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Rich snippets provide search engine users with more detailed information about a web page, directly within the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). Due to this, they can improve CTR and therefore the number of visits to your site. We’ll explain what they are, the benefits they can bring and two important updates that Google has just announced.

What are rich snippets?

Each result within the SERPs is made up of three elements:

·        Page title

·        URL

·        Snippet

Search engines generally use the meta description of a web page to generate a snippet, however if your website contains “microdata”, search engines can generate a rich snippet with more detailed information about the subject of your web page.

There are many types of rich snippets, with the main types providing information about Events, Products and Reviews.

It is relatively easy to “mark-up” your HTML with microdata so that you give search engines an opportunity to generate rich snippets.

Why use rich snippets?

If your website does not have content which matches one of the supported types of microdata, rich snippets will most likely not be appropriate. E-commerce sites are typically the biggest users of microdata as they can generate rich snippets for tangible products and customer reviews.

Rich snippets make your results stand out from other results (competitors) in the SERPs by using stars and images for example; this ultimately increases your CTR. Around 50% of the clicks on a search engine results page will be attributed to the result in the first (highest) position. As we all know, getting to the holy grail of #1 takes time and effort, but rich snippets is a quick and easy way to gain more click share. For this reason they are a necessity if your main competitors are huge companies with big SEO budgets who consistently rank higher than you.

What are the updates?

1.      Previously, product rich snippets were only available to websites based in a limited number of countries but Google have now rolled it out globally. As a truly international SEO team this made us jump for joy!

2.      Google have provided a Rich Snippets Testing Tool for a while now however previously the tool would only test live web pages. Now it is possible to insert the code directly into the tool and preview the rich snippet before putting the page live.

Our comprehensive SEO audits cover all aspects of organic search, including features such as rich snippets. Contact us to find out more about our SEO audit and services.

Google is currently focusing on semantic search in order to deliver more relevant results.

Let’s review what Google’s semantic search is and what it's going to change.

Google to Develop Semantic Search

In the months to come, the US search company will use more and more semantic analysis to understand the real meaning of a keyword and improve the relevancy of its search algorithm by providing users with direct results.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google’s search engine will therefore undergo a major transformation as this change is expected to impact between 10% and 20% of overall search queries.

To implement semantic search, the search giant will rely on its huge data base of 200 million of entities including places, objects, and people thanks to Metaweb, a company specialized in semantic data that Google acquired in 2010.

What is Semantic Search?

Google will integrate the semantic to its technology of search by keyword in order to better differentiate the value of information in a web page.

For example, semantic analysis allows to differentiate keywords with more than one meaning, such as the country 'China' and the ceramic material ‘china’.

Semantic search can also help associate different words with one another, such as a company (THEM) with its services (Website Development and SEO services).

The search engine will also be able to reply to direct questions.

Semantic Search Isn’t New at Google

Google actually already uses semantic-search elements by displaying answers to direct questions.

For example, a search for “what is the population of China”, results in displaying a graph and the figures from the World bank (1,338,299,512 in 2010).

Google Wants to Keep the Lead in Search

The leading search company has a market share of over 66% (in search queries) and over 75% (in revenue) in the US and isn’t ready to let anyone grab some shares of his cake.

To maintain its leading position against Microsoft Bing, now Apple Siri on mobile, Google has no choice but innovate to stay ahead of the competition.

After introducing the +1 button and social search results, Google clearly wants to stay ahead of Facebook and Twitter's interest graphs, and therefore use other kinds of signals for both search and ad relevance.

More Relevancy and ... More Money

His social network, Google+, will therefore be a key asset for its semantic search since it allows the company to have information on a network of people, companies, places and things, and so build relationships between them to be used in its search algorithm.

Instead of showing users results or ads that just match the terms in their search, Google will have to match ads to their search based on their meaning, as well as their context, location, +1s, relationships, etc.

By providing users with direct results rather than links to other websites containing typed keywords, Google could manage that users would spend more time on its sites, and therefore earn more revenue from advertising that account for more than 90% of its overall revenue.

Google recently unveiled a new social search feature named “Search Plus Your World” that brings new search results from Google+ and Picasa.

Google Search Plus Your World

If you’re in the US, and when you search on Google.com in English, you can now access 2 kinds of results: either classic links from the whole web or links coming from your Google social network (Google+) and photo sharing service (Picasa).

In this new social search, Google displays statuses, photos, circles, and profiles that may interest you from Google+, as well as business & celebrities pages linked to your search. Photos from Picasa can also be displayed.

Here is the official video presenting the new social feature:

Users can simply decide whether they want to get social results or unpersonalized results or not. They can simply choose to turn on/off the toggle button displayed below:

Social Search isn’t New

It isn’t the first time Google includes contents from social networks into its search engine.

In December 2009, the search results page displayed real time status updates from Facebook, Twitter or some blog posts related to the query into a box and then a dedicated page. This feature was removed in July 2011.

In the meantime, Google released the +1 button to its search results page in March 2011. The button was connected to the new social network Google+ in June 2011. Content liked by circles of friends were given priority in the search engine results.

Social Search for Better Search and More Money

With this new feature, Google strives to improve the quality of its search results. However, it’s also a good way to promote Google+ that is still small compared to Facebook and Twitter.

And the idea behind getting more and more registered users is also getting more money from advertisement. Indeed, social networks enable advertisers to run targeted campaigns that are generally more expensive as better targeted.

According to eMarketer, 10.6% of all marketing expenses will be allocated to social network advertising in 2012, so Google wants to get a share of the cake.

A Fierce Debate

Following the announcement, some voices said Google was a threat for the Internet.

According to Wired co-founder, John Battelle, Google excludes Facebook from its social search, and this is harmful for the Internet development.

Some others think Google is pushing its own services too much, abusing from its leading position. According to the famous SEO specialist, Danny Sullivan, the role of search engines is to redirect towards the best information even though not present in-house.

And What About My SEO?

With this new feature, Google makes search more social, and therefore more personalized.

Is SEO dead? As every major update on Google search, not it isn't, it will just evolve. Previously to this announcement, Google decided to turn on secure search for signed-in users, affecting many search queries.

If you aren't familiar with Google+, I'd recommend you to read why your should create a Google+ page.

What do you think about new Google social search feature? Are you excited about it? Do you fear it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.