A familiar face is back in the mobile world, and they brought a new friend to shake things up a bit.
Confused? Google (the familiar face) is making a strong reemergence into the smartphone hardware world with their new phone, Google Pixel (the new friend).
Initial reviews of the Pixel look promising. Journalists appear especially impressed with the introduction of Google’s new voice-assisted search platform, Google assistant.
Google assistant is, in Google’s own words, the “next evolution” of Google search. As marketers, this immediately piqued our attention.
According to Google’s own data, 55 percent of teens and 41 percent of adults use voice search more than once a day. Averaged out, that’s just under a 50 percent adoption rate for voice search.
It’s a safe assumption that voice assistants are quickly becoming the new fad in mobile search queries. We’ve had to ask ourselves, how does this affect mobile SEO?
The answer is somewhat murky. We’ll say with confidence it absolutely does affect mobile SEO, we’re just not sure exactly how much.
Let’s take a look at what we know so far.
Changing The Way We Use Keywords
The basis of good SEO is strong keyword strings.
Current mobile SEO strategy is based on long-tail keywords people search for on the go. More often than not, these keywords include location.
Google’s recent “Possum” update solidified this as the go-to mobile SEO strategy. Possum revamped how Google handles location within a local search.
Previously, businesses outside a city’s limits would incur a penalty for including the city name in their keywords. Since Possum, including a nearby city’s name increases search rank.
Because voice search is heavily dependent on accurate location results, Possum allows suburban businesses visibility when someone searches within city limits.
However, not everything migrates so easily to voice search. The written word does not always translate well into the spoken word.
Keywords from voice search are generated by your natural speaking patterns. For example, “I’m looking for a dyson vacuum in Boulder, CO” is a natural voice search, but doesn’t translate well into a traditional Google search.
Start thinking about how your customers speak, not what they type.
The Bare Necessities
Start pinpointing what results voice search users are after.
Traditional mobile search analysis shows that 4 in 5 consumers conduct local searches on search engines. Eighty-eight percent of these consumers admitted to conducting these searches on their smartphone.
It’s reasonable to conclude this trend will continue with voice search. So what do smartphone searches return? Basic information on local business.
Google has decided that smartphone users are searching for quick and easy information. Phone numbers, web addresses, and physical addresses all are on the cards.
It’s no secret why they’ve chosen this strategy. Sixty-eight percent of consumers used smartphone listings to call a local business.
Get a leg up by adding your business to Google My Business. The service allows local business to update their basic information within Google’s database. The more Google knows, the better you’ll rank.
Are Paid Listings A Thing of the Past?
We wish we knew for sure. Paid results appear every time someone searches Google.
What we’re unsure of, is if paid results will appear in voice search. After all, voice searches are tailored to return the answer to your question, not multiple results.
Google could seriously upset the balance of mobile SEO if they allow companies to buy voice search results. Organic traffic could become a thing of the past.
It’s definitely something to keep a close eye on as Google assistant develops.
The increased popularity of voice assisted search is sure to shake up SEO in the upcoming years. Google seems poised lead the way with Google assistant, but Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa are also in the mix.
Remember, mobile SEO is always changing. Those of us that stay ahead of the curve will always have a leg up on the competition.
Do you wake up and think about Google? Does your day revolve around Google? When you bite into your lunch do you ask yourself – What’s Google doing right now? This video is for you. A recent keynote given on AdWords and analytics. Yes it’s an hour or so long but if you have some time to kill check it out.
Did you know that Sellotape, Velcro and Jet Ski aren’t generic names, but brand names? This phenomenon is the process by which registered, trademarked brand names replace the generic term in a market where they have widespread brand recognition, usually to the point of complete saturation. You don’t buy a hot tub, you buy a Jacuzzi. You don’t use inline skates, you use Rollerblades.
You don’t search the internet for something, you “Google it”.
In the western world, Google enjoys the vast majority of market share when it comes to search engine enquiries. There are some rivals, like Bing, that try to hack away at Google anyway they can, but they cower in the shadow cast by the search giant. And it has been this way for some time, with many casualties along the way (Ask Jeeves anyone?). This success has allowed Google to roll into other markets at or around the top, be it with smartphones, wearable tech, or GPS systems.
Google certain is the most dominant search engine in the world, but it doesn’t have a stranglehold on every international market in the world. There are some countries where you don’t “Google” something. Here are some examples.
Naver
Perhaps the biggest gulf in search engine market share between Google and an international rival is in South Korea. There, the homegrown Naver portal is the preferred, go-to option. It used to be powered by Yahoo, but they have since split and developed their own engine. Similar to Google, it is very basic by design, and pretty much impenetrable for anybody who doesn’t speak Korean, but they aren’t trying to appeal to anybody else.
For those wondering, Naver’s market share in South Korea is 49.75%, compared to Google’s 36.9%. Google are closing in, so Naver say never.
Baidu
The Chinese Google, Baidu has a whopping 70%+ market share in its homeland. Google China was established in 2005 to compete with it, but its market share dropped as low as 1.7% in 2013. And it’s not hard to picture why – Baidu offer a very similar range of services for the Chinese speaking population.
Baidu Maps, Baidu Cloud, Baidu Space (a social media platform) and Baidu Encyclopedia (the Chinese Wikipedia) mean that Chinese users don’t need Google to supplement any of the usual services the American site provides. So it’s hard to imagine Google dislodging them any time soon.
Seznam
While Google may have less market share in Asia, Europe is a stronghold. But there are some exceptions, chief among which is the Czech Republic. Seznam is a search engine that has been the dominant option for a good long while, staving off Google, despite the American giant gaining ground.
Over the border in Slovakia, Google has overtaken Seznam. It may only be a matter of time before Google takes the lead in the Czech Republic too, but Seznam may be able to hold them off for a while. There are differences (Seznam looks more like a traditional news website/Wikipedia than a clean search engine platform) that could work in Seznam’s favor if the public prefer its text heavy approach, but Google could always adopt a different style more in line with Seznam’s if they ever really wanted to make a push for the No. 1 spot.
2014 had many awesome changes, advancements and milestones in regards to Google Search. Check out this great video from Google recapping some of the greatest moments in search for 2014.
2014 Year in Search Infographic
Here is a great infographic by KOL Limited.
Google is not just a free search tool, it’s also a powerful business tool that can be used to build valuable visibility needed to grow a business. Here are 5 businesses that have gone Google.
Astley Clarke
Philz Coffee
Ocado
Celio
Woolworths
I always thought the VW brand was cool but I didn’t realize just how cool they were until they teamed up with Google to create an in-car driving experience.
Google is consistently trying to establish the importance of Google+ and this is one of those initiatives the shows the stride Google has placed in it’s social networking platform.
YouTube Video
VW Video
Go ahead visit the site now and take a look at what they are doing.
Over the past few months, there has been great anticipation regarding the release of Google Glass to the general public. A device like this would enable people to harness the power of Google wherever they are – in the form of an optical head-mounted display device. It could even display information to users in a smartphone-like and hands-free format while enabling them to communicate with the internet by means of voice commands.
A Closer Look at Google Glass
A few years ago, nobody would have believed that creating, developing and using a product as futuristic and advanced like Google Glass would be even close to being possible. Even now, it seems almost surreal to think that you would be able to connect to the world by means of a simple wearable headband. Who would think that it could be possible to take a picture of your surroundings by simply uttering the words, ‘take a picture’ or be able to enjoy the functionality of hands-free recording while watching your child play sport? Even better still, you could even be provided with the option of sharing these moments with anyone located anywhere in the world in real time.
Virtually Limitless Functionality
Wearers of the connected headband technology would even be able to get directions to where they are going – literally in front of their eyes. Being lost for words while negotiating a deal in a foreign country at an outdoor market could also soon be a thing of the past. Wearers of a device like this may be able to ask questions or even translate their voice in order to obtain information they require while being on the move. If you’re out and about and need information regarding what an item is, or you would like to know more about something, wearers can simply say the words, ‘Google bicycle,’ and the results can be displayed before your eyes on a tiny head-mounted screen display.
The Possibility of Google Glass Apps
In most cases, the amount of available apps is what has contributed largely to the popularity levels of smart phones around the world. As we know, the range of available apps for these phones enables users to do virtually anything while on the move. Owing to the fact that these wearable computers could even be equipped with full internet functionality, there is no reason why an extensive range of apps could not be developed for use with devices like these as well. If predictions come to pass regarding an extensive Google Glass app community, there would be no telling what range of apps could be made available to use in conjunction with a device like this in years to come.
Limited Only by Imagination
Glass wearers would already be connected to the internet, so there would be no reason why they would not be able to make use of compatible apps while on the move. An example would be walking down a city street, realizing that they’re hungry and enabling a voice-activated app that will advise them on which restaurants or fast food places are available close by to satisfy an appetite. Or how about arriving on vacation in an unfamiliar city and looking for a motel or source of entertainment? Simply activate an appropriate app that will not only provide the address of the nearest motel and entertainment source, but it would only provide details for motels that still have vacancies.
Let Google do the Thinking
How about developing apps that will enable a user of devices like these to locate the best prices on consumer goods within a pre-determined radius? Or something that enables you to be directed to the nearest emergency medical facility during times of crisis? With the correct combination of app developers, options like these could very well become a reality in the very near future. In fact, it could even be possible to locate fellow users of devices like this within a designated area too – all by means of a simple voice command. This type of functionality would enable users to promote and enjoy a sense of community while spending time networking and getting to know new people.
When it comes to Google Glass marketing, one of the easiest ways to describe to people how the device works would be to state that it enables the people that you share your content with to see the world through your eyes. With Google Glass, everyone can be watching.
In September 2013, Google unleashed its new Web designer tool for developing interactive HTML 5 sites and banners. Touted as the professional quality visual tool, the Web Designer is now in its public beta stage and is available for Windows and Mac platforms.
The Purpose
The tool aims to enable the designers to create HTML5 sites and ads that are easily accessible from the end user’s mobile phone or desktop application. The search engine giant has recognized that the developers who are advertisers did not have the tools required for developing site essentials fit for cross-platform experiences. This is why it has introduced Web Designer so that such experiences become not only possible but also enjoyable.
The Features
At its center, this visual tool support HTML5 but you can also look into the corresponding CSS and JavaScript for optimizing the different site aspects. In fact, the tool enables you to manage your entire code from a built-in editor as well as preview your created components directly in a browser. It has all the popular options and features that are available in a few advanced tools such as Adobe Muse and Reflow. A few of these most interesting ones developed by Google are a free-drawing pen and timeline for tackling with the animations. In addition, Web Designer allows you to create 3D components by harnessing the power of CSS3 and offers an array of in-built components for maps, galleries, and YouTube videos. Talking about creating an animation, it is one of the chief abilities of the application. This is evident through the Quick mode for creating animations on scene basis as well as an advanced mode for having more control over page elements.
Here is a sample of videos from the Google Web Designer YouTube channel showcasing some of the robust features.
While the default layouts of the tool cater to double-click media ads and ad mobile ads, there is virtually nothing in Web Designer to hinder designing interactive Web pages and ads for other purposes. However, a few features are only made available for ads although the future may witness them for other purposes, such as for Web pages.
Unlike other tools that posses some features of this Google delight, Web Designer is available for free. This is exactly where the tool seems to win the race, as the brand is pressuring the rivals in competition. Therefore, this tool is likely to exceed the demand currently made for the existing ones.
Author Bio
Deb Steffe is a professional blogger as well as content writer working in a company based in California. Recently, she came across a site that offers Web designing services. Because she was impressed, she recommends going through Webcreationuk reviews.
If you have been active in the search engine marketing industry you will know that 2012 was an interesting year for Google updates. Penguin and Panda really took some people and organization for quite a ride.
From time to time Google does give us little hints and updates as to what is coming. In this video Matt Cutts discusses some pretty important areas of Penguin 2.0 which will be more fierce then the first round of Penguin (should be fun).
Penguin 2.0 Video
If you are not using Google Analytics on your website then you must be sleeping under a rock! GA has become a crucial data tool when analyzing and tracking website traffic & movement. Everyone from small mom & pop organizations to enterprise level businesses are using Google Analytics to make better, smarter marketing decisions.
Google produced this video to showcase how one large organization (http://www.pricegrabber.com) uses Google Analytics to understand their audience and how they navigate through their website.