Google took one step closer to answering my question before I even asked it with the implementation of Google Instant last week. I continue to be amazed at how quickly they take advantage of new technology that others are still trying to understand strategically. According to their website, it can save users 3-5 seconds per search.
Google Instant is something you don’t have to learn how to use; it simply takes advantage of AJAX technology (more is coming with HTML5) and uses it to predict what you’re looking for as you are typing. There is uproar in the search community as it is disruptive to the common practice of focusing on a few keywords. If you are buying Adwords, you are likely to have to invest in more of them and look closely at the phrases and beginning letters people use. So, things have become even more complicated for those who rely on their SEO team to bring them to the top of the search engine lists.
And, while Bing continues to struggle with its own differentiators, I see that I can now download a plug-in for Microsoft Outlook to integrate Facebook updates into it. Since Google improves the user experience but still lacks its own dominating social platform driver, what will happen if Facebook and Microsoft begin doing their own “instant” experience? The landscape for advertisers on the net continues to change and it won’t be long until the separation between search, social media, and collaboration tools is completely eliminated from the user’s experience.
I believe more effort will be required to remain at the top of the search rankings. It will no longer be left to an SEO “expert” but will become part of everyone’s basic task if they communicate on behalf of your business. Just like real life, you have to understand your customers’ issues and make sure to reflect an authentic understanding of it. Businesses will need to have many, real social media recommendations (such as “likes” on Facebook) and they’re going to be competing with more and more people who have grown up learning how to leverage their online presence. So, here at Ezults, as we get ready to release our own product that helps business leaders integrate authentic messaging, social media, and advancing collaboration tools so they rise to the top of search rankings, I get more and more excited about the future.
