Google has gone and got conversational. In an update to voice search quietly rolled out earlier this week without fanfare (which usually means they’re still testing it), users of the most up-to-date version of Chrome browser (including iOS and Android) can now say their search query, using normally structured dialogue, and Google will talk back – speaking your result back in normal terms.
This is nothing hugely new; the microphone icon has been positioned to the right of the text entry box for some time and certain answers have been read back, so long as Google is totally sure that the answer being given is correct.
Fundamental improvements
But this week’s release has two fundamental improvements. Firstly, more data from the much-hailed Knowledge Graph is being utilised to deliver back more correct results via voice.
However, the biggest change is the ability to keep the conversation going when asking follow up or refinement questions.
One example that I saw today was a user asking “How old is Barack Obama?”. Google replied with voice saying that the US President is 51 years old. On screen were links to back up the information.
The tester then asked “How tall is he?” and incredibly Google now understood that a) this was a follow up query rather than a new search and that b) “he” referred to Barack Obama.
It immediately answered back, “Barack Obama is 6 feet 1 inch”.
The test went deeper by asking further questions relating to the original query. “What’s his wife called?” and “how old is she?” both returned correct information.
This new development is not only an incredible step forward towards having total, natural dialogue type control over our computers – it also represents both an opportunity and a problem for marketing professionals.
What will this mean for you?
If voice search explodes in 2014 (as is the expectation – particularly among users of mobile devices) you have the opportunity to dominate the search results like never before. By making yourself the “most correct” result for Google to speak back to users, you can literally eliminate the competition.
But what if you’re just not number 1 for your chosen search term? First things first – don’t panic. Not everyone will use voice search, and amongst those that do choose this method of searching, I’m willing to bet a high percentage will look beyond the single result read back to them.
Furthermore, no-one knows yet how this development will cannibalise Google’s own AdWords system so it’s unlikely that single results will replace a choice of “correct answers” any time soon.
But site owners really should start preparing for follow up queries right now by ensuring questions that users ask of Google can easily be answered.
For example if you run a Holiday Home Park in York, make sure that info to feed follow-up queries is in place.
Some users may need to know about opening times, others may ask about equestrian facilities while some people will want to know if they can bring their four legged friend with them. You must ensure that such info on your site is a) actually in place and b) clearly labelled. The sites that make life easy for Google will win the day.
It’d be easy to write off this new type of search as a fad or a gimmick. But Google has a habit of making itself unique and irreplaceable via genuine innovation that no-one even knows they want yet.
Keep an eye on how this one pans out – and start thinking about your site content in light of this today.