1 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

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1 1 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

2 White Paper Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs Review 2013: Google.com Authors: Marcus Tober, Dr. Leonhard Hennig, Daniel Furch At-A-Glance This white paper provides an analysis of United States (US) Universal Search Integrations on Google search results, and specifically their distribution, number and development in the US for Universal Search Integrations are the integration of Videos, Images, Maps, Shopping, and News results within the organic search listings displayed by Google. Searchmetrics analyzed a data set encompassing millions of keywords searched on Google.com in 2013, and found significant trends including: An increase in the proportion of keywords with Universal Search Integrations is up to 81% from 75% the previous year A considerable rise in the proportion, but a 15% reduction in the absolute number of Video integrations displayed, which appears to coincide with the switch to a paid model for Google Shopping in the US Images are displayed 45% of the time, much more frequently than any other Universal Search elements A 182% increase in the total number of Shopping integrations and their market share A drop in the overall number of News sources for News integrations displayed, while both market share and the absolute number of News integrations remained quite stable 2 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

3 About Searchmetrics and the Searchmetrics Suite Searchmetrics is the pioneer and leading global provider of digital marketing software. It operates the Searchmetrics Suite, an interactive platform for companies and online agencies. With its Analyze Optimize Succeed philosophy, the company offers a holistic consulting approach to help companies develop and execute impactful digital marketing strategies. Increase sales & market share Maximize company value Accelerate long-term online growth Our software, Searchmetrics Suite TM the only platform backed by global leaders to provide data on SEO, PPC, Social, Content empowers users to increase visibility, market share, revenue and profits by applying optimal strategies in the digital marketing world. Through competitor and market analysis the Searchmetrics Suite helps companies to stay ahead of the competition. AWARD WINNING SEO Software AWARD WIN NING The main advantages at a glance: Cutting-edge analysis and data comparison for 134 countries and Local, Global and Mobile coverage for 350 cities First historical research database giving users access to over 7 years of data The first provider to give you Mobile SEO: so you can build strategies specifically for mobile smartphone or tablet based on sound, trusted data Complete digital optimization: specific optimization recommendations for Keyword Optimization, Content Optimization and URL Optimization to improve your site sperformance and visibility Personalized reporting capabilities: the first platform to give you the option to tailor and automate reports the way you need Easily enrich your own data applications with access to the data you want, the way you want it 3 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

4 Infographic Showing 2013 US Universal Search Integrations Figure 1: Infographic - Universal Search Google.com I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

5 Executive Summary Universal Search Integrations are the integration of Videos, Images, Maps, Shopping, and News results within the organic search listings displayed by Google. The proportion of keywords with Universal Search Integrations increased in For approximately four out of five keywords, Google displays additional media in the search results. At the beginning of 2012 this figure was 86%, but over the course of the year it fell to 75% by December. In 2013, this proportion remained initially stable in January, and then increased over the year to 81% in December 1. This increase could be related to developments such as the transformation of Shopping (PLA) integrations, the evolution of Knowledge Graphs and, last but not least, Google s new Hummingbird algorithm 2. These variables are covered in more detail in this study. This growth of Universal Search in general is largely attributed to the spread of Video and Image integrations, while the percentage of keywords with Shopping integrations coming exclusively from Google has also increased. The most significant developments in 2013 came from Shopping. Although some of the values varied greatly in the second half of the year, there was a clear trend towards more Shopping integrations. Map and News integrations recorded no marked increase in appearance over the year. However, the number of different News sources decreased from August 2013 roughly the time when Hummingbird was released resulting in an overall decrease from the slight rise in Compared to 2012, Videos have decreased in Universal Search, however, 50% of all Video results are from YouTube. 1 searchmetrics.com/en/knowledge-base/universal-search-study-2013/ 2 searchmetrics.com/en/knowledge-base/hummingbird/ 5 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

6 Contents Definition, Influences and the Data-pool What is Universal Search? Overview of integrations Influences Topicality of data Market Share: Video and Image Integrations Most Common, Plus the Return of Shopping Videos are enhanced for the most keyword searches, Images have the highest count, and Shopping grows again Universal Search: Distribution of the types of integrations in the U.S. Google search results Quantity: More Shopping Results at the Cost of Video Integrations Image Integrations most popular, Fewer Videos, and far more Shopping Integrations Universal Search: Absolute number of integrations Percentage trends in Universal Search Integrations in detail Shopping: Strong Growth Both Absolute and Relative Google has the Lion s share Google Shopping is growing (Google) Shopping integrations (PLA) - Healthy growth in the second half of the year Video integrations: YouTube is the Market Leader Video integrations in the course of Video rankings by provider News Integrations: Number and Sources Decreasing Slightly Significant growth in 2012, fewer News sources since mid Less diversity after Hummingbird Summary of Universal Search The most important Developments in Universal Search in About Searchmetrics I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

7 List of Figures Figure 1: Infographic - Universal Search Google.com Figure 2: Universal Search U.S Market Share in % Screenshot 1: Google SERP for keyword Jimmy Fallon (edited) Screenshot 2: Google SERP for keyword Comedian Jimmy Fallon (edited) Figure 3: Share of total number of items delivered Figure 4: Growth in % (without shopping ) Figure 5: Growth in % (with shopping ) Figure 6: Video U.S. - Market share in % Figure 7: Video U.S. - Market share in % (log) Figure 8: Video U.S. - Average position of 1st video integrations (SERP 1-2) Figure 9: U.S. News Sources - Growth in % I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

8 Definition, Influences And The Data-pool What is Universal Search? Since April 2007 search engine results listings have been more than just a series of 10 blue links. Almost six years ago, Google began to integrate additional media that appear on the organic search results page. Depending upon how relevant to the search query they are, they may generate higher click rates than the organic search results. This media Videos, Images, Maps, Shopping results and News in Google SERPs 3, is known as Universal Search Integrations, sometimes referred to as enhanced or blended search. These media elements are often part of Google Knowledge Graphs. This is especially common for Maps and Images. Overview of Integrations In search engine history, there have been, and still are, various forms of integrations in Universal Search, some of which vary considerably in relevance. This study has examined the following forms of integration, which are considered to be the most important: Influences The number, position, and frequency of Universal Search Integrations vary not only on the search (= keywords), but are also influenced by personal search history. This is determined in turn by user behavior and depends, among other things, on whether the user is logged into Google, whether he is searching using the Google Chrome browser, where his IP is located and whether cookies are being saved, etc. Last but not least, Google itself continually changes the variations of synthesized types of integrations. Topicality of Data The data collected was for the whole of 2013, from January to December. Since this is a follow-up study to the Searchmetrics study of , the changes from the previous year are particularly interesting. These changes are a strong indicator to the evolution of Universal Search Integrations, and the trends highlighted in this study can be indicative of future performance and relevance. 3 Search Engine Results Pages 4 searchmetrics.com/en/knowledge-base/universal-search-study-2013/ 8 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

9 Data Pool This analysis is based on search results for several million keywords analyzed over the course of The data pool generally consisted of the first five pages of search results. However, for some detailed analyses, only the first of the SERPs was used News results, for example, are only displayed on the first page. Our general observation is that over the course of 2013, the proportion of keywords with at least one Universal Search Integration increased in the US, after a temporary decrease in Market Share: Video and Image Integrations Most Common, plus the Return of Shopping Videos Are Enhanced for the Most Keyword Searches, Images Have the Highest Count, and Shopping Grows Again When it comes to the market share (see figure 2) there was little movement in Universal Search over the course of the year except for Shopping integrations1 and Videos, both of which had an upward trend in Considering the distribution of integrations for Videos, Shopping, Images, Maps and News across the analyzed set of keywords, several clear trends become apparent through the year: Video integrations gained nearly 10% up through November and then slightly decreased again Shopping integrations, which have been liable to pay costs since 2012/2013, are rising again after having considerably declined towards the end of 2012 The respective proportion of Images, News and Maps remained more or less stable Enhancing the result pages for certain searches with integrations is an extremely important factor in Google s aim to always deliver the best results to the user as quickly as possible. Ideally, Universal Search makes further queries unnecessary, and avoids the necessity of long-tail searches. This means that with the integration of media into the SERPs, Google provides an optimized range of interpretation of the user s intent. This increases the likelihood of meeting the user s demands successfully, and simultaneously minimizes the search effort and the number of queries. In short, the user should be able to find exactly what he is looking for as quickly as possible. 9 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

10 Universal Search: Distribution of the Types of Integrations in the U.S. Google Search Results The following chart shows the market share of each integration type within Google.com. Figure 2: Universal Search U.S Market share in % Note: Although there are search results without Universal Search Integrations, the total sum of all shares is over 100%. This is because several integrations are displayed simultaneously for a given keyword. In a search for US comedian-host-actor-musician Jimmy Fallon for example, all News, Images and Videos are integrated. 10 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

11 Screenshot 1: Google SERP for keyword Jimmy Fallon (edited) It would be true to state that the share of keyword integrations during 2013 saw minimal change, with one exception, Shopping Integrations. This is quite different from the previous year. Throughout 2012, Universal Search showed significantly more movement. The most common integrations are for Videos, which rose over the year by about 7%. There are increasingly more search results in which at least one Video integration is displayed. 11 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

12 In second place are image integrations, whose distribution has increased by about 3%. What is interesting is that Images are now more frequently shown at the top of the Knowledge Graph, rather than between search results. This applies mainly to keywords for entities. Using the Jimmy Fallon example, since he is widely known as a public figure in the US, he is likely to be considered an entity by search engines. Notable, however, is that the SERPs for the keyword Jimmy Fallon returned no Knowledge Graph display, only a box with further information ( See results about ). Apparently, Google still has difficulties in their final determination of entities. Disambiguation when Google cannot define precisely which results to supply for a search term, so provides a basket of results is still an issue when refining search results. When searching for Jimmy Fallon Comedian, the Images are not displayed within the organic results, but right next to them, as part of the Knowledge Graph: Screenshot 2: Google SERP for keyword Comedian Jimmy Fallon (edited) Map Integrations did not change much over the year. They recorded the lowest proportion of all keyword integrations (0.5%) and actually decreased slightly. News integrations returned about the same keyword proportion (16%) at the beginning and end of the year, although they increased slightly in the Summer. This seems to have something to do with the number of News sources and possibly the Hummingbird algorithm. This feature will be considered in more detail in Chapter 5. Perhaps the most interesting anomalies appeared with Shopping integrations. In contrast to the other types of integrations, this becomes apparent when looking at market share. Google introduced a new model for Shopping, and the respective graph shows that the proportion of keywords with Shopping integrations changed frequently during the year. The fact that this also affects the absolute number, and the relative growth, of this type of integration is shown in Chapter I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

13 2. Quantity: More Shopping Results at the Cost of Video Integrations Image Integrations Most Popular, Fewer Videos, and Far More Shopping Integrations If we look at the absolute number of items delivered (see Figure 3), the situation looks different. The total number of Videos returned in SERPs declined by roughly 15% over the year, having dropped markedly from May to June. In the same month, Shopping integrations grew by roughly the same percentage that Videos declined. Toward the end of the year, Images were by far the most items delivered, although their share is lower than at the beginning of the year. The reason seems to be that Shopping integrations gained at the expense of Videos. We recognized the mirroring of the graphs of the two and have analyzed our data for anomalies, but it seems that some Videos had to give up their place for Shopping results. Furthermore, the decline in the number of Videos may be due to a recent Google development. Figure 3: Share of total number of items delivered Last year, the status of Video as the most prominent integration seemed to be slowly changing. Although the proportion of Images in Universal Search Integrations didn t increase in an unusual way in 2012 or in 2013, and image integrations did not increase over the whole of 2013 in absolute numbers (Chart 2), the gap between Videos and Images grew. Images are now by far the most frequent integration in terms of quantity. Universal Search: Absolute Number of Integrations At the beginning of the year almost 50% of all integrations were image integrations. In December 2013, almost every other Universal Search integration was an image (45%). The trend from the graph is clear, particularly from May to November, and is in fact slightly decreasing. This could be attributed 13 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

14 to Images moving from their original place, between the organic search results, to appear more frequently in the Knowledge Graph. There, they are not only side by side but displayed in various sizes and related to each other. As a result, less space is available, so the slight decline could be explained by this. It is also noticeable that a larger downtrend begins approximately in August, which could be associated with the Hummingbird algorithm, in turn closely linked to the evolution of the Knowledge Graph and the concept of entities 5. As in the previous year, although the proportion of keywords with at least one Video integration is higher, the absolute number of Videos displayed is lower than that of Images. If Videos are displayed, there are only a few, which is contrary to Image integrations, where there can be many. As a rule, there are simply more Images than Video, and viewing a Video requires more time than looking at an Image. In addition, Images are often shown side by side in a type of carousel format, while Videos appear separately between organic results. From May 2013, an interesting coincidence can be noticed in the development of Video and Shopping integrations, with the trends seemingly reflected in a mirror image. We analyzed the data here in greater detail, but were unable to detect irregularities or errors, so it seems as if Shopping integrations displayed more frequently at the expense of Videos. It is interesting to note at this stage that content from YouTube, which is owned by Google, has decreased significantly - more about that in Chapter4. News and Map integrations, which account for a very small proportion of integration results, seem to have varied very little during the year. These tendencies are confirmed by a detailed analysis focusing on the percentage growth rates of individual integrations. Percentage Trends in Universal Search Integrations in Detail The following graph shows the percentage trends of the absolute number of respective integrations. The output value in January 2013 was defined as 100%. Figure 4: Growth in % (without shopping ) 5 See also: searchmetrics.com/en/knowledge-base/hummingbird/ 14 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

15 The graph in figure 4 does not include the plot-line for Shopping integrations. As can be seen in Figure 5 below, the range of this line is quite large, so the other lines would be difficult to follow if it were included here. In the graph, the continuous positive trend for Maps becomes clear. Here, however, we are dealing with small incremental advances, which are only clear in this type of evaluation. Similarly, but much more varied, is the curve for News integrations. The negative trend of Video integrations, especially from May to June, is clear in Figure 4. The growth curve for Images is moderate, and negative in November. Now that we have compared integrations in Universal Search to each other, let s move into detailed analysis of individual types of integrations. Particularly interesting are the Shopping integration trends, as well as a closer examination of the range of Videos. In addition, an analysis of the development of different News sources is included. 3. Shopping: Strong Growth Both Absolute and Relative Google Has the Lion s Share Google Shopping is Growing As a reminder, Shopping integrations did not just grow as regards their share in search, but the proportion of Shopping integrations in terms of absolute numbers increased significantly as well. This is reflected in relative growth. To show this, the following graph includes data for all integrations this time including the curve for Shopping integrations. Figure 5: Growth in % (with shopping ) The new Google Shopping payment model was released out of Beta towards the middle/end of February 2013, and has since been accessible all for online marketers. Therefore, the current graphs have no Shopping data for January and February. 15 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

16 Last year Shopping integrations were the losers of the Universal Search year analysis with the anomaly that all market participants lost heavily, except for the Google platform itself, whose curve alone showed a strong upward trend. The same comparison in 2013 is no longer possible, because since the changeover to the payment model with Product Listing Ads (PLA) no other market participants exist anymore. Everything takes place in the search giant s own product Google Shopping. As can be seen in the previous graphs, both the proportion of keywords with Shopping integrations, as well as the number of individual integrations, grew. In Figure 5, this is again evident from the relative growth. (Google) Shopping Integrations (PLA) - Healthy Growth in the Second Half of the Year Referring to the growth of Shopping integrations as compared to the relative growth of the other elements, a healthy increase is evident. Shortly after the end of the beta phase in spring 2013, there was a slight downward trend, but from the middle of the year there was a marked increase of about 500%, with just two short phases of stagnation in July and August and a slight down-turn at year-end. Direct links to Shopping vendors, such as Amazon and Mercateo, are no longer displayed in Universal Search Integrations. Instead, the Google Product Listing Ads (PLAs) are based exclusively on result-pages within Google, where the offers of the merchants are aggregated and linked (these pages were not part of this analysis). From there, the user can click on the vendor or product pages. In the US, since the middle of 2012, Google began charging Shopping vendors for inclusion and display on Google Shopping pages. At the same time, it is noticeable that the presentation or listing of Shopping results within Google is not sorted by product price. 4. Video Integrations: YouTube is the Market Leader YouTube, Google s own Video service since its acquisition at the end of 2006, has been the measure of all things as far as Video integrations in Universal Search are concerned. All other providers still have a very low market share, even when combined. Share of YouTube Videos fell by almost 30% In the previous year 2012, a detailed analysis of Video integrations on Google.com rarely found any developmental trends, but reflected a certain state. The situation is completely different in There actually is an evident trend visible throughout the year, but not one that changed the general state in real terms - YouTube Videos will remain the strongest contender by far. 16 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

17 Figure 6: Video U.S. - Market share in % Video Integrations in the Course of 2013 The continuous downward trend of YouTube is clear, especially from March to July when the curve falls significantly. However, from mid-year, the trend stabilized again. The overall decrease in the year for YouTube was 25-30%, but YouTube still returns nearly every other Video in Universal Search. In Figure 7, you can see that a logarithmic view of the trends makes the developments of the other market contenders clearer. Figure 7: Video U.S. - Market share in % (log) 17 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

18 The YouTube decline is precluded by an upward trend in the other Video providers. However, this is almost exclusively seen in the addition of all competitors, indicated by the gray line. Effectively, no other provider breaches the 10% threshold. Video Rankings by Provider Figure 8 compares the average initial position of a Video from YouTube integrations with that of its competitors. The basis is the first two search result pages. Figure 8: Video U.S. - Average position of 1st video integrations (SERP 1-2) In the US, the average first Video integration from YouTube is about two positions ahead of the average first position of a competitor s video. Throughout the year, both curves dropped by roughly one position, but towards the end of the year climbed back to the starting level with the relative distance tending to remain constant. This chart looks quite similar to last year s. A slight downward trend can be barely deduced, which appears to be minimally more pronounced amongst the competition than for YouTube. 18 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

19 5. News Integrations: Number and Sources Decreasing Slightly Significant Growth in 2012, Fewer News Sources since Mid-2013 In our 2012 analysis, the growth in distribution of News integrations was still very strong. In percentage terms, News integrations recorded the largest increase in Universal Search in Not only were there more integrations per keyword, but the number of News integrations increased also. From these results, we analyzed whether Google displays more, different, News from the same providers, or if the basket of News suppliers (domains) had also increased. As it turned out, it was the latter case and therefore this not only increased the number of News integrations, but also the number of News sources. Figure 9: U.S. News Sources - Growth in % In 2013, the number of different News sources remained remarkably stable until mid-year. In Figure 9 it can be seen that no decisive change occurred in the first half of the year, but from July to August a minimal increase can be seen. However, shortly thereafter, a negative trend began and the number of different News sources declined again. Less Diversity After Hummingbird This development coincides roughly with the release of the Hummingbird algorithm. At first there seemed to be more diversity in the News, but this has stabilized at a lower level after Hummingbird. As has already been shown in a specific analysis for SERP diversity in terms of Hummingbird 6, this relates to the diversity of search results in general, and there seems to be no exception to this trend for News integrations. The diversity of search results has decreased slightly since the summer of searchmetrics.com/en/knowledge-base/hummingbird/ 19 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

20 Summary of Universal Search 2013 The Most Important Developments in Universal Search in 2013 Video integrations per keyword over the course of 2013 have risen continuously, and the proportion of Image integrations in Universal Search is rising slowly but steadily as well. The most common type of integrations in absolute terms are Image integrations that - despite a slight decrease - still account for about 45% of all elements. If organic SERPs are enriched with Images, there are several at the same time as a rule, even when they are displayed partially in the Knowledge Graph. (Google) Shopping is the winner in 2013, after this type of integration was the loser in the 2012 analysis. After the end of the beta phase in February 2013, both the proportion and the absolute number of Google Shopping integrations, now in the form of PLA, clearly grew. There was little movement in Maps and News integrations, although both showed very slightly positive relative growth in the middle of the year, then flattened out to the end of the year. The number of News sources has decreased slightly, as has the number of Videos. This coincides with the tendency towards a decreasing diversity of search results in general. As for the detailed analysis of Shopping and Video integrations, a preference for Google products for this type of integration shows as early as Shopping is now entirely in Google s hands. Competitors do not exist anymore. On the Video side, there is a slight decline in Google s dominance, which effectively does not change the market situation much. In 2013, approximately 50% of all Video integrations still originated from YouTube. However, in 2012 the figure was 80%. In general, the evident trend is that Google is boosting the display of Universal Search Integrations in search results. On Google.com the percentage of keywords with at least one Universal Search integration has increased by about 6% in 2013 after a fall in I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs

21 About Searchmetrics Searchmetrics is the pioneer and leading global enterprise platform for international SEO. It operates the Searchmetrics Suite TM, an innovative, interactive enterprise level Search Engine Optimization (SEO) platform for companies and online marketing agencies. Searchmetrics offers a holistic consulting approach to helping companies and online agencies develop and execute, intelligent, long-term digital marketing strategies encompassing SEO, content and inbound marketing and social media. The company s flagship Searchmetrics Suite TM platform helps customers to define their individual business goals such as increased ROI and achieve them by delivering customized insights, forecasts, and recommendations. It provides detailed analysis and data in SEO, social media, content marketing and mobile to create a solid foundation for cross-channel digital marketing campaigns. The Searchmetrics Suite TM allows users to shape their own online visibility and differentiate themselves from potential competitors. Through individually scalable traffic and revenue forecasts and simulations, customers can identify how and where they need to develop their online presence, take appropriate action and track their performance against their goals. The company has offices in Berlin, San Mateo, New York, London and Paris and operates its SaaS software directly as well as through a network of partners and an online shop. The fast-growing company currently has more than 100 employees. It is backed by the venture capitalist companies Holtzbrinck Digital, Neuhaus Partners and Iris Capital. Many respected brands, such as T-Online, ebay, Siemens and Symantec rely on Searchmetrics to ensure they have excellent visibility through intelligent online marketing strategies. For enquiries regarding the Searchmetrics Suite TM or for a personal introduction to the power of Searchmetrics, our Sales Team is ready to help. Änderungen vorbehalten. Stand: June 2014 For inquiries regarding the Searchmetrics Suite TM or for a personal introduction to the power of Searchmetrics, our Sales Team is ready to help. Please contact us! Searchmetrics, Inc. Executive Board: Thomas Leo Schuster 1510 Fashion Island Blvd and Marcus Tober Suite 250 Handelsregister: HRB B San Mateo, CA Federal ID: Phone: Web: 21 I Searchmetrics I Universal Search Results in U.S. Google SERPs info@searchmetrics.com