Google Discover and AI's Impact on News Publishers: An Expert Interview with John Shehata
The rise of AI Overviews and Google's evolving search algorithms has presented significant challenges for news publishers in recent years. While Google Discover's expansion to desktop offered a glimmer of hope, the introduction of AI Mode raises new questions about the future of search traffic.
To understand these changes, we spoke with John Shehata, founder of NewzDash and a leading expert in Google Discover, digital audience development, and news SEO. With over 25 years of experience, including executive roles at Condé Nast, John offers valuable insights into the current state of news publishing.
The Impact of AI Overviews on News Traffic
Studies show websites are losing significant traffic due to AI Overviews. While the impact on news publishers specifically is still being analyzed, early data suggests certain verticals, like health and business, are more affected.
John explains that while AI Overviews are not yet ubiquitous for all news queries, their presence is growing. He highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring and analysis to understand the true impact.
Can Google Discover Compensate for Lost Search Traffic?
While Google Discover is a major traffic source for many news publishers, John cautions against relying on it as a sole strategy. He emphasizes that Discover should be a channel within a broader content strategy, not the strategy itself.
"Google Discover is very unreliable, but at the same time, it's addictive. Publishers have seen 50-60% of their traffic coming through Discover."
He warns that over-reliance on Discover can lead to neglecting core SEO practices, ultimately jeopardizing both search and Discover traffic.
"You should not get addicted to Google Discover. It's not a long-term strategy."
John advises publishers to diversify their traffic sources, including newsletters and partnerships, to mitigate the risks associated with platform dependence.
The Rise of AI Mode and the Future of SERPs
John predicts AI Mode will likely become the default search experience, leading to more impressions but fewer clicks for publishers. He believes this shift reflects the evolving user behavior towards conversational search and summarized information.
He encourages publishers to adapt to this change by focusing on visibility rather than solely on traffic. Tracking how users interact with AI features and understanding the nuances of AI-driven search will be crucial for future success.
Visibility, Not Traffic, Is the New Metric
With AI becoming the gatekeeper of SERPs, John advises brands to prioritize tracking, analysis, and strategic reactions. He emphasizes the need to move beyond traffic as the primary metric and focus on other key performance indicators, such as conversions and transactions.
"In the new world, we will get less traffic. So, for publishers that solely depend on traffic, this is going to be a problem."
He also highlights the increasing importance of schema markup for content discovery by LLMs.
Prioritize Analysis Over Commodity News
John suggests publishers focus on creating high-value content that provides in-depth analysis and unique insights. He believes this type of content will be more valuable in the age of AI than easily replicated commodity news.
"The original model was Google: 'Hey, we will show one or two lines from your article, and then we will give you back the traffic.' This agreement is broken now."
He advocates for a new model where LLMs compensate publishers for the content they use, both for training and for displaying in search results.
The Ethical Debate and the Future of News Publishing
The use of publisher content by LLMs raises ethical questions about fair compensation and attribution. John's insights highlight the need for ongoing dialogue and potential new business models to ensure the sustainability of news publishing in the evolving digital landscape.
For more insights, watch the full interview with John Shehata: YouTube Video
