE is stuck – claiming that it was clear SGE wasn’t coming to search in the near future.
This isn’t the SEO apocalypse
Seasoned SEOs and armchair experts alike have made numerous claims that SGE will be an SEO apocalypse. Fearmongering related changes in the Google Search landscape aren’t new. And I get that SGE may hurt some businesses and individuals. But I don’t this soft launch – or a more extensive rollout of SGE – will be the end of SEO. Admittedly I’m surprised I haven’t seen more uproar over Friday’s announcement. Maybe some aren’t viewing it as a soft launch like me. Or maybe the ones worried about SGE were excited to start their weekend. In either case SGE is here – though not with the bang I was expecting.
You might also be interested in: learning more about what Google SGE is and how to prepare for it.