Google's Gemini: A Galactic Leap into Next-Generation Search
We’re currently focusing on all things Gemini as we explore Google’s latest innovation in AI. Google’s Gemini AI multimodal capabilities hint at a world where information transcends text, seamlessly blending with images, sound, and even code. The Google Search Generative Experience (SGE), powered by Gemini, represents a major paradigm shift in AI that is set to become a pioneering force in search.
Gemini-powered SGE will rewrite the search playbook by transforming search from a passive process into an active, personalized, and immersive experience. Google is expanding Gemini across multiple core products, and brands that adapt and embrace Gemini today will be at the forefront of the AI revolution of the next few years.
To help you prepare for search’s AI era, we’re sharing our take on Gemini, what brands can do to get ready for the coming innovations, and how it will impact for your strategy–both today and in the long term.
Written in the search stars: say hello to Google’s Gemini
Marketers need to start by understanding exactly what Gemini is and what it can do for brands. Gemini is Google’s most flexible AI model to date. Unlike other recent additions to the AI landscape, it isn’t an app or front end. There likely won’t ever be a standalone Gemini experience.
Instead, think of Gemini more like a system update that will ultimately impact Google’s existing offerings like SGE, Search, and Ads. Currently, Google is testing Gemini in SGE, and it has already reduced the latency of responses by 40% for English in the US, according to Search Engine Land.
Gemini is truly multi-modal and works for images, text, audio, video, and more. It also comes in three different “sizes,” the better to solve different challenges for different potential use cases:
- Gemini Ultra: the largest size, for more complicated tasks
- Gemini Pro: a medium version for scaling across a wide range of tasks
- Gemini Nano: the smallest size, ideal for tasks on devices like Android phones
With Gemini Pro already surpassing Palm2-based models in knowledge and performance and generating expressive, human-like responses, the future possibilities are exciting. We’re already transitioning from Palm2 to Gemini Pro in Polaris AI, our in-house custom-build AI trained on Wpromote’s internal marketing best practices to generate analysis and recommendations.
“This year we aim to introduce groundbreaking features in Polaris AI, features previously thought to be unattainable. These innovations, a result of merging Gemini models with other cutting-edge technologies, are set to not only redefine our product but also give our clients an important competitive advantage.”
Gemini extracts its insights from hundreds of thousands of documents, not only reading and filtering them but understanding them. This potential for more nuanced comprehension and problem-solving in search contexts opens up new options for how information can be accessed and utilized.
As of December 2023, Google’s AI chatbot Bard has been using a fine-tuned version of Gemini Pro, and in the coming months, Gemini will be available in other Google products and services like Search, Ads, Chrome, and Duet AI. It’s already powering the conversational experience in Google Ads, which is currently available in beta to all English language advertisers in the US and UK
Charting the course: leveraging Gemini for success today and tomorrow
The future of AI in search will bring many more opportunities for marketers, but you can start leveraging Gemini to make the most of its capabilities right now. Your team will need to prioritize three things: understanding user intent, optimizing content for engaging results, and building up your authority and trust to rise in the rankings.
It’s not news that taking the time to deduce what users are looking for pays dividends in search, but marketers will need to reevaluate everything they know about user intent as we transition to AI-powered experiences. People will be searching differently as Google’s search functionalities evolve, going from the simpler queries of the traditional search bar to longer, more detailed prompts.
Focus on optimizing for long-tail queries and queries phrased as questions—not just SEO keywords. For example, think beyond “best sneakers” and instead try something like “What are the most comfortable walking shoes for wide feet?”
Source: Google
Beyond the queries themselves, the key to standing out in Gemini-powered searches will be meeting the user’s needs through high-quality, informative, and engaging content. This isn’t new advice–great, original pages have always been the best way for brands to rise to the top of the SERP.
But it will be more important than ever as SGE starts to pull from pages to create AI-generated results and rankings change to reflect new methods of search. Creating amazing content gives you a chance to raise your brand’s profile and build trust with customers.
Finally, brands should prioritize broadening content placement externally. Appearing on relevant sites through influencer partnerships, getting attention from industry publications, and building up positive customer reviews will be important to future SGE visibility.
Exploring the search galaxy: the foundation is set for something exciting
While we don’t know exactly what Gemini will bring in the coming years, there’s a lot to be excited about. Google already has a huge lead over almost everyone in creating, training, and using AI—this is only the beginning.
That’s why it’s important to note how Gemini’s role is foundational to making multimodal innovation possible. In an interview with Platformer, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai shared how Gemini was already driving improvements across the board for the search generative experience and will work across all of their products.
We’re still in the early days of AI and it remains to be seen how Gemini will handle many of the big concerns surrounding the technology, including how it manages user data and the transparency of its algorithms. Brands will need to keep an eye on these issues and be ready for potential shifts in strategy or regulations in the future.
What we do know is that you’ll need to keep learning, adjusting, and experimenting with new formats to keep up with this new technology. If you’re ready to try Gemini for yourself right now, both Google’s Bard and Vertex AI are integrated with Gemini Pro. Duet AI for Developers is also set to start using a Gemini model in the coming weeks. Remember: if you’re not testing new strategies and getting ahead of the curve on AI innovations, your competitors will be.
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