Google's Real-time Search: What does it mean for small businesses?

I have had a lot to say about real-time search in previous blog postings. I have highlighted both positive and negative issues related with real-time search. I wanted to share my opinions on how I see real-time search affecting small businesses.

Increase The Use of Social Media

With real-time search, small businesses will have even more need to take advantage of social media. If real-time search becomes the search medium of choice of most Internet users, small business will need to send tweets, status updates. Any business who does not do this will be at a disadvantage over their competitors that do.

Create Quality Content

Real-time search provides a way for businesses to be seen regularly on the first page of Google if they use SEO keywords from the trending topics on Twitter, or a current hot issue. Small business will need to increase the amount of content they create for their website, one way to do this would be to create a blog. Content created for this purpose would need to be quality content and needs to say something new or it could prove detrimental if people see that you are constantly submitting content of little value.

Since there is so much information being moved through the real-time feed you may have only a few minutes or seconds to catch someones attention, writing interesting headlines will be very important.

Increase Web Presence

Real-time search may just bring even more advertising to the Internet as people search for the latest relevant information to stay informed. Small businesses will need to increase their web presence as more people use real-time search to increase their visibility among their customer base.