OK if I'm honest, I didn't expect there to be a part 2! But since Google's implementation of Instant Preview, it seems that my previous musings have been somewhat justified (thanks, Google!).

Things never stand still in search marketing and this week has been no different. Google has released a new feature that allows users to see a full preview of a site without leaving the results page. As you can see from this screen grab, it is a really major development and will have a huge influence on the user.



Users can click on a small magnifying glass next to the search result to bring up the preview. The preview covers the paid ads on the right of the page, which is an issue that has raised some concerns. According to Google, previews for paid ads are another development in the offing.




This screen shot shows that there is also a box highlighted with a section of the text on the page that best matches the users original search. The highlight box doesn’t always appear for every site preview at the moment, however it will be a big area for SEO development as it could easily sway the user to click on that particular site.

The Google Instant Preview feature has big implications for search engine optimisation and web design. Searchers need to be able to find what they are looking for easily on your site, and they need to like the look of your site, otherwise they will just move onto the next one.

With Instant Preview in mind Google has issued some guidelines that are worth knowing.

1. Keep your pages clearly laid out and structured

2. Avoid ad pop-ups, or other elements that interfere with your content. These elements could be picked up in your page preview, making the screenshots less attractive.

3. Instant Preview does not affect the search algorithm, rankings, or how clicks are tracked. Previewing a result doesn't count as a click.

4. If you add the nosnippet meta tag to your pages, they won't show a text snippet or a preview in Google's results. Google advises against this because their studies showed that sites with previews were four times more likely to be clicked on.

5. Some videos or Flash content in previews are not being rendered properly. Google is working on this.

As always search marketing is proving an exciting and fast moving industry. With the introduction of Instant Preview, not only having good content, but having a clear and modern design to your site has never been more important.

Fortunately, B&V Digital can help with both. For a free consultation please get in touch.

Browsing around the other day I came across this fascinating little animation which illustrates the global growth of the Internet during the decade 1998-2008:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8552410.stm


OK, so this in itself isn't surprising – we all know that the Internet has grown HUGELY, especially in the last 5 or 6 years. But what really got me thinking was how much the technology we use to actually SEE the Internet has evolved in that same time frame, and the implications of that. Desktop PCs are infinitely more powerful (and comparatively much cheaper) than they were in 2000, the take-up of broadband access is accelerating all the time, along with connection speeds, all of which is contributing to the ever-increasing pace of development of websites and their capabilities. And think of the portable connectivity we have now – certainly dreamed of in 2000, but already a reality for many of us and sure to become more and more important in the near future.

So where's this going? Well, I also thought back to some of the first websites I ever worked on (a long time ago in a position far, far away) and how basic and limited they were compared with what we now take for granted. So just for a bit of fun, I thought I'd look up a few I've worked on in the intervening decade+(!) and see how they've changed over time. Bearing in mind the time frame here, it was no surprise to see that some had disappeared altogether, while others had changed beyond all recognition. What was more worrying was the number which were essentially – and in some cases totally – unchanged since their initial launch (I'll not name any, for obvious reasons). At the time, the clients were often very excited, if a little wary, about their brand new web presence. The trouble is that, in the intervening years, they've not done anything to change their sites. So all the latest developments, trends and possibilities have – and still are – completely passing them by.

Now a lot of us (especially me!) like a bit of 'retro': clothing, furniture, even graphic design – things keep going round and round, and some great fun can be had with 're-imagining the past'. But clunky old websites aren't 'retro' – they're just clunky and old. And what does that say about the company whose website it is? They may not BE clunky and old, but the viewer will certainly get that impression of them! A company's website is their shop window – on a global high street. It is very often the first contact that potential customers will have and, as such, needs to set the tone for the whole of their future relationship. Websites can now be SO powerful, incorporating so MANY features we couldn't dream of including 10 years ago – but all this potential is being missed if a website hasn't been touched, even if only for a year, let alone a decade!

Unfortunately there does seem to be a tendency for people to treat their website as being just another box that needed ticking: "Website? Check. Move on." But leaving it there basically means that every day that goes by, that website is effectively moving backwards – it's search engine rankings will plummet, visitor numbers will melt away and any chance of leads or sales will go the way of the dodo.

But help IS at hand! B&V will happily audit an existing site and produce a report detailing what we'd recommend doing to shake things up and start making that old website work much, much harder. So much has changed in such a short time, and the pace of change shows no sign of slowing. We can help to breathe new life into an old site and begin to get it noticed again. After all, if it's worth forking out the fee for the domain name, it might as well be seen! Why not contact us on 023 8043 3348 and see how we can help.