Google Instant – Implications For SEO & Internet Marketing



BWMagic’s Internet Marketing News


Google Instant – Implications For SEO & Internet Marketing




Here’s a more detailed follow-up to last week post on Google
Instant. After only of a week of testing, I believe these
recent changes within Google will have more impact than
I first thought. Here are some of my views and findings…



Google Spot!








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 everyone is into SEO
or Internet Marketing (lucky bastards), 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 buy?
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 placement 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 display will have on your online marketing?

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, 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.


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. The implications for online
marketing could be enormous, assuming of course, web surfers actually use this function
because 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 are 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 Laps
and of course, the amount of traffic each keyword gets each month.

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 down their 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 online marketing… traffic has dropped
on some sites and risen on others, subscription rates are up and sales are steady. Other web
marketers have seen a bigger jump in traffic and sales from Google Instant.

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.

There is also a Star function which “logged in” Google users can click to
bookmark their personal choices, these listings will be at the top under
“Starred Results” if you search the same keywords again.

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
in 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, doesn’t negate the importance of getting those top rankings.


For many search engine marketers, like myself, it’s business as usual. Full speed ahead.

To read more on my first impressions of Google Instant go here:


Google Instant Search – Faster Than The Speed Of Type




Helping You Succeed Online Since 2002!

Kind Regards,
Titus

http://www.bizwaremagic.com

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Google at Warp Speed – Does Google Instant Change SEO or Online Marketing?



BWMagic’s Internet Marketing News


Google at Warp Speed – Does Google Instant Change SEO or Online Marketing?





Does the introduction of Google Instant Search
really change how one markets online…


The introduction of Google Instant took me by complete surprise, even
though I knew they were playing around with the logo in some very strange ways, I
still didn’t expect such a novel change to how they displayed their SERPs.

The speed was truly blinding, not to mention somewhat confusing at
first until you quickly got used to it. Experiencing Instant Search
for the first time sent shivers down my spine and probably not for the
reasons you’re thinking.

As a full-time online marketer, Google directly or indirectly, accounts
for around 80% of my online income.

Any changes within Google, even small ones, can sometimes have devastating
effects on that income. Such a major change as Google Instant may have long-lasting effects and may even be a total game-changer in regards to SEO and
online marketing.

At least that was my first gut reaction, but calmer heads do prevail after
the initial shock of this warp speed search wore off. For me, it is all about
the numbers – traffic numbers, subscriptions, page impression numbers, click-thru
numbers and of course, the most vital of all – sales numbers.

Throughout yesterday and today, I kept monitoring those numbers as if my livelihood
depended upon it, which it does. Thankfully, what I saw and am seeing does not
cause me to be alarmed – it’s business as usual. There is not much difference,
actually my subscription, traffic and sales numbers are up slightly since Google Instant
has gone live.

Of course, Google Live is only available in some countries yet so the full impact
can’t really be judged, but first impressions have me a little relieved. From
those first impressions, I don’t believe Google Instant will drastically change
SEO or even online marketing.

Sitepronews has a very good discussion of this question on their site, it might
be worth your while to get second opinions on this issue.

Does Google Instant Mark The End of SEO?


There are even some people saying it will kill SEO, which is totally ridiculous
in my opinion, any webmaster can still optimize his site/content to rank at the
top of Google. How and at what speed Google chooses to display those top listings
doesn’t really stop the flow of targeted traffic to your site – it actually speeds
up that flow of traffic.

Which can be very good news for those who have those top rankings in Google,
your listings will instantly appear, even before the searcher has finished
typing your targeted keyword phrase. More power to Google and to you!

Some observers are saying Google is displaying too many top brands in their
results – or they are favoring the top brands. I have seen this happen in many
of my own keyword phrases but to be fair, these top brands have not completely
dominated Google’s listings. If they did, I and a lot of other small-time
online marketers would have been driven out of business years ago.

Google seems to have found a balance or perhaps they’re just displaying
the true rankings which come to them from their many different ranking
systems and countless rules… stranger things have happened. These brand
names are becoming more important in Google, but in the back of my mind,
I am figuring this is because large multi-national companies are finally
seeing the true benefits of SEO and are putting more of their resources
into getting those top spots in Google.

As for Google Instant, it will benefit sites and marketers who have
those top listings in Google. It will display their listings much faster
and bring those visitors much quicker. Or at least those are my first impressions
but it will take days, even weeks before the full ramifications of Google
Instant will have on web surfers and how they do their searching.

I am such there will have to minor tweaking to your SEO and some adjustments
to your online marketing, but for now it seems like business as usual and
it’s all keywords on deck, or rather at the top of Google.

To read more on my first impressions of Google Instant go here:


Google Instant Search – Faster Than The Speed Of Type




Helping You Succeed Online Since 2002!

Kind Regards,
Titus

http://www.bizwaremagic.com

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help spread the word – recommend this content by using
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My First Apple Product



BWMagic’s Internet Marketing News





My First Apple Product


And now for something a little different…

I am currently on vacation. If you can call it that because with
Internet marketing and making your living online, you’re on permanent
vacation, at least to your neighbors. They never see you go to work
and they still look at you kinda funny when they see you buying all
the latest toys. While I take time off, I always like to check out
the latest gadgets and gizmos on the market.

Last week I finally caved in and bought my first Apple product – the iPod Touch.
I was so impressed with this little contraction, less than a week later I
found myself making a 10 kilometer walk to my favorite tech store to buy
the iPad. Certifiable, or what?

Don’t know why, but I never bought into the whole Apple/Steve Jobs storyline.
Way too much manufactured coolness for my liking, besides Apple has always
seemed to me like the only high-tech company which has evolved into a
cult-like status. Something very unhealthy about the way Apple users fuss
over those little shiny silver objects – just not right.

However, after buying the iPod Touch, I completely understood why Apple can
draw such devotion from its die-hard fans. The Touch had me at “Slide to Unlock”.
The simple intuitive nature of this device is what finally dragged me into the
cheering section. I immediately liked the way it fit and felt in my hand on
one of my many daily walks.

My main purpose for buying the iPod was to have a Walkman (anyone remember those)
for walks and this Apple product does the job perfectly. It was worth the $200
price tag for me, but I am custom to spending ridiculous amounts of money on
gadgets and gizmos… having just bought a 3 grand Samsung 3D TV, the iPod was
rather cheap. This is for both business and pleasure. I am constantly writing
about tech products and examining the “Real McCoys” is part of the process.
I recently created a new site on 3D because I believe over the next few years
it has a slight chance of entering the mainstream – especially in 3D gaming.

But the iPod is not only for music, I can surf the web with the Wi-Fi function,
but the small screen makes scrolling almost impossible. At least, for someone
on the wrong side of 50, who’s eyesight is no way near 20/20 the iPod can be
a real challenge. The typing function alone takes some getting used to but
the “texting thumbs” generation would probably have a field with this device.

Besides the music and video, the iPod has some handy features which are very
convenient to have, especially the email, calendar, calculator, maps and weather.
Not to mention the App Store which features hundreds of thousands of applications
you can download both free and ones that you will have to pay for.

Overall, I was impressed with the first Apple product which I had bought.
Of course, once I had the iPod Touch, buying the iPad was the next logical
step for me. I simply had to have more viewing area and the iPad is simply
the iPod expanded to the power of 10. Some funny comparisons to aroused
naughty bits come readily to mind, but we won’t go there!

With the iPad, I knew exactly what I was buying but there was no reason I
could justify the purchase except for my poor eyesight. For after all the
iPad is the best useless thing I have ever bought, not counting the 3D TV
– which is still waiting for more 3D content to hit the market. The iPad is
totally puzzling, it is not a computer so you really can’t do much with it
except surf the web, and even that is rather difficult and takes some getting
used to, especially on web pages with many sub-menus. Of course, you can
download and read books but I haven’t tried that yet – don’t know if I can
ever get used to reading a book on an electronic device. I am purely “old school”
and I still like the heavyweight of Stephen King’s “Under The Dome” in my hands.
Thank You!

The iPad is rather useless but totally entertaining. I like the feel of it
and simple tasks like email and simple web surfing are rather enjoyable.
So too is watching videos, especially YouTube ones. Can’t wait to further
explore this handy little device and write more about it.

I believe my main beef with Apple is the lack of a search engine. Apple and
Apple products do need their own search engine, one that is different from Google
or Bing. We need something to replace Yahoo… Apple fanatics should demand
nothing less.

Obviously, if Apple wants to play with the Big Boys and have any kind of
a real stake in the web of the future, it simply has to develop its own
search engine, sooner rather than later. From a marketing perspective,
why Apple hasn’t developed its own search engine to go along with its
countless millions of devices, is totally perplexing. Talk about a
missed opportunity.

Just think about it… Apple has its own operating systems, computers, browser…
having its own search engine would be the next logical step for a company so
controlling as Apple. It’s almost like a running punch line which never comes,
I keep expecting Steve Jobs to stand on that stage and quietly open up an
Apple Search engine to loud applause for its many cult-like followers in
the audience. But the punch line never comes…

And if it doesn’t come, the last joke will definitely be on Apple,
regardless of how many revolutionary products they have in the pipeline.
Mainly because without its own search engine Apple will never reach its
full potential. It will also have to play second fiddle to Google and Microsoft.
In the long run, that’s not going to be any fun or even very profitable for Apple.




Helping You Succeed Online Since 2002!

Kind Regards,
Titus

http://www.bizwaremagic.com

Did you find the above information helpful? If so, why not
help spread the word – recommend this content by using
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