When an everyday internet user searches for something on a search engine, they are presented with a Search Engine Results Page, or SERP. This SERP can have paid or sponsored results – usually always at the top and the right, and coloured slightly differently to the other results – and then the normal or “organic” results, almost always in a 1-10 list. These results are compiled of the most relative websites, decided by the Search Engine’s algorithm, for the search term you have entered into the search bar.
Google is currently the market leader when it comes to search engines, with around 60% of internet users (globally, as geographical results vary) starting their internet experience with Google’s homepage or toolbar. In 2008, Google released some new features and tools such as Google Custom Search, Google wiki, and an improved google Universal search. It is this latter item that any online business needs to concentrate on most.
Up until now, the SERPs provide a list of websites – as mentioned from 1-10 - which we could consider to be a “horizontal” search page. Any search term can throw up thousands of pages, all ranked by the search engine and all in a horizontal format. Google’s Universal Search aims to improve search results based on a cross section of possible outcomes for your search term. There are apparently 17 variables which enter into this Universal search result, including blogs, books, articles, news, images, video, music, etc. The idea behind Universal search - as always with Google - is to provide a better search experience for the end user of Google. The logic is also simple. If you were to search for “repair windows” after a severe storm has damaged part of your property, all likelihood is that the first 2 or 3 pages would be dedicated to Microsoft Windows errors and ways to fix this. Imagine if the new SERP threw up a video of how to change your own window, images of new windows and your local window fitter to boot?
Never before has internet exposure been more important, but not only through your website. Sure, this is your portal to show the world your company at length, but it is just as important to employ other e-marketing techniques to ensure that you don’t get left behind. If you can spread the word about your product - especially if you’re a start-up business or a small business owner – then you stand a better chance of being found by your customers.
