In a recent interview with Marketing Brew, Google’s VP and GM of Advertising, Shashi Thakur, discussed users clicking on links in Google’s AI-powered results. Thakur claimed that users are indeed clicking on these links, although he did not provide any statistics or research to back up this assertion.
Google has been criticized for the quality of its search results, as well as concerns from brands and content creators about receiving less organic search traffic. Thakur’s responses focused on emphasizing how much users love AI answers, but the lack of concrete evidence to support this claim has raised questions about the authenticity of Google’s enthusiasm.
Thakur also addressed publishers’ worries about receiving fewer clicks in Google Search results, which could potentially impact Google’s advertising business. He mentioned that there is a diversity of publishers that users click on within the AI responses, and that users are showing interest in clicking to understand more. However, publishers are more concerned about generating traffic and monetizing it, rather than click diversity.
Additionally, Thakur discussed commercial clicks in AI search results, emphasizing that users interact with ads when they appear alongside AI responses that are relevant to commercial actions. He highlighted the importance of clicking to complete commercial actions, suggesting that there is always an opportunity for advertising to play a role in these interactions.
Overall, the interview with Google’s VP and GM of Search Ads revealed a lack of concrete data to support claims about user behavior with AI-powered search results. The focus on user interest and click diversity may not address the primary concerns of publishers and businesses regarding traffic and monetization. Thakur’s responses reflect Google’s efforts to promote the benefits of AI answers, but without substantiated proof, the impact of these claims remains uncertain in the eyes of critics and industry observers.
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https://searchengineland.com/google-users-click-links-ai-answers-440731
