Google On Balancing Needs Of Users And The Web Ecosystem

On the current Search Central Stay Deep Dive 2025, Kenichi Suzuki requested Google’s Gary Illyes how Google measures top quality and consumer satisfaction of visitors from AI Overviews. Illyes’ response, revealed by Suzuki on LinkedIn, lined a number of factors.

Kenichi requested for particular information, and Gary’s reply provided an outline of how Google gathers exterior information to type inside opinions on how AI Overviews is perceived by customers by way of satisfaction. He mentioned that the information informs public statements by Google, together with these made by CEO Sundar Pichai.

Illyes started his reply by saying that he couldn’t share specifics in regards to the consumer satisfaction information, however he nonetheless continued to supply his overview.

Consumer Satisfaction Surveys

The primary information level that Illyes talked about was consumer satisfaction surveys to know how folks really feel about AI Overviews. Kenichi wrote that Illyes mentioned:

“The general public statements made by firm leaders, comparable to Sundar Pichai, are validated by this inside information earlier than being made public.”

Noticed Consumer Conduct

The second consumer satisfaction information level that Illyes talked about was inferring from the broader market. Kenichi wrote:

“Gary prompt that one can infer consumer desire by trying on the broader market. He identified that the quickly rising consumer base for different AI instruments (like ChatGPT and Copilot) seemingly consists of the identical demographic that enjoys and finds worth in AI Overviews.”

Motivated By Consumer-Focus

This half means placing the consumer first because the motivation for introducing a brand new characteristic. Illyes particularly mentioned that inflicting a disruption shouldn’t be Google’s motivation for AI search options.

Acknowledged The Internet Ecosystem

The final level he made was to clarify that Google’s nonetheless determining steadiness their user-focused method with the necessity to keep a wholesome internet ecosystem.

Kenichi wrote that Illyes mentioned:

“He completed by acknowledging that they’re nonetheless determining steadiness this user-focused method with the necessity to proceed supporting the broader internet ecosystem.”

Balancing The Wants Of The Internet Ecosystem

On the daybreak of contemporary search engine optimization, Google did one thing extraordinary: they reached out to internet publishers by way of the most well-liked search engine optimization discussion board on the time, WebmasterWorld. Gary Illyes himself, earlier than he joined Google, was a WebmasterWorld member. This outreach by Google was the initiative of 1 Googler, Matt Cutts. Different Googlers supplied interviews, however Matt Cutts, below the WebmasterWorld nickname of GoogleGuy, held two-way conversations with the search and writer group.

That is not the case at Google, which is basically again to one-way communication accompanied by intermittent social media outreach.

The search engine optimization group might share within the blame for this example, as some SEOs publish abusive responses on social media. Happily, these persons are within the minority, however that habits nonetheless places a chill on the few alternatives supplied to have a constructive dialogue.

It’s encouraging to listen to Illyes point out the online ecosystem, and it could be even additional encouraging to listen to Googlers, together with the CEO, focus extra on how they intend to steadiness the wants of the customers with these of the creators who publish content material, as a result of many really feel that Google’s present course shouldn’t be sustainable for publishers.

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