Google Instant - An Instant Problem?

Our twitter feed exploded last week with phrases such as ‘SEO is dead’ and ‘what’s going to happen to PPC?!’ when Google decided to launch ‘Google Instant’, their quicker and, as the name suggests, instant search results update. If you haven’t had the chance to try it out yet (it will soon be live for all the UK), basically any search results appear immediately as you begin to type. For example, type in ‘Big’ and before you can finish typing, search results and ads relevant to the keyword ‘big’ will appear instantly.

Now continue to type ‘blue’ and again, results appear instantly before you even finish writing the whole word, giving results for ‘Big Brother’ the TV series (now thankfully over), to ‘big blue filter’ ads when typing ‘big blue’.

Now im after a big blue sofa (who isnt?) so how has this affected my search? Have the new instant results helped my search? If I am trying to find a blue sofa, is an ad for blue filters really improving Google’s relevance?

To the user, this is only a small problem, as they can complete their full phrase search and find what they are looking for if the results beforehand don’t do the job. But for an advertiser, it could cause complications. Whilst searching for my big blue sofa with the words ‘big blue’, I stopped to look at the results and paused for about 4 seconds before continuing to type. In this 4 seconds, the ‘big blue filter’ ppc ad was shown, and according to Google, after a minimum of 3 seconds, an impression is recorded on the ad. I fail to see any results that would be of use to me and my search, therefore I continue typing the remainder of my search query. For the advertiser, this change will have a direct impact on impressions and CTR, but on the flip side, ‘predictive queries’ will inevitably expand reach and exposure to a larger audience than before.

On the evidence, it is vital that advertisers accept and adapt their strategies in line with Google Instant developments. A change in customer behaviour is inevitable for users searching online - knowingly searching with shorter keyword phrases because they have learnt that this is all they need to do from now on. In short, PPC is likely to be fine, it’s just a question of adapting after the initialperiod of ‘organised chaos’ which is inevitable whilst advertisers adapt and settle into the idea - changing the way we treat impression count and expanding keyword lists to focus on combinations of generic and long tail keywords to beat competiton.

As for SEO, all Instant has done has moved the goalposts. SEO strategies must now shift in-line with the implications of Instant:

- Use a greater combination of search phrases - generic, long tail and alternative keywords so you show up no matter what the variations a searcher may use

- Descriptions need to be all the more clear as users have less time than ever before to select their destination website

- When compiling SEO keywords and phrases, take into account Google’s suggestions to the user, as these will become more important and convenient to the user.

The main implication to SEO in my opinion is the need for more research, more detailed keyword analysis, and ultimately even more effort - Instant only ‘kills’ SEO if you’re not prepared to work for it.

In other news, Facebook have launched their Facebook Places in the UK today, allowing users to ‘check in’ with their exact locations, indentifying where you are in the world to your friends whether they want to know or not……I just hope some ‘friends’ don’t use this information to time a well executed robbery at your home, knowing exactly where you are…..and if they do, I just hope they don’t take my brand new big blue sofa.