Google and Twitter are Teaming Up
Two companies that revolutionized the way we use the Internet have entered into a partnership that will shake things up just a little bit more.
Google’s search results will now feature tweets.
Twitter updates relevant to search queries will display prominently across the top of the results page in a carousel configuration. Traditional results will remain in their original format underneath.
For the time being, these changes are only in effect on mobile devices to users in the United States searching for results in English through the Google app on iOS and Android.
How Will This Change the User Experience?
Google will have full access to all of Twitter’s real-time tweets, but Twitter results won’t always show up on the search engine’s site. Only the most popular, trending tweets with the most relevant content will appear. These are usually posted by authoritative accounts like public figures, organizations, big brands, publications, and popular blogs. If a user’s Google search does not generate any matching tweets, none will be displayed. Users will not be forced to face a gratuitous stream of Twitter updates.
Oftentimes, news breaks on social media before large media corporations can prepare a piece documenting the event. Google’s Twitter results will feature more up-to-the minute information from prominent sources, complete with links, images, and real-time content – exactly the type of pertinent, fast news results that have been missing from conventional results pages.
When news stories break, readers are compelled to see the world’s reactions via social media. By incorporating Twitter updates in their search results, Google is creating a more convenient way to satisfy users’ needs for information and social interaction.
How Will This Impact Business?
For Google and Twitter, this collaboration means a broader and more comprehensive reach than ever. It also makes their services more popular than ever and keeps them current as social media trends continue to develop and evolve.
People who are not on Twitter might be inspired to join the micro-blogging platform after sampling the content through Google. Twitter’s click-through rates and user engagement will rise either way, and authors of featured tweets will gain visibility and authority.
In light of this new development, it is worth it to revisit the tips and tricks of using Twitter as part of your own business’ marketing strategy. Look at your Twitter feed and ask yourself if it is diversified enough as far as media-rich content goes.
Plain text tweets do not show up in Google’s new search results. Only media-rich posts with both images and links are considered for inclusion, as they have been proven to increase engagement. Conscious efforts to be more visible in this way will improve your chances of making the Google-Twitter partnership work for your brand.
Likewise, if your tweet does not include commentary on a trending topic or current event, it will be largely overlooked by Google’s algorithm. Find hash-tagged keywords and trending news that your business can speak meaningfully about and then actually contribute something valuable to the conversation.
Start practicing fuller engagement on Twitter now. Google won’t make your tweet famous. Tweets will be featured on Google only if they are already popular and generating clicks on Twitter first. This partnership is not a new way to get lucky with tons of followers. It is a wake-up call for all the businesses out there that may be treating their Twitter accounts as mere afterthoughts.