Getting Creative with Content for Universal Search
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Google and the other search engines have begun mixing in more than just text-based results in their web searches. You can still perform specific searches for videos, images and blogs, but thanks to Google’s Universal Search, you can also find them in general results. How does this affect your SEO strategy?
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, so let me show you an image of a blended search result. Here’s screen shot of a Google search on otters:
I shrank and cropped it to fit, which is why you don’t see any ads on the right. Anyway, I want to focus on the results. At the top, just below the sponsored link, you can see three image results for otters, sitting nicely in a row. Just below those images are two entries from Wikipedia on otters. Just below that is a link to a viral YouTube video that features two ever-so-cute otters swimming and holding hands. Finally, below that, you see results for other web pages about otters.
What can we learn from this? It’s not impossible to get text-based results into a good position on Google, but they do get pushed down. I don’t need to tell you that a lower position in the search engine results pages (SERPs) can lead to fewer visitors. But you’ve worked hard for your good position; you’ve spent many hours creating good content and optimizing your web site. This change hardly seems fair, does it?
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to work. If you’re prepared to fight for your position, keep reading. I’m going to give you a few tips I’ve collected that should help you “mix it up” with the best of them. Some of them may be new to you, but you’ve probably heard others before. It’s the approach that’s a little different.
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