Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Microsoft Bing Highlights SEO’s Role in Understanding AI Search Conversions
Microsoft Bing acknowledges that search engines have limited insight into what happens after users click through AI-driven search results. Bing encourages the SEO community to conduct more detailed studies on how AI Search impacts conversion rates. While Bing sees AI as improving click quality, Google offers a different perspective, focusing on user behavior rather than direct conversions. This highlights a growing need for independent research to understand AI Search’s true value to marketers.
Optimixed’s Overview: Investigating the Impact of AI Search on Conversion Metrics Through SEO Research
Limited Visibility of Post-Click Conversions in AI Search
Fabrice Canel from Microsoft Bing emphasizes that search engines currently lack comprehensive visibility into user conversions following clicks on AI-enhanced search results. Although AI Search is believed to increase the quality and value of clicks, the concrete impact on conversions remains unclear from the search engines’ standpoint.
The Call for Enhanced SEO Community Research
- Bing’s stance: Encourages SEO professionals and marketers to conduct studies that analyze the relationship between AI Search clicks and actual conversions.
- Conversion focus: Shifting from simply measuring clicks to understanding the conversion funnel and the effectiveness of AI results in driving meaningful outcomes.
Contrasting Views Between Bing and Google
While Bing openly acknowledges the data gaps and supports independent research, Google presents a different narrative. Google suggests that:
- Click volume remains stable and the quality of clicks has improved as per their AI Overviews.
- Click quality is assessed by whether users return to the search results, not by tracking actual conversions.
- Some existing studies on AI search impact are disputed by Google as being flawed or inaccurate.
This divergence underscores the importance of independent studies and transparent data to accurately gauge how AI influences user behavior and business outcomes in search marketing.
