by Latitude

Search engines now offer the ability to search for different types of content such as video, mapping, news, products, scanned books and images – this is known as multichannel search.

This is being taken on step further as search marketers now have to contend with the Google ‘Universal Search’ and similar offerings from Yahoo! and MSN whereby different media types are integrated directly into a natural search engine results page (SERP).

Implications for advertisers

Advertisers had some concerns about the new concept as it may be pushing relevant SEO listings further down the results page. On top of this, common sense (as well as eye-tracking studies) pointed out that potentially user attention was drawn towards the graphic rich results rather than the text paid ads on the SERP. This has to be considered the other way: when good search practice is undertaken. Having a top paid deal driven advert which can be altered quickly to react, goes very well with top natural based listings as well.

Yahoo conducted a study a few years ago that said there was 200% uplift in traffic with a high natural and paid listing at the same time. It is still the same now but you can hone your natural listing to be image based, geographic and product specific which can only be considered a good thing.

Ultimately Google is not the only one to take this stance. Ask.com this year launched Ask3D, which has the same idea of the integration of all of the results. On top of this you can optimise content for large format sites with multiple images, shopping products and map listings via Google base to produce a more relevant listing (see Google Base).

Drivers for multi-channel search

Multi-channel search has been driven into the market place in the last 18 months making for exciting times for search marketers. Over and above this shift, the adoption of ‘social search’, as it is generally known, has increased momentum in 2006 into 2007. The shift of power to the consumer is plain to see, and this gives a voice and opinion to more online users. Sites such as Digg, Myspace, YouTube and Facebook are all well know brands in this area.

As well as interacting and writing on social sites and blogs with targeted content to promote your business, you can create links for SEO purposes - improving listings across natural search results in the main SERPs. A great example of this area on the main search engines is YahooAnswers. This presents great potential for new advertising options within the search area. If set up and managed correctly you can obtain high listings within the main search results page of Yahoo as a top answer.

Where do you start?

The search engines have recognised the shift now integrating new media streams such as mobile, products, maps and video that can be set up and managed via the same search interfaces such as Google Adwords. It is as easy as clicking on the tab in your account for the area you wish to place the advertising in and following the instructions (see Google Accounts).

Video

Initially a lot of this media was seen to be targeted at the content networks. But now YouTube is standing in its own right as one of the busiest sites on the planet with around two billion video stream started in the UK alone in April 2007. With the ability to keyword target videos, run banner advertising, branding campaigns and viral capabilities; it is a great add on tool to a search marketer’s strategy. All of the options available can be found at YouTube advertising

Maps

Mapping technology has proved to offer more now than just directional search options. Google has lead the way here offering the ability to place paid and natural local business ads on their mapping technology.

Mobile

Mobile search will become mainstream between 2008 – 2009 as technology continues to improve and becomes easier and cheaper to use. Two billion mobiles in the world, twice the number of internet PC’s has been said to be a misleading figure for marketers – it isn’t. Mobile phones are replaced incredibly quickly making the adoption of new technology extremely rapid. When mobile technology for internet reaches the correct level, the majority of users will have this technology in their hands and the switch to mainstream mobile internet will happen overnight.
Search engines already offer mobile search advertising and savvy search marketers are testing strategies now ready for the switch. IAB will have more information on mobile search in the future.

Blogs

Blogging is a huge medium worldwide and search must be at the forefront of advertising across this area. Blogs are a great way to create unique targeted content and the search engines have embraced this. As a search marketer you can also place advertisings on these sites by switching on content networks (see Google AdSense and Google AdWords).