Weekly Search Round Up Highlights in the world of search this week include Google releasing Zeitgeist 2011, festive fun on Google as well as an SMG point of view on Google natural search encryption plans. Also in this bumper end of year edition SMG look back on search in 2011, reveal top generic search queries by sector and look ahead to an ever evolving and competitive 2012 search future… Google Let It Snow 17 DECEMBER 2011 - Google have added some festive features to the search engine with snow and frosting when you type “let it snow” into the search box, have fun and enjoy the snow on screen! Also added is a small decorative treat when you Google “Christmas”… www.google.co.uk SMG Research Google‟s Natural Search Encryption 16 DECEMBER 2011 - Starcom MediaVest are set to launch a research project to examine the extent to which the natural search encryption across Google will affect its clients. www.nma.co.uk/news/starcom-mediavest-kicks-off-research-into-google%E2%80%99snatural-search-encryption/3032789.article POV: We’ll have to start making more assumptions. The effect may seem minimal now but it will grow once uptake of Google+ rise. It will affect paid search too as agencies will have to invest more in research to test keyword terms in order to inform the SEO strategy. By restricting the SEO data it is automatically restricting paid search. – Chris Camacho Google Zeitgeist 2011 14 DECEMBER 2011 - Google release this year‟s annual Zeitgeist report revealing what captured the world‟s attention in the past 12 months with interests and moment seen through the eyes of search. The list includes celebrities, tech gadgets, and news events which hit the world hard and caused users all around the world to 'Google it'.
www.googlezeitgeist.com/en What Does Zeitgeist mean?
Google Zeitgeist Video 2011
Google Zeitgeist Video 2010
SMG Look Back Through 2011 – Kevin Ting Search In 2011 Amongst the highlights in search Google have given us a new improved search algorithm in the form of Panda update, Google+ has landed on the social scene alongside +1 buttons everywhere, while Google analytics has been developed further with real time analysis and multi channel funnels now available.
PPC In 2011 Within PPC we have seen the welcome addition of 6 sitelinks for brand search terms, call metrics, tablet targeting, dynamic search ads as well as the introduction of bottom page search ads. YouTube In 2011 Google have continued their dominance over the web by developing their YouTube proposition with TrueView Ads, creating an Adwords for videos management suite as well as a completely re-designed YouTube interface to incorporate Google+ further into the product suites. SEO In 2011 We have been treated to 6 expanded sitelinks to organic search listings to further reenforce brand presence and site relevancy improvements through the Panda algorithm update. Local search has been further integrated into search results in collaboration with Google Places, while we have seen the death of Yahoo Site Explorer and the early signs of a SSL Google future appear across .com Google searches.
SMG Compiled Top 2011 Search Queries – Laura Killick Hot on the heels of the Google Zeitgeist top 10 rising searches of 2011, the SMV PPC team has pulled together the top 10 (non-brand) industry searches of the year. The data was compiled using Google data and are based upon the number of impressions in 2011 in the UK. Across all sectors, it is clear that generic terms contribute significantly in terms of volume to search accounts, with the top 10 non-brand keywords placing highly against brand searches, although brand terms drive comparatively more volume in Motor and Mobile. The travel industry notably has heavy reliance on value for money, with search terms including „cheapâ€&#x; featuring frequently in the top generic searches, possibly driven by the current economic uncertainty in the UK.
SMG Look Ahead Into 2012 Google Analytics Encrypted Data Since Google announced in October that it intended to make search more secure by encrypting analytics data for certain keywords if members are logged in to a Google account, those using the tool have reported an increase in the „not provided‟ message in their rankings results. Google claimed that there would only be a 10% decrease in the data available, however with more people using Google accounts, certainly in due course when Google + becomes more popular, surely this cannot remain a stable percentage. www.searchenginejournal.com/google-analytics-encrypted-data-and-the-future-ofseo/37292/ POV: Will Google analytics become available only on a fee based package in 2012? Have analytics sucked you in and got you hooked, ensuring that you are ready and willing to pay for the data that provides the essential basis for an SEO campaign? – Hannah Struve Search Alliance Arriving On European Shores The Search Alliance between Yahoo & Bing is finally expected to reach European in the Q2 2012, so advertisers and brands should start to prepare and finalise plans for this merger now! searchenginewatch.com/article/2124856/Bing-Yahoo-European-Search-Ad-IntegrationStarts-in-2012
Top PPC Tips for 2012 – Kevin Ting Create More It is becomingly increasingly necessary to supplement search activity, whether it be direct response or brand awareness driven and create content across the web as well as investing deep into social network platforms. 2011 not only saw the arrival of Google+ but a greater integration of social within search. An urgency to create content, to voice an opinion and generate brand presence outside of search should be a vital part of any marketing strategy heading into 2012, as social will only continue to grow.
Experiment More “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan As competition increases continual experimentation will speed up the development and optimisation process. Brands should continually be testing and pushing limits to find the best opportunities available to them. Without repeated testing an advertiser will never be able to fully understand what works for them and what just doesn‟t work. Whether that is via landing page experimenting, ad copy testing or creative testing it is key force within marketer‟s inventory for enhancement purposes. “Experiment fearlessly” – BusinessWeek, on the #1 Tactic of innovation stars Innovate More With 2013 set as the year that mobile internet usage should finally overtakes desktop usage, it is imperative that advertisers initiate and enhance mobile and tablet activity now! Optimising websites for mobile and tablet, while also developing mobile and tablet specific PPC campaigns should be number one priority for any serious advertiser heading into 2012. Mobile usage will continue to grow in 2012 and strategically targeting these devices should be further reinforced as competition enhances and local search becomes and even more integral piece of the big search pie.
"Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” - Theodore Levitt “A year from now you may wish you had started today” – Karen Lamb
Sources www.googlezeitgeist.com www.nma.co.uk www.searchenginejournal.com www.youtube.com www.searchenginepeople.com googleblog.blogspot.com mashable.com www.google.com thenextweb.com searchenginewatch.com searchengineland.com www.reelseo.com www.seroundtable.com
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Follow Us on Twitter @EmergingSpaces @SMGSearchUK @SearchLately Publisher Kevin Ting Contributors Jimisha Lakhani Hannah Struve Laura Killick Chris Camacho