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Tag: google now

  • 5 Updates from Google for Mobile Devices

     

    The nature of digital marketing will not stand still, not with Google constantly creating new ripples for marketers all over the world. Here’s a look at what’s in the pipeline:

    Purchases On Google

    The much-anticipated “buy button” in Google search ads is here but it’s not really a button. Called ‘Purchases On Google’ mobile users will be able to click on search ad results and go directly to the dozen or so retailers currently participating in the test. Response thus far has been enthusiastic and positive.

    “Purchases on Google will simplify our customers’ ability to search for items on Google and then buy with Staples.” said Faisal Masud, Executive Vice President of Global E-Commerce, Staples, Inc.

    “Customers increasingly want to shop on their own terms. Purchases on Google facilitates that flexibility while maintaining the merchant’s ability to own the customer relationship.” says, Peter Cobb, eBags Marketing EVP and Shop.org Chairman.

    By clicking anywhere on the ad the user is taken to a merchant-branded gateway landing page hosted by Google. The consumer can buy the product immediately using his mobile device.

    Purchases-on-google

    New Mobile Shopping Ad Formats For Voice Search

    Google has started to show new ad formats that include rankings and ratings when consumers search using voice. In this example rankings 1 to 3 have been displayed in the search results for the image on the left after making as voice search.

     New Mobile Shopping Ad Formats For Voice Search

    Expanded Product Listing Ads (PLAs) When Viewing The Carousel On Mobile

    When users swipe to see more in the PLAs on their smartphones, Google will now expand the ads to show the full product title as well as extensions like product ratings and nearby availability. This functionality will roll out to Chrome for Android this month, and iOS in the coming months.

    Google Now In-store Cards

    Local Inventory Ads have been performing well so a lot more of them will begin showing up in mobile search results. Also coming online, the Google Now in-store card that appears when a user is near a store. It will show sales, closing hours, loyalty card information and more. Also, look for the Google Now price drop card. It will showcase significant price decreases on products the user has previously browsed.

    Google Now In-store Cards

    PLA Deep Linking To Shopping Apps

    Google is running a pilot test with a small group of global retailers including eBay, Flipkart and Zalando to deep link their product listing ads to product pages in their apps rather than their websites. More retailers will participate in the test in the coming months.

  • Evolution of Mobile: The Future of Mobile SEO

     

    Expanding the theme, Evolution of Mobile SEO : Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?, we ask: Are You Ready for What’s Coming?

    Google is never likely to sit still. The company wants to enhance their competitiveness while giving users the best solutions. Here are a few tips on how you can gear up for the ever unfolding future:

    1. Getting the ‘Mobile Friendly’ Designation in Mobile SERPs has affected search rankings on smartphones. Unblocking CSS and JavaScript plays a vital part in nailing the Mobile Friendly designation, according to Google Webmaster. Googlebot needs to see your site like an average user. By always allowing Googlebot access to the JavaScript, CSS, and image files used by your website you achieve optimal rendering and indexing,
    2. Deep linking has become one of the key signals for positive web rankings and to drive traffic to the Apps. They appear in the Google SERP individually or as part of a mobile App Pack. An “App Pack” is a group of related apps that rank together for a given query. It’s shown together in a box separated from the inline organic search results.

    Mobile Search Results with App Packs

    Screenshot from Cindy Krum and Linkdex webinar

    1. Demystifying ASO: Keep your App Store Optimization title tags short and descriptive. It’s to your benefit to have exact match keywords in the title and description tag. There are advantages as well as disadvantages to having a mobile app rather than a web page. For queries that are almost similar to the app name, mobile websites get pushed down below the fold.
    2. Google NOW has evolved into the user’s personal knowledge graph. Users are adding data and increasing content to their big data mix with info cards as the most ideal and personalized result format for users. Google gives the right information at just the right time assisting you around the clock with relevant suggestions.

    Personalized Info Cards - Google NOW Google Products that affects Mobile SEO

    Image source

    1. Mobile Results going full screen on Page #1:Music info cards, hotel booking search, flight booking search, TV info cards, map queries, restaurants and menus, etc. take up the top fold of the search results.

    In this example, for a search query “hotels”, Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel  takes up the first fold.

    Full Screen Mobile Search Results – Position2 Blog

    Image source

    1. Google avoids blue links or websites from showing above the fold on Mobile. Results that are likely to come up for search are Info cards, Answer boxes, Knowledge Graph results and other cards.

    Your task:  Optimize for mobile search and Google Now.  Apps, Images, Videos and Google+ for business need to be optimized for placement at the top of the Mobile search results.

    1. App like sites, instead of mobile websites: The numbers speak. Users spent 80% of their time on Apps and 20% of their time on Website. Mobile App visits Vs. Website visits
    2. Personalized Info Cards are generated by different Apps: Google integrates with different Apps to generate info cards, for example adding transcripts and lyrics to videos and music, displaying them in answer boxes. Google makes these changes to deliver the best mobile experience for searchers, giving them exactly what they want at the right time.