Cadastra and Similarweb release report The Future of Search
Cadastra and Similarweb publish the unprecedented report The Future of Search. Based on studies and data from professionals from both organizations, the report highlights the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), recent changes in consumers’ digital behavior and search engine policies and functionalities, which directly impacts brands’ strategies and the consolidation of new research spaces.
The report points out that, although the feature was already on the rise in corporate and technical environments a few years ago, IA’s turning point came with the launch of ChatGPT for individuals. The Brazilian public reacted quickly, registering 375.8 million hits between November 2022 and August 2023.
As in other markets, AI will have a major impact on SEO, but we understand that there will be a fusion of these resources, especially because studies already indicate that automated responses have more credibility when they are accompanied by links and sources of the information they present. And, as we have seen in other waves, the Brazilian has everything it takes to be one of the pioneers in this area, says Letcia Bernardino, manager and associate partner at Cadastra and one of those responsible for the report.
The launch of ChatGPT certainly aroused marked interest in the Brazilian scenario. The platform’s usability indicators corroborate its remarkable acceptance and implementation. It will be intriguing to see whether the Brazilian population assimilates the use of this tool in their daily lives, beyond the initial enthusiasm after the tool’s launch. What we know today is that ChatGPT maintains its prominent position among the most frequented sites on a global scale, adds Vicky Almeida, insights leader LATAM at Similarweb.
An extra E makes a difference
From a more technical perspective, Google made an important change at the end of last year. To the already known content relevance parameter in organic searches EAT (Expertise, Authority and Trust in the English acronym) added an E, referring to experience. This concept seeks to value the real experience that people have with products, services, places and other content on these subjects.
This change responds to the issue that producing a lot of content via AI just for ranking will produce greater relevance. The more direct answer than NO. If Google detects this practice, it may penalize the site as a whole, even the relevant content areas. Therefore, this practice has to be abolished and original quality content continues to play its fundamental role, highlights Letcia Bernardino.
Research in other environments
Marketplaces figure prominently in the first stage of the consumer journey globally. In Brazil, search engines dominate (35%), followed by YouTube (35%) and retailer apps (42%). In the USA, Amazon is the number one channel with 61% of searches at this stage, while in other Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Mercado Livre predominates. Furthermore, 41% of young people in the US use TikTok or Instagram when looking for a place to have lunch, instead of using Google Maps or a traditional search engine.
We see a fragmentation of the search journey into various environments according to specialty. Brands need to follow this movement, being present and adapting their content to the specificities of each environment, explains Cadastra’s SEO manager.
