Dear ${token1},

There are some new things happening on the Web! Several search engines are testing new search formats that include video and blog search capabilities. You will definitely want to be aware of these new tests as they will foretell the future changes to come for search engines this next year.

Best Regards,

Nancy McCord

Google's Search Testing | The New AskX.com | Videos on Your Site

Google's Testing a New Search Format

One of our clients, Douglas Stern of Stern Environmental Group, pointed us to this site and we felt it was so important that we wanted to share it with you. Google is testing some new search rendering variations. Check out www.SearchMash.com and you'll see what we mean.

From the www.SearchMash.com privacy page: "SearchMash is a website operated by Google Inc."

In Search Mash, Google results show not only the typical web page results, but the page also has links on the right that expand showing image thumbnails, blog listings, videos, and links to Wikipedia; a veritable mash of media and information on your specific query. Personally, I feel that this is big news, in fact really big news! This is the future of search in the not too distant future.

Media on the Web, and I mean specifically video and audio are some of the hottest growth categories. Remember, Google did buy www.YouTube.com and so clearly Google is also feeling very bullish about video clips and desiring to start including its new acquisition in its regular search index.

What Search Mash also shows is that finally Google is embracing the blogosphere by its inclusion of blogs into the SearchMash mix. Yahoo Search has long embraced indexing and including blogs and feeds in its search index and it looks like Google has finally decided that blogs are finally worthy enough to have a separate search function just to search within their own unique category. Remember Google owns www.Blogger.com too!

Images, well, I kind of like the integration of images in search. The ability to see graphical icons of a particular site is a welcome break-up of the huge amount of text that typically appears on a search page. I did find that for some of my search queries, the images that were displayed did not have relevance to my search. So clearly the image feature needs some additional work. It is important to note that Google also owns Picassa a photo organization and editing software package.

Our take on SearchMash is although it may not replace the typical Google search interface exactly as you see it now, clearly Google is working to try to include in their new search index some of their new acquisitions. SearchMash also identifies Google's push for the direction and future of search.

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AskX.com, Ask.com's New Secret Search Engine Format

Ask.com previously known ask www.AskJeeves.com is another search engine that is testing a new search format. Douglas Stern also sent us this link to Ask's "double-secret sandbox" called www.AskX.com. What I feel is important is that AskX.com is taking a very similar approach to new media integration as is Google with SearchMash.com. Although Ask.com is not a big player in the world of search, it has a good search algorithm and has been noted industry-wide as a rising player in the search mix and a search engine that we are watching.

In addition to a search sidebar, on the left this time, with typical website listings shown in the default opening page content, AskX also has links to images, video, news, blogs, shopping, and additional features. The additional features include RSS news feeds, weather, smart questions, maps, and even a dictionary; a whole information portal unto itself.

Clearly by viewing two new prototype search engines that have leaked out, the world of search is changing to encompass some of the popular new media technologies from this past year, namely video, blogs, and news feeds. It will be interesting to see which items out of Google's SearchMash, and Ask's AskX will make it into the mainstream search market this next year.

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Videos On Your Website

After reading both articles above if you don't feel that video is important, we're here to let you know that it is. Video is an important new way to reach out to customers on your website and in your advertising and one that you should strongly consider.

Not only is video interesting and adds a dynamic component to your web pages, it can communicate your message in a very compelling way. Yes, video can be overdone, like anything else, but when done tastefully and professionally it can create a compelling call to action that text just can't do. That being said, not all sites are strong candidates for video integration, but many are.

When you integrate video into your website, it is important to keep in mind the load time. Sometimes a smaller screen and shorter clip are more important than a huge screen with a debilitating download.

Flash is an excellent format for video as most browsers will already have the plug-in in place and typically the download time is snappy. We have also found that using Windows Media Player instead of QuickTime may allow you to show your movie more quickly. Still the best option is sometimes to allow multiple viewer options. Mac users will not have Windows Media Player installed, but they will have QuickTime, and nearly everyone will have Flash already in place. Offer your viewer choices for viewing your video unless you are using Flash.

Other things that you may want to consider before filming and installing a video on your site are:

• Will you be in your own video? Are you photogenic? Is there someone on your staff who would be better in the role of spokesperson or model than yourself?
• Will you produce your own video? You can using most digital cameras to create a QuickTime movie.
• Make sure you have a script and stick to it.
• Make sure you have good additional lighting. Keep your movie images from being too dark. We've seen low lighting as a frequent problem on client movies.
• Consider using professional video services for the very best results.

Video is definitely a happening Web media and one that you may want to consider adding to your own website.

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