The recent introduction of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) has led to many changes in how search results are presented. Using AI technology, Google provides an enriched search experience aimed at delivering the most relevant and comprehensive results. But how does it compare to live SERP results? In this post, I’ll explore the differences, using screenshots of SGE results compared to live SERP results.
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For the search phrase “wine before liquor”, the first two SGE results matched the live SERPs. The third result was not on the first page of live SERPs. The snippet Google pulled was from the second paragraph of the source discussing hangover, nausea, and dizziness:
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For this query, only the third result in SGE, MindBodyGreen, maintained its position in live SERPs. The first two results in SGE, which provided short and concise answers, ranked higher compared to the live SERPs.
In SGE, the first two results swapped places compared to live SERPs, and the third result fell to the 6th position in live SERPs.
SGE recommended purchasing Fluevog Shoes on Amazon or Facebook, seemingly missing the actual Fluevog website. The live SERPs correctly showed Fluevog Shoes as the top result.
SGE’s top three results for “SEO” included Mailchimp, SEJ, and Google. However, in the live SERPs, Mailchimp is below Moz, WordStream, and Wikipedia.
The Time Out listing maintained its position in both SGE and live SERPs. The first and third results significantly differed between SGE and live SERPs.
BodyBuilding website claimed the top spot in SGE, whereas it lagged in live SERPs. Gold’s Gym, a top result in live SERPs, is notably absent in the SGE results.
SGE’s results for “management training” were drastically different from live SERPs, even presenting local business results rather than traditional webpages.
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The SGE results for “Nike” were disappointing, failing to link to Nike’s official website. However, in live SERPs, Nike’s website is the top result, followed by various social media platforms and video content.
In SGE, the second result, Our Streets, had a significantly better position compared to live SERPs. The first and third results in SGE were not on the first page of live SERPs.
The first result on SGE matched the top result in live SERPs. The AI-powered overview is not available for this search.
The SGE results for this search displayed a list of courses without links. The first two results ranked higher in SGE compared to live SERPs.
Without an AI-powered answer on SGE, the results matched those on live SERPs.
The second result on SGE, trailsense.enwild.com, had a higher ranking compared to live SERPs. Many of the links in the content led to 404 pages. 🙁
SGE offers an AI-powered overview after clicking Generate. The first result matched live SERPs, but the second result, ranking fourth in live SERPs, improved its position on SGE.
In this brief comparison, we can see that SGE’s results can significantly differ from live SERPs. While some sites maintain or even improve their ranking, others fall behind. As SGE is still in beta, it’s difficult to make definitive conclusions. However, based on these examples, it seems clear that traditional SEO strategies may need to be reevaluated in the face of these potential changes.
Remember, this is just a snapshot of the current state of SGE. As the system evolves, we can expect shifts and refinements in how results are presented. Let’s stay tuned to see how this exciting development unfolds!
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