Google Keynote (Google I/O ’24) Key Takeaways Marketers Need To Know

What Is Google I/O

Google I/O is an annual conference where they announce what they are working on, and what we can expect to see from them in the short to medium term. In 2023, they used this platform to announce and preview AI in Search (Search Generative Experience – SGE) and how this would look visually. They also covered a range of other topics including Gmail, Calendar, photo creation and manipulation, and new hardware that they are releasing

This year, Google has focussed on AI and its real-world implementations, and ways in which their AI will incorporate a wider range of user data, including their other Google services such as Gmail, Google Drive and Google Calendar. It is using information from all of these sources to serve answers to queries through Google.com, Google Voice assistant, Android phone search as well as other integrations through the AI directly.

Google announced US users will have full access to Google SGE – now named ‘AI Overviews’ immediately with ‘billions more users’ (effectively meaning the rest of the world) by the end of the year. 

Google also detailed at the end of the conference how they are working with other notable industry players to ensure that information – including images, video and importantly text – generated by AI is marked digitally. This implies that Google will be able to identify anything generated through Gemini or ChatGPT, and could potentially be recognised and ranked with this as a factor.

Core elements of the talk

1. Rise of generative search and AI-generated summaries

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) introduces AI-written summaries appearing at the top of search results. These summaries aim to answer user queries directly.

Impact

Traditional keyword stuffing won’t suffice. Focus on creating well-structured, informative content that effectively answers user search intent. This will provide Google’s AI with better source material for summaries.

Action

• Conduct in-depth keyword research to understand user intent behind search queries.
• Structure your content with clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points for better readability.
• Ensure your content comprehensively addresses the topic, providing value beyond basic information.

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2. Emphasis on structured data and semantic SEO

With AI playing a bigger role, Google emphasises structured data and semantic SEO.

• Structured data: Clearly labelled data points on your website help search engines understand your content and context.
• Semantic SEO: Focuses on the overall meaning of your content rather than just keywords.

Impact

Structured data and semantic SEO will be crucial for search engines, particularly AI, to accurately interpret your website and content.

Action

• Implement schema markup (structured data) to clearly define your content for search engines.
• Use relevant Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords throughout your content to establish topical relevance.

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3. The need for high-quality, trustworthy information

Google’s AI-powered search prioritises accurate and reliable information, especially on sensitive topics like health and finance.

Impact

Focus on building website authority and credibility. Back up your content with citations from reputable sources.

Action

• Ensure your website content is factually accurate and up-to-date.
• Cite credible sources to support your claims, especially on sensitive topics.
• Build backlinks from high-authority websites in your niche.

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4. Increased focus on video content

Google introduced enhanced video search capabilities, including searching by video content.

Impact

Video content will play a more prominent role in SEO strategies.

Action

• Consider creating high-quality videos that answer user queries and showcase your products or services.
• Optimise your video titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords.

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5. The potential impact on local SEO

With features like Generative Search summaries potentially pushing organic results down, local SEO might require a strategic shift.

Impact

Maintaining a strong Google Business Profile, optimised local landing pages, and a positive online reputation will be even more crucial.

Action

• Claim and verify your Google Business Profile.
• Ensure your local landing pages are optimised with relevant keywords and location information.
• Encourage positive customer reviews online.

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While Google’s AI advancements might seem daunting, they present an opportunity to focus on creating high-quality, informative content that genuinely benefits users. By prioritising user intent, building trust, and embracing new search functionalities, UK websites can stay ahead of the curve in the coming year.

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Speaker Notes in detail

Speaker: Sundar Pichai, CEO Google

What was announced:

• Gemini – Google’s AI
• Use cases for the multi-modal model
• Improved version of Gemini live today. Better quality of results and faster: Gemini 1.5 Pro
• Gemini now integrates with Gmail better ‘show me information around [topic]’
• Gemini can now give meeting summaries and action points
• Agents – an AI ‘person’ that can act on your behalf
• Access to multiple Google platforms
• Access across the web
• ‘Make information universally accessible’ – What does this look like from a tech perspective?
• Google will be flagging its own AI-generated text using a digital watermark
• This will be created alongside Microsoft (etc) which owns ChatGPT and Word

Speaker: Josh Woodward, NotebookLM

What was announced:

• Instant summary to Notebooks
• Audio versions of the Notebook – conversational based on the topics within the Notebook. Keeps it age appropriate and topical etc

Who is going to be impacted?

• End users
• Teachers?

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Speaker: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind

What was announced:

• Alpha fold model – Good for industrial applications ie. science
• Gemini 1.5 Flash
• Project Astra – Helpful in every day life
• A response time focus
• Better understanding of the context of the question, and the person asking it

Who is going to be impacted? 

• Industrial/analytic professionals

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Speaker: Doug Eck, Senior Research Director

What was announced:

• Imagine 3 – Photo generation
  • Much higher fidelity
  • Much higher focus on small details
  • Better prompt – focussing on the ways people write
• Imagine Music
• VEO
• 1080P video based on prompt – update / refine with further prompts

Who is going to be impacted:

• Anyone producing image and video

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Speaker: Sundar Pichai, CEO Google

What was announced:

• AI overviews – Starting rollout in the US now and to everyone by the end of the year
  • Multi-step reasoning
  • Encouraged longer questions – with Google doing the reasoning
  • Encouraged ultra long tail queries – is there a core element?
  • Ratings will be paramount to showing highly on limited results
  • Time-based answers – it knows the context you are in
• AI-organised search results page
  • Search will group things topically
  • Coming to search in the coming weeks (Google Labs)

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Speaker: Aparna Pappu, Google Workspace

What was announced:

• Gemini side panel
• Email summary from multiple threads – example: comparing multiple quotes

Tony Vincent, Director Product Management

• AI Teammate

Sameer Samat, President Android Ecosystem

• Circle search – Images are VERY important. Is it worth analysing images using AI to see what it thinks the core elements are?

Watch the conference

Catch up on the whole conference here on YouTube: Google Keynote (Google I/O ’24) and, as always, if you need help or advice with your search marketing, drop us an email to [email protected].