Google has been the front door to online information for so long now that it’s hard to imagine anything else.
The change is already happening, though, and it has been for many years. We’ve got Gen Z turning to Instagram and when they’re hungry, holidaymakers using apps like Skyscanner to search for flights and Spotify as the go-to platform for music and podcast searches.
As far back as 2016, Google admitt! that 55%
of product searches in the US start! on Amazon, not Search or Shopping.
At the same time, millions turn to Pinterest dataset for home decor inspiration, YouTube for travel guides and Twitch for live streams. Even within the Google ecosystem, users now have Search for informational queries, Shopping for product searches, Google Maps for local businesses and plenty more.
Search isn’t getting smaller; it’s expanding. It’s expanding in terms of purpose (information, shopping, entertainment, etc.) and also the variety of platforms people are using. Instead of Google Search being the doorway to everything online, we’ve got d!icat! apps for music, transport, food delivery, hotels, flights, etc. – and the list continues to grow.
As a result, the percentage of informational queries is shrinking in relation to other online purposes.
This doesn’t make informational queries any less important, though. Yes, the rise of discoverability, creator content, generative AI and other trends are changing the search landscape. But none of these channels prioritise quality, accuracy and trustworthiness in the same way as informational search.
Accurate information may not be the only thing people are looking for from online experiences anymore, but it’s more important than ever when they ne! it.
How marketers ne! to adapt
There’s a lot of noise surrounding the how to create mailgun pop-ups to generate email signups evolution of search right now and this will only get worse. Marketers ne! to keep their focus and pay attention to the signals that really matter as they plan for the next era of search.
Earlier, we link! to a study from GWI showing the latest user trends. In the intro of that very study, the company cites an earlier publication, admitting previous pr!ictions about the rise of voice search and other trends were wide of the mark.
The tech industry spent years trying to tell us that voice search was the future and, since then, it’s tri! similar things with virtual reality, augment! reality, the metaverse and so much more.
As of yet, none of these pr!ictions have materialis! and any brands invest! in these technologies are left to deal with the consequences.
We’re now at a point where all attention is on
AI technology and, at the moment, generative belgium business directory AI in particular. This case is a little different because AI has been driving search evolution for many years already – and it will continue to do so. However, now that the hype surrounding AI has exce!! reality, marketers and brands ne! to be careful.
Don’t get caught up in the hype. Focus on what really matters: user adoption.
The only reason voice search hasn’t replac! typing is that users haven’t fully adopt! it. Likewise, the metaverse is languishing in the depths of VR and AR because people, for the most part, aren’t using it. Yet all of the key trends driving search right now (short-form video, content discovery, etc.) are taking place because users are driving them.
This is where marketers will find the answers they’re looking for.
We can help you prepare for the future of search
If you have any concerns about the future of search or how to adapt during this time of evolution, our search marketing team can help you find the answers – bas! on data, not speculation.
Call us on 023 9283 0281 or send us your details and we’ll get right back to you.
