Reality setting in: What Google’s real-time search means to businesses
Online marketers have long preached the importance of search engine optimization. Make sure you’re mindful of keywords when writing Web site or blog content. Make sure your title tags explain your site or post effectively. Tag your entries appropriately and work with your colleagues and partners to ensure you are creating a community of links.
Sure, these are all still relevant tips to help generate organic traffic. But what happened just yesterday adds a very thick layer to the SEO equation.
Twitter made us see what could be possible with real-time search. Bing made it mainstream when they integrated Twitter into their results. But now, the standard, the behemoth of search and all things information — Google — has made real-time a critical piece of its trusted results. Reality is setting in — and things have changed in a big way.
When I started exploring Google real-time search, the first thing I searched for was “SmartBrief.” I was startled, excited and frightened all at once. Our primary product(s) — industry newsletters and our company home page — fall below the real-time results! So what does a user see first when hunting for SmartBrief? A tweet from someone commenting about an article they found via SmartBrief, a tweet @smartbrief sent out with the #aviation hashtag. This is a serious shock to the system.
While many of us in the social media community might “get it,” I can’t help but think of folks like my mom. She might just want to know how to sign up for our ASCD SmartBrief newsletter for teachers and school principals. Next thing you know, she’s linking to a marketer in Ohio’s Twitter account who liked a blog post on what Foursquare might mean for businesses. She’s lost — and we’ve lost our chance to convert her to a subscriber.
All of a sudden, your “social brand” is front and center and has the potential to drive top-line results for those who are actually searching for your product. Still comfortable with that intern running your Twitter account?
The reality is that what might come up first (or second, or third) is happening right now. And what’s happening right now is not always going to be on target — or even positive, for that matter — because chances are, it will not come from you. More than ever, the activities and voices of others will determine your fate. The customer/end user has grabbed even more control, and we have to be ready to react, engage and help them tell the story that’s going to be on the front page of Google.
How do you see this shift affecting your business? Are you optimistic or more concerned about these changes?
Image credit, ssuni via iStock
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Tags: Google, Social Search
Categories: Ideas in Action, Social Search
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Posted by Twitter Trackbacks for SmartBlog On Social Media » Reality setting in: What Google’s real-time search means to businesses [smartblogs.com] on Topsy.com on December 8th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
[...] SmartBlog On Social Media » Reality setting in: What Google’s real-time search means to businesse… smartblogs.com/socialmedia/2009/12/08/reality-setting-in-what-googles-real-time-search-means-to-businesses – view page – cached Online marketers have long preached the importance of search engine optimization. Make sure you’re mindful of keywords when writing Web site or blog content. Make sure your title tags… Read moreOnline marketers have long preached the importance of search engine optimization. Make sure you’re mindful of keywords when writing Web site or blog content. Make sure your title tags explain your site or post effectively. Tag your entries appropriately and work with your colleagues and partners to ensure you are creating a community of links. View page [...]
Posted by Kevin Courteau on December 8th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Why mix search and social media? Don’t these apps serve different purposes? When searching for industry topis and solutions this seems like too much clutter.
But suitable for keeping abreast of the Tiger Woods trangresions saga, or asking opinons about the latest movie or books.
So more of a consumer value than a business value.
Not the end of social media, but perhaps the end for other search engines – more comments on my blog at:
http://blogs.globalcrossing.com/?q=category/blog-topic/anywhere-connectivity
Posted by Spenser on December 8th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
The problem is that we’ve now completely embraced the transient nature of social media. Top level organic results are placed below those most relative to a conversation; however the downside is, these transient comments hold almost no weight between searchers as they appear and disappear at the same rate. What value is that at all if the search results are different for every user?
Posted by Rob Birgfeld on December 8th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Kevin – exactly my point in bringing up my mom. It took her a while, but now she knows to “Google” something. On one hand, this disrupts the very nature of pure research. On the other hand, we live in a time were time is part of the relevancy equation. My guess is that we’ll have to end up somewhere in between. Seems to me that Google might have to pull back from the prevalent placement of such results.
Spenser–really good points. And once everyone can “manage” their own results via a Google account, we really will have unique results. One thing that will be interesting to see is if this type of “social activity” has any sort of affect on organic results. For instance, will many tweets and/or updates give one car manufacturer higher results than other in organic?
Posted by Daniel C Berman » Telling Your Story Via Social Media on December 8th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
[...] Media to Retain Customers – ANALYSIS: 12 Social Media New Year’s Resolutions For 2010 – ANALYSIS: Reality setting in: What Google’s real-time search means to businesses – HOW TO: Find (And Vet) Digital Marketing/PR Talent – ANALYSIS: Email As Social Media [...]
Posted by Real Time Search & Social Media: Time Waits For No Man on December 9th, 2009 at 5:53 am
[...] your eyes on the real-time search topic, seek it out. It’s more than just another prediction for 2010, it’s happening now. Let’s be [...]
Posted by Catherine on December 9th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
This is a wonderful article. I just had to comment, because I LOVE that you brought up good ol’ Mom. I find myself taking that step back a lot, but in my case, I think about What Would My Father Do? He’s not particularly savvy online, so if I can explain it to him in a way that he understands, I feel pretty confident that anyone else can understand as well.
Posted by Nick Cavarra on December 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Finally, the folks like us that love social media will get a chance to sit at the grown up table. I’m so tired of hearing but social marketing is “free” – maybe the tools are, but the human capital isn’t! Perhaps now clients will finally “get it” and realize the value social media plays in their business and brand awareness.
Posted by Howie @Sky Pulse Media on December 9th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
But is real time relevant? I searched for Smart Brief. None of the real time results meant anything to me. They gave me zero value. It was the normal results that brought the real value. I entered Coca Cola. The real time results were Twitter nonsense of people saying the had Coke or Diet Coke with lunch. Do I need to see Smart Brief articles the second they are uploaded? Not really. And unless there is a massive recall of poisonous Coke, which I doubt I would learn from Google first.
Business Week did a great piece on the Social Media Snake Oil Salespeople. Folks should read it.
Posted by Rob Birgfeld on December 9th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Howie – I agree with your hesitations re: what is relevant and what is not. This is why I think this will be a “work in progress” for Google for some time. It’s incredibly high real-estate for something that mostly applies to those highly engaged in social media channels. However, the reality is that it’s here and we have to learn how to work with it. I, for one, am looking to see how we can do a better job with our Facebook updates and with the @smartbrief Twitter account. It’s going to take some time– but it’s suddenly mission critical.
Catherine – glad to see your dad has the very same issues. I’m expecting a call from my mom tonight telling me that her “google is broken” and asking me to come over and fix it.
Posted by sambeal on December 9th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
ours is not to wonder why,
ours but to do and to …
benefit from the dynamic world we live it.
@sambeal
Posted by What Google’s real-time search means to businesses | The Perfect Storm Team on December 10th, 2009 at 12:30 am
[...] SmartBlog On Social Media » Reality setting in: What Google’s real-time search means to businesse…. Submit this to Script & StyleShare this on BlinklistShare this on del.icio.usDigg this!Post this on DiigoShare this on RedditBuzz up!Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on TechnoratiShare this on MixxPost this to MySpaceSubmit this to DesignFloatShare this on FacebookTweet This!Subscribe to the comments for this post?Share this on LinkedinSeed this on NewsvineShare this on DevmarksAdd this to Google BookmarksAdd this to Mister WongAdd this to IzebyShare this on TipdShare this on PFBuzzShare this on FriendFeedMark this on BlogMarksSubmit this to TwittleyShare this on Fwisp Categorized in Google Tags: businesses, Google, Real-time search [...]
Posted by Shyam Kapur on December 10th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
This has to be one of the insightful posts written on the web so far on the launch of Google’s real-time search. It is clear that this is bold, timely move from Google is likely to lead to a massive shake up in the entire search industry. How the various pieces fall after all the dust is cleared is anybody’s guess. I also believe that a service like TipTop at http://FeelTipTop.com continues to offer to users and marketers something that Google cannot easily replicate.
Posted by Google real-time search – WTH is going to happen now? : Vestor Logic on December 11th, 2009 at 9:09 am
[...] yesterday I read an insightful post from Rob Birgfeld on SmartBlog On Social Media called Reality setting in: What Google’s real-time search means to businesses. He brought up some very interesting points. In his post he used a different example, but what [...]
Posted by Gianluigi Cuccureddu on December 14th, 2009 at 1:39 am
My skeptic goes to the following two possible scenarios:
* Will real-time efforts be mechanized just to make sure that people or companies rank high in the search results?
* If Google will prove its importance to real-time search, what about SPAM just to make sure that people or companies rank high in the search results?
Other questions it raises:
http://agoramedia.co.uk/blog/social-media/googles-real-time-search-results-and-the-questions-it-raises/
Posted by Networked Insights » Overheard during the week ending 12/07/09 on December 14th, 2009 at 9:44 am
[...] I call your “search-engine optimization” and raise you “real-time search” plus a huge dose of social-branding reality. The nimble behemoth continues to evolve as Google integrates real-time search. [...]
Posted by Web Marketing Therapy » Blog Archive » Use SmartBrief To Get the Latest Marketing & Social Media News on December 15th, 2009 at 10:28 am
[...] All of a sudden, your ’social brand’ is front and center and has the potential to drive top-line results for those who are actually searching for your product. Still comfortable with that intern running your Twitter account?” –Rob Birgfeld, writing on SmartBlog on Social Media [...]
Posted by Link Post for December 15th through December 16th on December 17th, 2009 at 10:01 am
[...] SmartBlog On Social Media » Reality setting in: What Google’s real-time search means to … – Twitter made us see what could be possible with real-time search. Bing made it mainstream when they integrated Twitter into their results. But now, the standard, the behemoth of search and all things information — Google — has made real-time a critical piece of its trusted results. Reality is setting in — and things have changed in a big way. [...]
Posted by SmartBlog On Social Media » Real time search: 4 questions that deserve answers on December 21st, 2009 at 5:32 am
[...] week’s post on Google’s introduction of “real-time” search sparked quite a bit of discussion. What we saw were quite a few questions, concerns and fears about [...]
Posted by Twitter marketing for Inns and BnB’s Part 7 « Chefforfeng's Weblog on January 19th, 2010 at 9:09 am
[...] change that happened fairly recently was the advent of Real Time Search Hitting the Search Engines, http://smartblogs.com/socialmedia/2009/12/08/reality-setting-in-what-googles-real-time-search-means-... and http://socialmediab2b.com/2009/12/google-real-time-search-b2b/ are some good articles to take a [...]
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[...] search has become an enormous issue for many marketers in 2010, and we’ve covered the dramatic shift as social media becomes a larger part of the search [...]
Posted by Nwankama W Nwankama on February 23rd, 2010 at 7:24 am
Google's real-time search: a big boost for Twitter and bad for the rest of us.