Universal Search – The blending of multiple sources of data onto one search result page. Results can be in the form of websites, videos, blogs, images, maps, books, and news stories.

When you perform a search on Google.com you don’t just see websites that relate to your search query, there are search results from many different types of media. For businesses, it’s important to represent your products and services in each of those mediums.

On May 16, 2007 Google put out a press release stating that they are beginning their move towards universal search. The key is “to break down the silos of information that exist on the web and provide the very best answer every time a user enters a query,” says Marissa Mayer, the vice president of search products and user experience at Google.

Here’s an example of a universal search result.

While companies are scrambling to achieve the highest website ranking for certain keywords it’s important to note that in the example pictured above, images and videos have the upper hand because they attract the eye faster than text.

While a searcher is in the research mode they are more likely to click on a multimedia search result and if that video is part of your online marketing campaign it will be much easier to guide them through the sales funnel rather than pushing them through using a pay per click text ad.

Here’s another example showing a search result for someone interested in learning more about back surgery.

It doesn’t take much to convince someone that universal search is important, so now that your on board, here are some tips on how to optimize your videos for universal search.

1. Use YouTube
   In case you didn’t know, Google owns YouTube, so it makes since that YouTube’s database would be given priority over other sites. Isn’t nepotism wonderful?
2. Add keywords
   Load your video up with keywords relating to the subject of your video. Add them to the title and description as well.
3. Invite comments and responses
   The more activity surrounding your video the better. When someone posts a video reply to your video it will have a link back to your original video, thus pushing up the authority of your own video.
4. Acquire as many view as possible
   No one knows exactly how the video search algorithm works, but it’s very likely that the move view you have, the higher our video will be ranked.
5. Embed and link back to the video
   Promote the video on your website or blog (hopefully you have both). Encourage people to watch and share the video. If it become popular you want the video traffic to come to your site, not YouTube.
6. Keep it short
   The max length of a video on YouTube is… Wait. If you are even getting close to the max length you are off course already. Keep your videos under 5 minutes at all costs. If you have a long video, cut it up into different subjects. Not only will people be more likely to watch the whole video, but you’ll have more videos in your arsenal.

I hope this helps your understanding on the importance of videos in a universal search world. If you have any questions give us a shout on Twitter or leave a comment below.

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