Experimental Platform Could Soon Allow you to Reach Search Audience Directly

 

 

 

 

Google Search has long been regarded as the largest search engine on the planet, with millions of people using it to search for everything imaginable on a daily basis. The platform now seems ready to enter the social media arena as Google is experimenting with a new feature that could eventually bring prominent figures and brands even closer to its massive search audience.

Known as ‘Google Posts,’ the new service allows invited users to create posts in the form of text, images, and videos that are published straight to Google Search under their names. Politicians have been given the first nod with Google Posts, allowing them to create messages for their supporters and sending them straight to search. Now when people type in the names of politicians involved in the experiment, in Google Search, their posts, which are also real-time, will show up and can be read/viewed right away.

The platform is unlike other social media networks, such as Google’s own Google Plus, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, in that it is not interactive; at least not yet. There is also no current means for Google Searchers to provide feedback to posts once they have found the message. Whether that will change or not after the experimental phase, Google plans to roll out Posts to celebrities and brands in the not too distant future. It is not yet clear how this will impact Google Plus.

How Google Posts could impact businesses

Currently, Google Posts is only available to politicians that have been invited to try it out. However, known organizations and public figures can get on a waiting list at google.com/posts/, so that they can be considered when the service is rolled out on a broader scale.

When that happens, the platform will help users to access the largest possible online audience in a more direct manner than making posts on their social media pages. If you own a business, this potentially means that you could reach an even wider audience since more people utilize Google Search daily than any social media platform, including Google Plus.

In addition, although social media may provide the benefit of interaction (likes, comments etc.), it is possible that you could include links in your Google Posts that could lead back to your website and other social media channels where they could then interact. On the other hand, for those who do not have the need to interact with fans or if you just want to make a statement or provide information, the platform will provide an attractive way to disseminate your message to the online space and not get feedback.

Why Google Posts could be a game changer

Utilizing the speed and ubiquity of Google Search, Google Posts could expose your message to a whole new market, especially those who spend little time on social media or avoid it totally. Here’s why it could prove effective:

• Google Search controls more than 88% of the global search market and about 75% of the U.S. market. This is for both desktop and mobile search.
• There are 1.17 billion unique Google Searchers using the search engine every month.
• Google Searchers complete over 100 billion searches monthly and an average of 5.7 billion daily.
• Google Search and its advertising tools generated over $111 billion of online economic activity in 2013.
• 5 billion businesses around the world generated revenue from Google Search and advertising in the year 2013.

Google Posts is not only set to be an attractive way to get your message out to the world but could also be an easy way for businesses and public