The Impact of Google Page Preview on Search Marketing

There has been a lot of speculation around Google Preview, the ability for search users to hover over an icon next to a search result and see a snapshot of the page.

Some search marketing firms don’t think this will be a big deal, while some predict mass chaos. I’m more of the belief that, again, this will just enforce the need to properly optimize your site for search.

The biggest impact of Google Page Preview will be that users will make a quick decision of wether your site is worthy of a click, and those extra seconds of load time, or they should just move on. The four second rule for landing pages is sped up.

One big shift I see coming with this new technology is that a first place ranking will not capture the sole attention of users. It will now be easier for users to take a quick glance at competitors. Since USWeb clients are almost always in top positions, this raises the need to develop and optimize new web properties, and harvest more search real estate on the first page.

Another item will be relaying to clients is to post strong imagery on the page that correlates with the most frequent search terms. For example, if you’re an attorney who represents dog bit victims, have a strong image of a vicious dog on the page, and strong copy on the page. This will reassure users that you’re what they’re looking for.

There will also be some changes in the way pages are coded, so as to display the exact desired image and text.

All this requires a bit of work, but that’s why you hire a search engine marketing firm.