What Real-Time Google Search Means For PR
Yesterday, Google announced major changes to their search service with the integration of real-time search results.
Beginning in a few days, recent updates on sites like Twitter and brand new blog posts will appear on the search results page, exposing the millions of people who visit Google each month to conversations taking place within public communities. So, what does this mean for PR professionals?
All roads lead to Google
Google just became one the most valuable brand monitoring tools for PR pros. As David Meerman Scott points out, the integration of real-time search may eliminate our use of multiple applications for many of our searches. Relevant news, conversations and posts related to brands, products and keywords can now be found in one place. The site just became a one-stop shop for information.
Conversations are now front and center
The integration of real-time search means even non-savvy social media audiences will be exposed to conversations taking place all over the Web. Consider the positive or negative impact once dialogues about brands are easily visible to all. It can make your head spin.
Your Web strategy needs more than SEO
While search engine optimization will still be the real meat of a client’s Web strategy for the foreseeable future, agencies should consider exploring content marketing strategies. Google plans to show not just the most recent information within the real-time search box, but also the most relevant. Helping clients create and publish both search-friendly and incredibly relevant content on a regular basis just might be the way to win the real-time search war.
What’s next
Real-time search changes the game. How do you think PR should change because of it?
This post has 2 comments
December 9th, 2009
Frankly, this changes everything. SEO just became a lot more unpredictable — and potentially less valuable.
As you point out, if you weren’t ‘in the conversation’ (how I hate that term), you have to be now. The amount of information/data that’s being generated as a result of social engines is ungodly, and if you want relevance, you need to be creating content via these engines on a consistent basis. (That’s why I have to smile and bite my tongue when I hear of companies wanting a blog just to have one; they’ve no idea of the time and effort it takes to create good content consistently and share it across social nodes.)
Huge game changer, and Google gets there first. Other SEs will follow, and the old game will have just gotten obsoleted. Down the road, it’s all about engaging communities.
December 10th, 2009
It’s fun to watch other search outfits try to keep pace with Google, such as Yahoo!’s announcement today that it will incorporate Twitter results into hot-topic search results. http://bit.ly/90YwE1
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