Google for India 2023: Search Generative Experience to improve shopping, bring small businesses to fore

Google for India 2023: The 9th edition of the Google event in India, which largely focuses on its user and partner experience in the country, took place today, October 19. The event highlighted the impact of generative AI and the milestones the tech giant has reached due to the emerging technology. Now, focusing on India, Google said that it is aiming to remove roadblocks for its users. One particular area of focus was shopping. Google said both shoppers and small merchants will be benefitted from the Google Search Generative Experience (SGE).

Shivani Mohan, senior director, UX research, Search, Google took the stage to speak about the India-centric changes added to SGE in order to make it more relevant to the users in the country. She said, “Gen AI is helping us once again reimagine what a search engine can do by transforming the way information is organized”. 

Google SGE to improve the shopping experience

The first improvement will be making Google Search more visual when it comes to shopping. SGE will generate easy-to-follow answers and visual responses to enable shoppers to easily find the product they're looking for. Mohan said that soon, users will be able to explore places and things to do near their location using SGE. It will also incorporate user reviews.

Alongside, Google is expanding discovery for small businesses to engage customers and help them come to the centerfold of digital commerce. As a part of this initiative, Google is launching Business Messages for shopping on Search. Users can scroll down on Search to click on the chat icon and ask any questions on their minds directly to the merchant. It is expected to be available by the end of the year.

The company will also be launching the Google Merchant Center Next. It will enable nearby physical stores to show more prominently on search. Small businesses have limited resources, making it hard to build high-quality catalogues, which will be solved by this new tool. It has already started rolling out to new users. It will be available to all by early next year.