While reading Harry McCracken's rather insightful article on
Google Instant in
PCWorld ,
I was reminded once again, how narrowly focused my own thinking
has become in regards to Google. I keep forgetting, not everybody
is into SEO or Internet Marketing (lucky dogs), and that Google
search has a function outside of SEO.
I keep forgetting that the general public actually uses Google
for online search, there are millions of web users out there who
have been using Google Instant to find out the weather, the
latest Lady Gaga outfit or which flat-screen HDTV to purchase? Of
course, I know this to be the real function of Google, but if
you're a full-time search engine marketer, your perspective is
solidly aligned to all the SEO elements - keyword rankings, link
building and content placemént in the most dominant search
engine in the world.
Basically, you will be more concerned with how Google Instant
will impact those top keyword rankings, your click-through rates
and most importantly, what effect will it have on your
conversion rates and sales? More specifically, how does this
instant search impact the display of your listings in Google and
what are the long-term ramifications this instant "real time"
display will have on your marketing online?
There are even some so-called experts which say Google Instant
will be the end of SEO. This is a rather foolish notion since
the underlying structure of using optimized strategies to obtain
top rankings in Google or any other search engine for that
matter, has not changed. We still have the emphasis on quality
content, high quality backlinks and on-page ranking factors.
In the background nothing has changed; in the foreground
everything has changed. Well, somewhat.
Google Instant is a game changer for online marketers simply
because it changes "How" your listings are displayed. Not only
is the faster speed a factor, but Google is guessing or rather
dictating what the web surfer is searching for so Google's
influence on what's displayed has increased 10-fold. They are
displaying results not only based on rankings BUT on what their
data tells them you're looking for? How big a role this other
compiled data and web users' histories plays in these
suggestions only Google knows, but to the online marketer all
this is somewhat worrisome.
Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google has been quoted as saying,
"Never underestimate the power of fast. Quick, quick, quick -
we want to help you right now... we can understand things like
what you really meant."
Only time will tell what effect this "jumping the gun" or
"making up your mind for you" will have on Internet marketing.
The long-lasting effect of Google imposing its results on the
web searcher will no doubt have some strong impacts on web
marketing. Getting those first suggestions when a surfer types
in just one or two letters... will become the real money-makers
in terms of online traffic and sales.
Those companies and products which pop-up first will gain in
market share and importance, but hasn't this always been the
case with getting those first place keyword rankings in Google?
Yes, but now Google is giving the searcher options and planting
seeds/suggestions, which Google has done in the past but not at
this speed and to this extent. The implications for online
marketing could be enormous, assuming of course, web surfers
actually use this function. Google does give users the option
of turning off Instant search. In our hurried fast-paced
world, one would reason, web searchers would not turn off this
function, although if your Internet connection is too slow,
Google will automatically turn off Instant search for you.
From a marketing angle, webmasters must now note Google's
keyword suggestions which quickly pop-up and target them in
their SEO efforts. Analyzing and targeting which keyword phrases
Google is displaying in your niche market will be vital to
capturing the majority of traffic. Surfers will click on
Google's suggestions to find what they're looking for on the
web. Getting top rankings for those 4 or 5 suggestions will
become important if an online marketer or webmaster wants to
cover/corner all the search territory in their niche. Whether
you actually target these keywords would really be determined by
their commercial intent probability which can be discovered by
using
Microsoft's Adcenter Labs
and of course, the amount of traffic each keyword gets each month. (Try here:
Google Keyword Tool.
Another area of concern has to do with the ever decreasing space
for organic listings on the new Google Instant interface. With
the drop-down menu and depending upon how many paid listings are
shown, there may only be room for 3 listings instead of five or
more above the fold. Keep in mind, we are mainly talking about
lucrative keyword phrases which will also usually have three
Adwords paid listings in the spots where organic search results
were formerly displayed. Searchers are lazy, they will probably
not scroll down, especially if they see different listings
popping up as they narrow they search. So your SEO has probably
gotten much harder since you will now have to aim for the top 3
spots - thanks Google.
Of course, savvy online marketers know the real gold is in the
long-tail keyword phrases which surfers use to find what
they're looking for on the web. Google Instant could possibly
play havoc on this whole process because before the searcher
finishes typing in the long 4 or even 5 word phrases, they would
be exposed to maybe 4 or 5 pages of Google listings... chances
are great that searchers will click on one of these listings
before they finish typing, especially if the listing contains a
part of the searched for phrase.
Marketers will have to closely analyze their own web stats and
conversion rates in regards to Google Instant. I am seeing
little change in my own marketing... traffic has dropped
on some sites and risen on others, subscription rates are up and
sales are steady. What really concerns me is the fact that
Google may not only be pre-judging their rankings but also your
mind. They are playing a much bigger role in how you decide
which listing you click. Granted, this is probably drawn from
unbiased data but will the influence of top-brand companies be
more dominant in Google's Instant results?
Another general concern - will the display of so many listings
make it harder for your site or page to be clicked? Will giving
the searcher so many options so quickly, lower your chances of
getting that click-thru, even if you have the top spot in
Google? The laws of probability and human nature say your
chances have diminished somewhat in this new instant search
environment. Not good news if your livelihood depends upon
getting that click.
However, many of these changes (and no matter how fast Google
gives you their search results) will not change the fundamental
principles of good SEO practices. Keyword positioning will still
get you to the number one spot in Google for your chosen phrase
if you have the time and resources to create quality content,
build quality one-way backlinks and use good on-page
optimization. Besides the smaller emphasis on organic traffic,
the only other real concern is the degree to which Google will
use their suggestions and how much those suggestions are based
not on SEO ranking factors but on users' histories and compiled
data. Even with this concern, Google Instant, even at warp
speed, does not negate the importance of getting those top
rankings. For many search engine marketers, like myself, it's
business as usual. Full speed ahead.