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If ads are added to this, either above or below the AI overview, regular organic results will get pushed down more than they do now. Just recently, Google started showing a new layout for SGE when an overview is automatically generated. There is only a small preview and a “Show more” button. It does not fill the entire above-the-fold area or show any images of the linked sources. Compare this AI snapshot for “credit card risk” from two different dates: SERP with SGE feature for “credit card risk” from end of September 2023 SERP with SGE feature for “credit card risk” from end of September 2023 SERP with SGE feature for “credit card risk” from the start of October 2023 SERP with SGE feature for “credit card risk” from the start of October 2023 The first overview from late September was about 780px high, while the new one from early October is about 230px high – not even a third of the original size.
The organic traffic impact of the latter layout DB to Data probably be less than that of the former. Images for the cited sources will likely impact CTR Like good YouTube thumbnails, attractive images get a higher CTR than less attractive images. this has implications for not only getting an image to show up but also being attractive for users to click on. Consider this an avenue for optimization: show exeption images in the overview that aim to stand out against the rest. If an AI overview is presented, CTRs of regular organic results might drop Assuming your site does not appear in the AI overview but is highly ranked in the regular organic results, your CTR will drop. This is natural and a no-brainer, as everything above the fold is more important on both websites and in search results. Like any SERP with many SERP features, the CTR is affected by their appearance and placement.
Currently, there are fewer ads in SGE than regular search In my tests, I saw fewer ads in SGE compared to regular search. This is backed by other research from Moz and Insight Partners. These tests and studies were conducted in September, but just like Google testing the new layout, I often saw more ads appearing over time. You can be sure that Google is testing this as much as possible to not jeopardize their search ad revenue. Things change all the time in SGE As recently as late August, it was confirmed that SGE would retain sources, due to user feedback.
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