Get Your Goggles On As Google Goes Real Time!

Google steps up a gear as ‘Real Time’ search becomes the latest ‘live’ info feed to explode into the social mediasphere!

Now you really can know what’s happening in real time when you type in your search word or phrase! The announcement by Google that it is rolling out its latest search engine application to take effect immediately, now means the instant availability of news and comment feeds – ‘tweets’ – from social media favourite, Twitter, being relayed as a ‘latest results’ update on the related word search results page.

Google also promise that instant updates from Facebook and MySpace are also in the pipeline! The significance for all online businesses has never been more clearer as another exciting and potentially lucrative territory opens up for future online marketing!

As one would expect, the key to what type of ‘tweets’ one might expect to be identified, ranked and selected by Google will be down to relevant ‘quality’ content. This will aim to filter out obvious ‘spam’ and place the emphasis on ‘authoritative’ news feeds, rather than the ‘latest’ but possibly, less relevant or urgent tweets.

Now, when a search page is returned, it will also feature an ‘Updates’ section on the left hand side of the page under the ‘All Results’ heading. Simply click on to ‘Updates’ and toggle through a menu that includes ‘Latest’ or ‘Status updates’ or just ‘news results’ or ‘fresh web pages’.

Google will also be expanding the standard shortened URL format, so you will still be able to see both the shortened version, e.g. bit.ly and a final destination URL. Crucially, the content of the destination page will be search engine visited and indexed. This is important news for business owners and should finally convince those companies who have been reluctant to attempt to  understand and engage with social media applications  and see them as a vital part of their company’s inclusive marketing strategies.

In addition, further experimental programmes are being launched. ‘Google Goggles’ is an application which will allow users to take a photograph of an object or product and ask Google to make an identification and obtain a selection of information exactly as if a standard web word search had been conducted.

Also imminent is a translation product, which will provide an instant translation of any spoken word or phrase into the desired language – by simply speaking the words into a mobile phone to be translated via speakerphone. This application – due to be made available in early 2010 – could see travellers being able to use any high-end mobile as a universal translation device.