At the recent SMX conference one of the main talking points was about how real time search could become the new way in which we search. However just how effective could real time search be and is it really feasible? I will use the example of the release of the iPhone OS 3 to explain my thoughts on it.
I am using this example as the product has only just been released and when using tweet tabs I realised that is a massive topic of conversation on Twitter at this very moment. Also I am planning on getting this update and in among the whole anticipation of the release wanted to read up on what people thought of it before I dive into my pocket.
Right so normally if a product has been released and I wanted to find a review of it I would go onto Google and type in my query so in this instance I wanted to find a review about it so my search query was ‘iPhone OS 3 review’. I typed this in today and very little information I wanted came back http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=iPhone+os+3+review&btnG=Search&meta=. Granted some sites have some reviews but the majority of the sites listed for iPhone review were now dated.
Well Twitter Search paints a totally different picture. If you type in IPhone OS 3 review in Twitter Search http://search.twitter.com/search?q=iPhone+os+3+review you can see that there are loads of links to people who have reviewed the phone already. From this information in minutes I have been directed to blogs and sites where the product has been reviewed and from that I am now in a position to make an informed decision on my purchase.
Will Real Time Search takeover? I think Twitter is providing a good testing ground at unlocking the potential and there is a consensus that Twitter Search is becoming a real time search engine in itself anyway. From how useful Twitter has been for me finding out information about the latest iPhone I would also suggest that real time search certainly has potential. It is plainly obvious the benefits of having up to the minute information, something Google cannot offer in the search engines as it stands namely due to the period of time it takes to get your site indexed.
However is it really feasible that real time could take over search on the whole? Well you would think that it would need to have a network of people continuously sending updates about products and services which will bring an inevitable problem of timing and spam. How can anyone decipher between what is spam and what is credible? This is something that for the time being will always make the traditional search so much better but it will be interesting to see how this develops.
The fact that both Google and Facebook are making movement in the real time search market is testimony to how serious real time search can become and it should be taken seriously. In the meantime however it will be good to keep and eye on how real time search develops and would be wise to start planning on how to implement it sooner rather than later.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Nice Post! I think that this all comes down to the subject you are searching on. If you want to see the latest updates on an event such as the Iranian elections or information coming out of a conference then real time is great and should stretch beyond Twitter to services such as AudioBoo.
However, as has been pointed out by news organisations over the last few days, the use of such real time content can be dangerous as it can lack source credibility, moderation or context!
June 18th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
i find real time pretty fascinating because if it takes a hold it will make the crawl process look pretty archaic. think that’s why Google have rushed in - they know this is where search is heading and they need the technology to compete and not lose ground to the likes of Twitter or Facebook.
but realistically how far can real time go? As you say Mark for timely issues you can lack credibility, moderation and context, but i think where it can excel is as an answer engine from a trusted source. if you have a question that can be answered quickly and sources you trust (e.g. followers on Twitter, friends on FB etc) then it’s the natural place to search.
developing trust and credibility on a larger scale will be an interesting development…
June 19th, 2009 at 9:43 am
I agree Craig I think that it can serve as an answer engine and on reflection if these trusted sources that you end up following steer you in the right direction then real time search could take you through the whole buying cycle from information seeking through to purchase.
Still the question of trust and credibilty is an issue but perhaps there could be a points or voting sytem for people who provide good and valuable information therby ridding any sapmmers.
June 19th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I have found the whole real time search functions on twitter to be a great way of finding opinions, rather than more factual info that google spits out.
However, its the age old problem that negative comments are much more likely to be aired than positive ones. Maybe not so much around new product launches, as there will be excited hype around new features etc.
If you are trying to find info on a particular brand/product, people are naturally commenting on below par service such as ‘Went to the store today…took 2 hours to get served by an untrained staff member’; rather than saying ‘Went to the store today…queue waiting time was of a satisfactory length’.
But deffinately agree, there is huge potential there waiting to be tapped, and i for one don’t think brands are fully embracing there opporunities.