AI Overviews in Switzerland: Le Temps Tackles the Challenge of Digital Impact

Monitoring, a New Puzzle for Publishers

With the arrival of AI Overviews, Le Temps immediately responded by forming a specialized marketing and audience team. This initiative aimed to avoid a panic reaction and to foster a deep understanding of the phenomenon, as explained by Bérangère Farcot. The Swiss media outlet had already anticipated this evolution, having observed the deployment of the technology in several Anglo-Saxon countries. The main objective was to determine which types of content would be affected, assess the impact on editorial production, and inform editorial decisions.

However, Le Temps quickly noticed a lack of adequate monitoring tools. At the time, the Google Search Console provided no visibility on audiences or the impacts of this new feature. Although Google has since added a specific report on the performance of generative AI, the data provided remains insufficient for publishers. In France, organizations like CPA, GESTE, and SPIIL have criticized this lack of transparency, highlighting the absence of essential data to evaluate the impact on site traffic and the use of publishers' content.

In light of this gap, Le Temps developed its own monitoring methodology. The team identified three segments of queries to analyze: those related to the brand, service-oriented and evergreen queries, and current affairs queries. By sampling the top-performing queries in Google Search and using the SerpAPI tool, they were able to check for the presence or absence of overviews on these queries. This pragmatic approach allowed Le Temps to better understand the potential impact of the feature.

Evergreen Content Loses Value, Brand Holds Strong

The data collected by Le Temps reveals a contrasting situation depending on the types of queries. Brand-related searches remain largely unaffected, with 97.3% of them displaying without an overview. This indicates that Google sees no interest in interfering between the user and the media they are actively seeking. In contrast, for current affairs queries, 13.5% are affected by an AI overview, a figure that has stabilized since last summer.

Evergreen and service-oriented content, such as guides and comparisons, are the most impacted by AI Overviews. The proportion of these affected queries has increased from 14% to 17% in one year, marking the highest rise among the studied segments. The click-through rate on these queries has been significantly reduced, dropping from 6.8% to 3.3% since the introduction of AI overviews.

For Le Temps, whose editorial offering relies on in-depth analyses and exclusive investigations, the impact is limited. However, media focused on practical information may face challenges if overviews provide sufficient answers for users, thereby reducing their need to click for more information.

The Response: Exclusive Content

To address these challenges, Le Temps has chosen to enhance the exclusivity of its content. This includes a bold approach to sensitive topics and in-depth coverage of certain events. For example, cycling coverage has been entrusted to a specialized journalist, Pierre Carrey, who offers detailed investigations and personal narratives during the Tour de France. These exclusive contents attract a considerable audience and generate numerous conversions.

Le Temps has also intensified its coverage on themes where it excels, such as watchmaking, finance, and cybersecurity, with dedicated full-time journalists. This strategy aims to capitalize on the added value of these areas and to stand out in a competitive media landscape.

At the same time, Le Temps pays particular attention to the trust of its readers, a crucial aspect in light of the rise of AI Overviews. The media values the identity of its journalists, strengthens its offline presence, particularly at events like the Salon du Livre, and fosters a direct connection with its subscribers by sharing behind-the-scenes insights from reporting.

What Risks for Information Reliability?

Beyond the numbers, the quality of information is a major concern for Le Temps. AI overviews can contain errors, posing a risk of misinformation. Bérangère Farcot emphasizes that some overviews have already conveyed incorrect information, which could harm the reliability of the content.

Moreover, Google's role is evolving. While it traditionally served as a mediator by redirecting users to media through links, it could now become a prescriber of information. This transformation raises questions about the potential impact on democratic vitality, particularly in a country like Switzerland where voting is a fundamental element of civic life.