Travel firms will need a better understanding of how their customers use search online after the advent of Google Instant, a leading travel SEO firm has claimed.
Propellernet offers advice on Google Instant
Travel firms will need a better understanding of how their customers use search online after the advent of Google Instant, a leading travel SEO firm has advsied.
Dave Lees Properllernet search consultant believes that the innovation is likely to have a significant impact for travel firms, although it seems the jury is still out on exactly what form this will take.
Google Instant was revealed this week introducing search results on a predictive “results as you type” basis without the need to press the search button.
Instant is said to be a reaction to the growing popularity of social media over traditional search for finding information online and Google claimed it will save between two to five second per search.
Writing on his blog Lees said for SEO Instant could both benefit or hinder smaller more niche travel firms who might rely on longer-tail search terms.
He said Instant could present searchers with long-tail searches they had not yet considered, or it might prompt them to click before completing their search box entry onto more generic terms dominated by the bigger players.
For Adwords he also predicted that generic search terms might become more valuable as people click early on in their search, meaning once high volume, low return generic terms like “holidays” could see increased conversion rates.
One potential issue advertisers must watch out for is that an impression will be notched up if there is a more than a three second pause in the search process. This could significantly increase costs as Adword impressions soar.
Lees said: “Is Google Instant really the end of the world of search as we know it? No, but now more than ever it’s important to understand your customers, how they search and what motivates them both in the world according to Instant and “Proper” Google.”
