All indications of growing technology and the way we access information show that the future of search is going to be exciting. As much as search engine technology has advanced in recent years, the biggest breakthroughs and inventions are yet to come. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait long to experience new developments.
According to a PwC report, industry experts agree that voice search will continue to be a key driver of consumer behaviour. Voice search allows consumers to interact with search engines in completely new ways. With the help of voice assistance and voice search, consumers can now talk to all the devices in their homes and control their functions just by using their voice, therefore every company needs to be prepared for what’s coming soon.
But even with huge technological advancements, seamlessly connecting people with information has always been challenging. However, significant changes are being made to search and how you access information. Here’s how you should approach search in 2021:
Don’t Depend Entirely on Search Engines
As Google and others make changes in search algorithms, the present methods for ranking high in search engines and drawing traffic to your site will become less effective. For example, hotel-booking sites like Expedia struggled to keep their listings visible after Google redesigned its hotel-search feature.
As explained by Vikas Sehgal, founder, and CEO at hyperDart, a mobile search platform, “it is risky for a business to rely heavily on search engines as the primary source of traffic. The constantly changing algorithms of search engines can be disruptive to online businesses that rely heavily on traffic through search engines.”
So be cautious of how much your business strategy depends on search engines as a traffic source. Keep in track of the Google updated and focus toward building high-quality partnerships and nurturing your brand community. Build sticky features, and attract innovative developers and don’t depend on your rank in Google search.
Get Familiar with Voice Search
Accept it or not, voice search is here to stay. According to John Koetsier, VP of insights at Singular, a marketing intelligence platform, “Smart speaker use almost doubled in 2018, with fast growth continuing to 2020”. Today, nearly everyone has a voice-capable device in their pocket or purse.” Not only in your home or office but also in your cars, where voice search and the voice assistant is becoming more common.
The use of voice search is widely spreading all around the world through all age groups, yet research shows most businesses are unprepared for the change. A survey conducted by Uberall shows that only 4% of business locations had complete and accurate information listed on Google, Bing, and Yelp’s voice-search directory. Updating this information can help companies find customers and vice versa. Similarly, companies can optimize their voice search presence by creating helpful content snippets and building domain authority. They can also benefit from using a conversational tone when crafting search queries.
Search Engines Will Keep Getting Better
Have you ever asked a question to a voice assistant like Google dot, Siri, or Alexa and received an incorrect answer? You’re not the only one. Researchers who tested 4,999 queries on seven smart devices found that Alexa answered almost 80% of questions and Google Home, answered 90% of questions. That means approximately 20% and 10% of the answers respective were wrong.
This not only applies to voice search but current search engines also struggle to understand the difference between similar phrases meaning different things.
As most of the search queries involve two or fewer words, search engines have little information for figuring out what the user wants. To understand the user better, Google took a major step toward improving that with its BERT technology. This natural language processing system made it easier to determine meaning from word pairings.
With more developments being made, you can expect tomorrow’s search engines to get better at understanding the intent behind inquiries. Search engines will get intelligent enough to filter out things like fake reviews and false ratings that currently distort the rankings, making the results more authentic and relevant.
Search engines have revolutionized how businesses connect with customers. Voice technology, is expected to change the way consumers communicate with brands. As a result, everything from search to advertising to commerce will feel the impact. To make your business adapt to the latest technology trends, watch the shifts closely, track all the updates, and most important of all, make sure to move your business in the right direction.
With all the development taking place, marketing is facing a tough time keeping up with the updates. Digital Presence Today is one of the digital marketing companies who adapt to the latest technology trends to help businesses manage and overcome the ever-changing challenges in the digital world. Visit, www.digitalpresence.today to know the latest updates in search in 2021.
