Google’s SGE is Here: How Should Independent Foreign Trade Websites Adapt Their SEO?

By 2025, AI-driven search is projected to account for one-third of the global search market, a figure expected to grow rapidly in the coming years.
For independent foreign trade websites, traffic and order inquiries are strongly correlated. Any decline in click-through rates (CTR) could have a significant impact on business.
Just as previous major Google algorithm updates (like Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, and Core Web Vitals) rendered old SEO tactics obsolete while giving rise to new optimization strategies, the new AI-powered search experience is no different. It’s no longer about simple keyword matching but about a deeper level of “intent understanding” and “information synthesis.”

1. What is Google’s AI-Powered Search, and How Will It Affect Foreign Trade Websites?
   1.1 What is AI-Powered Search?
   Google’s new AI model refers to the “Search Generative Experience” (SGE) that the company is gradually rolling out. It uses AI to generate a summarized answer at the top of the search results page, allowing users to get a concise answer without needing to click on any links.
   1.2 How Will SGE Affect Independent Foreign Trade Websites?
   Decline in Click-Through Rates (Zero-Click Searches)
   A 2024 study by SparkToro (based on Semrush’s Datos clickstream data) noted that approximately 58.5% of Google searches in the US and 59.7% in the EU were zero-click searches. The advent of SGE will undoubtedly cause this number to climb. For foreign trade websites, this means that when potential customers get their answers directly from the SGE summary, they will no longer visit your site, leading to a direct loss of inquiries and orders.
   Weakened Brand Visibility and “Information Cocoons”
   Users are accustomed to getting information quickly. When an AI-generated summary solves their problem, they have little incentive to visit a company’s official website to learn more about the brand. SGE pushes this “instant gratification” to the extreme. The more users rely on AI summaries, the more likely they are to form an “information cocoon,” making it harder for your brand story, unique advantages, and corporate culture to reach them. Therefore, websites must find ways to leave a “hook” in the AI summary to encourage users to explore further.
2. Is SEO Still Effective? Upgrading from “Keyword Wars” to “Content Strategy”
   SEO has not become “obsolete,” but it is undergoing a profound transformation.
   The core of SEO has always been about “connecting users with valuable information.” AI is merely a tool for search engines to present results more effectively. Technology evolves to make “good content” more visible, and every algorithm update pushes SEO from a “technical black box” towards a focus on “user experience.” SGE takes this trend to its logical conclusion. In the future, SEO professionals will act more like “content curators” and “digital strategists” rather than mere keyword stuffers.
   To stand out in the new search ecosystem dominated by AI, traditional SEO techniques are no longer sufficient. We must upgrade our approach across three key areas: the source of content creation, the method of structured expression, and the presentation of media formats.
   Therefore, three core strategies have emerged to align with AI-driven search trends: AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization), GEO (Generated Engine Optimization), and MEO (Multimedia Engine Optimization). These strategies will help foreign trade websites reshape their visibility and competitiveness in search engines.
   Next, we will break down the meaning and application of these three strategies, starting with AIO.
3. The Three New Strategies: AIO, GEO, and MEO
4. What is AIO?
   AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization) involves using AI tools to enhance the efficiency and quality of content creation to better align with new search engine algorithms. This is not just about “using AI to write articles” but a complete content planning and production process that leverages AI for research, structuring, language optimization, and predicting search trends.
   For foreign trade websites, AIO can help businesses rapidly produce multi-language product descriptions, FAQs, email templates, and brand stories, significantly improving content update frequency and search engine compatibility.
5. What is GEO?
   GEO (Generated Engine Optimization) is a next-generation optimization philosophy designed to help AI search engines better understand and crawl website information in the era of generative content. It emphasizes optimizing for the AI-driven search engine itself, not just for users or traditional keyword rankings.
   Key focuses of GEO include:
   Structured content modules (logical paragraphs, hierarchical headings, data presentation).
   Use of Schema markup and FAQ structures.
   Friendliness to automatic summarization and semantic recognition.
   Differentiated content adaptation for different languages and markets.
   In other words, GEO is an optimization method to ensure your content is the one selected by the AI when it generates an answer.
6. What is MEO?
   MEO (Multimedia Engine Optimization) refers to making multimedia content—such as video, audio, and images—search engine friendly. In the SGE era, video content is particularly important because it offers a more immersive and trustworthy experience, making it a key format in search results.
   Multi-modal content is the new favorite of AI search, especially the “video + multi-language” format, which benefits both search presentation and brand messaging. In its official documentation from May 2025, Google stated that users may trigger searches via photos, voice, or complex questions, and AI will integrate text, images, and video to provide comprehensive answers. Therefore, ensuring Google can access content, structured data, and multi-modal assets (text, images, video, etc.) is technically crucial.
7. How to Implement AIO, GEO, and MEO?
   While we’ve introduced the three key strategies—AIO, GEO, and MEO—effective implementation requires the right tools and methods.
   This is where a solution like Kingsway Video becomes invaluable. It not only helps you create higher-quality content but also ensures that content is seen, understood, and selected in a way that AI search engines prefer.
   For AIO:
   Kingsway’s “Blog to Video” feature uses AI to generate new video content from existing blog articles.
   Each video can have its SEO title, description, summary, and other elements automatically generated by AI to match the content.
   For GEO:
   One-click output of GEO-compliant modular video data, including HTML code with structured Schema markup.
   Automatic adaptation for multi-language versions, boosting global searchability.
   For MEO:
   Video content can be displayed alongside text to form “text + video” modules.
   The clear page structure helps AI determine the content’s topic and value.
   Furthermore, Kingsway supports brand customization, enabling a threefold growth in video SEO, brand exposure, and customer trust.
   Want your videos to be not only seen but also selected by AI? Kingsway is one of the most SEO-savvy video tools on the market today.
   Conclusion
   The rise of Google’s SGE does not signal the end of SEO. Instead, it marks the beginning of an era that demands a comprehensive synergy of “content quality + technical tools + user experience.” Owners of independent foreign trade websites should actively embrace AI tools (AIO), adjust their content structure (GEO), and boldly use diverse media like video to enhance their visibility in this new search environment.