The Social Future of Search

Search engines are the central pillar of online information, organizing the way we browse the web and the channels through which we access information of every conceivable kind. But in the last years or so there has been a very vocal revolution online. They call it Web 2.0, and while some consider it a fad, other more serious search experts have pointed to the fundamental change its rise could bring to the web and the way we visit websites online. Web 2.0, or 'social networking', creates a new dynamic for the web, and one that seems initially more logical – search determined by the networks and recommendations of humans, rather than software programs.

The future of search is social. Without a doubt, one of the next biggest areas of growth in search technology will come with the integration of human and algorithmic ranking factors – to a certain extent, this is already borne out by search engines like Technorati. Incorporating a human element is the only way major search engines can reverse the tarnishing of results that SEO brings: while it might be one thing to fool a search engine spider, it's quite another to fool the collective ken of the web.

Search engine results at present are proving to be a particularly unreliable way of sifting through information. How many times have you personally found what you were looking for, only to be unable to reach that same very useful page through a memorable online search? That's because a large number of websites are engaged in search engine manipulation techniques that are designed to elevate their ranking. What's more, you can buy the services of SEO consultants to help achieve that aim, allowing the most savvy website with the deepest pockets to achieve the highest perceived relevancy in the search engine ranking pages.

Social networking starts everyone on a level playing field. Of course there are search implications of engaging with social networking, but there are also advantages to be had in the perception this creates of your organization, and in getting closer to the consumers and visitors, without whom your website would cease to function. While this conversation can be opened by businesses of all sizes, the proof comes in the form of others acknowledging and interacting on points of discussion – something that's pretty hard to game. As such, social networking is often more effective at pointing visitors in the direction of useful or interesting website, rather than search engines which are becoming increasingly associated with inaccurate search engine relevancy rankings.

For website owners, this insight brings with it imminent responsibilities. It is up to you to ensure the reputation of your business, both in the search engines and in social media by actively engaging in social networking campaigns, and without the care and attention required to ensure your site gets noticed in the social web, you're going to lose ground against the competition and ultimately lose revenue going forward as a result.