Google is destroying The “classical” way in which users interacted with search results through the introduction of artificial intelligence -based experiences, such as Ai overViews and the new Ai mode, freshly released in the United States. A radical paradigm change that has already caused verifiable results, such as the collapse of the CTR in organic results, and before which many responsible for online stores, media or blogs may feel (understandably) bewildered.
Especially in countries like Spain, which are leading the adoption of AI Overviews.
Given the criticisms that have emerged in recent weeks (including that of the person responsible for the Daily Mail, one of the main British media), Google has wanted to weed the situation a bit and for this he has taken one of his most authorized spokesmen on the play, John Mueller, The visible head of the company's search team. Through a statement in his blog, Mueller wanted to reinforce the idea that the principles that govern a good search engine positioning have not changed and that, therefore, l lOr essential is still offering original, useful and centered content.
Let's review the keys to that statement on how to do SEO in the new AI era on Google.
1. Create unique and user -centered content
According to Mueller, one of the pillars of searchers' success remains the creation of valuable and non -generic content. This not only improves the positioning in the classics “ten blue bonds”, but also increases the possibilities of being summoned in the summaries of AI. In his statement, he explains that every time users carry out longer and longer consultations, which implies the need to create contents that resolve doubts with more depth and clarity.
2. Improve the page experience
A great content can go unnoticed if your site offers a bad user experience. Mueller remembers that Google values aspects such as:
Adaptive design For mobile devices.
Load speed.
Clarity and visual hierarchy To facilitate reading.
It is essential that the main content is well differentiated from the rest of the elements, such as banners or calls to action. The experience must be intuitive and fluid.
3. ensures the indexability of the content
So that Google can show your content in its results, you must be able to track it, interpret it and index it correctly. In this sense, the Google Council includes:
Go to Googlebot In the Robots.txt file. That your pages return a HTTP 200 code.
That the content is indexable and is not hidden through techniques such as Display: None.
For Mueller, this point is crucial for both traditional SEO and for formats based on AI.
4. Control visibility through snippet labels
Google allows you to manage how your content is shown in the results through labels such as Nosnippet, Data-Nosnippet, Max-Snippet or Noindex. These labels are not new, but Mueller recalls that they also affect the way your site is shown in AI formats.
When you use these labels too you limit the use of your content in the summaries generated by AI.
For example, if you mark a section with Data-Nosnippet, Google will not be able to include that part in an AI overView. This may be useful for protecting valuable fragments, but you can also decrease your presence in enriched results. As for the Nosnippet label, it prevents Google from showing any type of fragment (snippet) of the content of that page, and it is useful if you want only the title and the URL to appear, but it can significantly reduce your visibility. On the other hand, the NOINDEX label prevents the page from indexing completely. It is a more drastic, useful tool if the content is not relevant to search engines or is in development, for example.
5. Align the structured data with the visible content
Structured data facilitates that Google better understand the content of your pages: «Structured data are useful for sharing information about your content legible by machines, which allows our systems to consider your pages and make them suitable for certain search functions and enriched results. If you use structured data, make sure you follow our guidelines, such as making sure that all the content of your marking is also visible on your website and validate the marking of structured data ».
In this case, Mueller recommends the validation of marking with official tools such as Rich Results. A correct implementation can enrich enriched functions both in the classic results and in the new ones generated by AI.
6. Bet on multimodal content
Searches are no longer limited to text: with tools such as those recently announced by Google, users can ask questions from images or even videos. To adapt to this, the advice are quite logical:
Includes High quality images and videos. This will also benefit the experience of your visitors and probably at the time of permanence on the page. Keep your company profile and file updated in Google Merchant Center.
This will position you better to visual or multimodal searches, where users combine text and image.
7. Evaluate the real value of your visits
Mueller argues that the traffic that comes from the results of AI is usually more qualified: Users who stay longer, interact more and turn better. Therefore, it is key not to focus only on clicks, but on conversion metrics such as sales, completed forms, time on page or contact queries. This approach will allow you to better understand the true return of your investment in content.
8. Adapt yourself to the rhythm of user evolution
Search behavior constantly changes. Just as we go from the desk to the mobile or text to voice, now we face the generative search revolution. This new paradigm offers an opportunity for content creators to reach a broader and more compromised audience.
As Mueller explains, «as owner, editor or creator of a website, you may ask how to optimize our search experiences with AI, such as the general views with AI and our new way. The basic principles of Google recommendations apply to these new experiences. Focus on your visitors and offer them unique and satisfactory content. In this way, you will be well positioned as the search for Google evolves, since our main objective remains the same: to help users find original and exceptional content that provides a unique value ».
Image: Flux Schnell
