Big Tech companies are increasingly creating “walled gardens” — closed ecosystems that control user’s access to information. Google’s new AI search assistant is the latest example, designed to provide quick, summarized answers to search queries. While this feature improves the user experience, it also poses new challenges for businesses and marketers.

What is Google’s AI Search Assistant?

Google’s AI search assistant uses advanced technology to give users answers to their questions directly in the search results. Leveraging machine learning and natural language processing, the AI technology analyzes the request to identify the most relevant information from a variety of sources before condensing it into one succinct response.

Instead of showing a list of links, it provides a brief, clear summary that aims to satisfy the user’s intent almost instantly. This makes it easier and faster for users to find information but can reduce the need for them to visit other websites, potentially impacting web traffic and the exposure of smaller content creators and businesses.

How Does It Work?

This update to Google’s search results page leverages natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to understand and interpret user queries. First, it scans web data and extracts what is deemed to be the most relevant information which is then compiled into a concise summary. This process involves several stages, including data collection, parsing, analysis, and summarization, all happening within mere seconds.

Initially, the AI parses the query to understand the user’s intent and the contextual nuances of the language used. Following this, it retrieves relevant data from Google’s indexed web of information sources.

AI then analyzes the retrieved content, filtering out irrelevant or redundant data, and condenses it into a brief response directly at the top of the search results page.

The Impact on Businesses

For businesses, especially those relying on organic search traffic, this change can be significant. Websites that used to get clicks from search results might see a drop in visitors as users are now getting their answers directly from Google’s summaries.

This update could significantly impact organic traffic, especially for sites with informational content. For some, it’s estimated that this feature could lead to a decrease in organic traffic by up to 64%. Instead of spending time and energy competing with Big Tech, businesses looking to stay visible need to shift their focus to people-based marketing to effectively reach their audiences.

Getting Ahead and Staying Ahead with People-Based Marketing

To stay visible amid the changes brought by Big Tech, businesses need to pivot their strategy. One key approach is by adopting people-based marketing. Here’s why:

• Target Actual People: People-based marketing lets you focus on marketing only to actual, verified individuals rather than relying on traditional search-based traffic.
• Leverage First-Party Data: Using opt-in, permission-based first-party data helps you create personalized marketing campaigns that resonate more with your audience.
• Prioritize Privacy and Compliance: Ensuring that your marketing practices are compliant with privacy regulations builds trust with your audience and avoids potential legal issues.
• Engage Across Multiple Channels: Reaching your audience through various channels like email, social media, and direct mail increases your touchpoints with potential customers, making your marketing efforts more effective.

Moving Beyond Big Tech’s Control

Navigating Big Tech’s limitations can be difficult and time-consuming, but shifting to people-based marketing offers a powerful solution. BRIDGE specializes in helping businesses transition to people-based marketing by targeting actual, verified individuals across all channels using opt-in, first-party data.

Our expertise in targeting verified audiences across multiple channels, combined with our commitment to privacy and regulatory compliance, ensures your marketing strategies are both impactful and trustworthy in the long haul.

Interested in what people-based marketing can do for you? Click here to learn more.