> BlogBy now you may have noticed the new Google Search interface. Launched in May this year, the new look has been a work in progress. Google has introduced several new technologies over the past 3 years: Universal Search, Search Options Panel and Google Squared. These three technologies have now joined forces resulting in the new Google Search interface (with the new left-hand navigation panel) that we see today. Even if you haven’t noticed this recent change, it is more than likely that the people within your target market have and if your website hasn’t been optimised to take advantage of Google’s latest update, you will find it very difficult to compete effectively in the online marketplace.
The new format (which has been likened to Bing’s Search interface) gives users more choice in terms of refining their initial search query and thus finding exactly what they are after. No longer are users limited to text based search results; the new interface includes all of Google’s search verticals which include: images, videos, blogs, maps, news, shopping, books and discussions. Once a user enters a query into Google’s search box, they can then switch between the search vertical options (see image below) to see results relating to their initial query but in one or more of the vertical formats noted above.
Another feature of this new interface is the ability to narrow one’s search according to a particular timeframe. Searchers can now view search results according to most recent, past 24 hours, past week, past month, past year or set their own custom date range.
New Features at a Glance:
- new left-hand navigation panel
- new modern look and feel, updated colours and logo
- pages from NZ has moved to the left-hand navigation panel (you may remember this used to be a radio button under the search bar)
So what does this mean for you the website owner? If you have a website chances are your website includes images, videos and/or a blog about your products and/or services. But if your website hasn’t been optimised for these search verticals you could potentially be missing out on appearing for hundreds of search queries. For example, if you have a selection of product images on your website, have these product images been optimised to appear in Google’s image search? Consider those consumers who like to see what a products looks like before making a purchasing decision.
Google’s main goal for its search products has always been to provide users with relevant and timely information. The latest search functionality update helps users during both the information gathering and decision making processes, offering them a range of search options that they may not have known existed before, which essentially is creating a new generation of savvier searches.
It is now imperative to make sure that you (the website owner) are doing all you can to compete effectively in the increasingly competitive online marketplace. This is why thousands of website owners invest in the ongoing services of professional search engine optimisation (SEO) experts. SEO specialists stay abreast of all the major search engine changes and updates to ensure that your website is well positioned to compete effectively in the online marketplace.
