Google Univeral Search - Is It Worth It?

A Recent trend has emerged to take Googles Search capabilities to a new height. There is talk going around about a new Universal Search that encompasses video, podcasting and more.... This is a good idea since this is where everything seems to be heading.....

Here is some straight talk:

Pandia: Another important change is Google’s gradual implementation of “Universal Search”. This means that the company will try to blend search results from various “vertical search services” (like news, blog, video and image search) into regular web search results.
This will make it even harder to get into that first page of results, won’t it?

Kalena: Yes. Universal Search will change the way people search as a whole, therefore impacting the existing business models of SEO and SEM firms.

It will boost the importance of non-text content within web sites, so for example, image and video content will become major marketing channels in their own right, rather than tools to attract visitors to text content. Search marketing firms can no longer rely on the optimization of web pages to gain top SERP positions for clients.

Pandia: What can a Webmaster do to increase her chances of getting listed in the alternative Google search databases? Does she have to set up blogs, produce videos and serve news?

Kalena: The goal posts have shifted again and webmasters need to rethink their strategy, as do SEM firms. A holistic approach incorporating social media, product placement, PR, blog and viral marketing, video and image optimization as well as traditional SEO and SEM/PPC may be required, or a smaller combination of these channels. It really depends on what the site’s target market is searching for.

It may require some time to study searcher patterns on Google’s new Interface before you decide on an approach. On the positive side, Universal Search provides a tremendous opportunity to get the jump on competitors who are slower to implement these tactics.

You can see the whole article here:
http://www.pandia.com/sew/456-jordan.html

Ted Cantu posted this article on May 23, 2007 at 1:45 am and can be found at http://www.1seomichigan.com