Search in 2016: A Data-Driven World
2016 kicked off with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV and the vast unveilings of modern technology all shared a common theme: Enhance the user experience. From electric cars to unmanned drones, wearables and virtual reality, all walks of life came together in an effort to unleash a future that connects the world and improves lives. Gadgets are no longer just for the geeky. They’re a way to streamline fundamental life functions and for marketers, search will be the gateway to a new audience, primed for a fluid experience. The onus is on the savvy marketer to understand the connection between the two and use it to his or her advantage.
In May 2015, Google announced that for the first time in digital history mobile searches surpassed desktop searches in ten countries including the US.
With the influx of new technology on the horizon, the portable, super-computer called the smartphone has become a top influencer at all stages of the purchase process.
82% of smartphone users turn to their phone to influence purchase decisions while in a store immediately before POS
62% of smartphone users are more likely to take action to solve an unexpected problem or new task simply because they have a smartphone
90% of smartphone users have used their phone to make progress toward a long-term goal or multi-step process while “out and about”
But what role will search really play in the coming year?
Every path to purchase or action begins with some type of search for information. Whether a user is trying to find a nanny or confirm a piece of trivia, it all begins by seeking answers through some type of search engine. Digital search has evolved well beyond the keyword with a slew of algorithmic and technological advances to ensure businesses can connect to their users in the most relevant ways, learning from user behaviors and location-based data to build and maintain a following. As more people rely on their smartphone for relevant answers, the questions they ask grow proportionately complex, demanding precise, accurate solutions in as little time as possible. The time has come for search technology to take center stage.
Among other things, we can expect to see some new types of queries. Or rather more, new ways to interpret them thanks to search engine advancements in natural language processing (NLP) capabilities that helped pave the way. Compound queries, for example, provide answers based off the relationship between a user’s multiple queries.
Several different types of compound queries exist. Let’s say a user types into Google “How many ‘James Bond: 007’ movies have been made?” and in the results page then searches, “How many of them starred Sean Connery?” This type of query known as an “intent revision,” lists secondary results contingent upon the initial query. The search results following the second query connect the relationship between Sean Connery the actor as a former James Bond.
“Chained queries” work slightly different. They run additional queries on the same topic as opposed to modifying an original query to produce a different result, like if a user were to type, “How many World Series championships have the New York Yankees won?” and then follow up with “When did Babe Ruth join the team?”
Though we generally tend to see compound queries more within conversational search like “OK Google” and “Hey Siri,” it's expected to trickle into desktop search as well. These queries will prove significant for the next generation of searchers unschooled in the antiquated, keyword ways.
As search engine companies like Google mature in their technology and the ability to gather and sort data, they have started to consider additional components of a search a user may have omitted from a query, but that still matter in relationship to the results that are displayed. These “implicit queries” can include all sorts of data, from the type of device you are using, to your location and browser history to name a few. In the future, it's quite possible that implicit signals will impact search results. We can see implicit queries currently at work predominantly within voice search apps like Bing's Spotlight on Tap, Google Now on Tap and Hound a recent player in the voice search game from SoundHound, Inc. We can also expect data from personal index searches that scan a user’s own content such as emails and photos to help search engines learn and provide increasingly personalized solutions.
Another side-effect of improved technology is a greater market of competition. While Google remains the top search dog in many aspects, smaller companies like DuckDuckGo and NTENT will continue to shine by capitalizing on the public desire for alternatives. DuckDuckGo addresses the issues of privacy that make many Google users uncomfortable by providing aggregate search results from third-party engines without tracking user behavior. NTENT’s patented technology integrated with semantic capabilities and keyword search delivers results on par with the giants like Yandex, with the added bonus of being highly cost-effective for advertisers. Topsy provides info based solely on social media sites. We can expect the trend of smaller pups marking their niche territory to continue.
Mobile continues to impact search through app indexing and deep linking.
Tradition tends to perceive a view of search and SEO through web-colored goggles but the smartphone has brought an eruption of disruption to the digital table. Once search engines like Google and Bing began listing apps as part of their search results, a mobile marketing plan that includes app indexing became mandatory for any business who hopes to compete for a top spot within prime real estate.
To maintain a seat at this new digital table, businesses must also incorporate deep linking. App-indexing ensures your app is listed among the results and deep linking allows a user to link from the results directly to the content in the app. Standard web crawlers don’t translate well to apps and the ability for deep linking to support HTTP deep links for in-app content gives search engines a feasible alternative.
As a parallel trend, mobile phones now act as a headquarters for notifications, using cards to provide users with data from multiple sources on a regular basis. For many users, search is happening on multiple devices and screens. All of these trends lead to a pot of data gold and we will see search engines and personal assistants access and sort through that data to provide more relevant answers to complex questions. Companies like Vurb, Relcy and URX have emerged as leaders in the next phase of deep-linking technology. These companies provide centralized mobile search functionality to deliver relevant content collected from a user’s favorite apps, offering immediate solutions for questions about things like the weather or local movie times, through a card of data within the app. Without the user ever having to leave the page, they get the streamlined, efficient experience they crave.
As the Consumer Electronics Show unveiled an assortment of new technological devices that rivaled a classic sci-fi flick, it too revealed a powerful, imminent trend of personalization. For example, wearables like smart watches and fitness bands delve deep into personal habits and sync easily with mobile devices to provide users an endless wealth of information and marketers an eternal fountain of data.
Advances in augmented and virtual reality mean more ways for businesses to offer users a simple yet dynamic experience. Imagine being able to download instructions on DIY cabinets in 3D displayed before your eyes. Thanks to home automation and the Internet of Things, the dark days of the last K-cup or returning home to a cold house are a thing of the past. With all of these user luxuries, comes marketer reward in the form of laser-precise data. There is no doubt this data will come to play a part in search results. The global Internet of Things market is expected to grow to $1.7 trillion in 2020 from $656 billion in 2014. These connected devices have many industries working to improve their existing products with the hope of making them smarter, more lucrative and accessible. Smarter products with more accurate data leads to highly targeted search results, and more opportunities for new types of search generated ad revenue. With the shift from desktop to mobile searches, we can expect to see a proportionate surge in mobile ad revenue.
Each connected device from smartphone, to tablet, to watch, to coffee maker comes together to form a greater whole. It’s important to keep content simple enough to work well across all screens while remaining actionable. As a result, we will see a shift from search results that deliver pages to those that extract key points of data in an interpretable form.
It’s a new cycle of life for search, a fluid circle. The user performs a search. The search yields results. The user takes action. The data collected is used to yield better search results. An ecosystem of possibilities that like the Internet, are endless.
