Google operates additional indexes for different types of content, such as images and video, which can drive traffic to a brand site via the search engine’s ‘vertical’ search functions. This chapter looks at Google’s main search verticals, including News and Shopping, and outlines the steps search marketers can take to optimise for them. It covers:
- Image search: While Google image search is no longer a significant driver of traffic, there is still some value for websites with rich imagery. How can owners of these sites optimise their images to improve performance?
- News: Google News can be a great driver of traffic, but only a limited number of sites will be accepted in the Google News Index. What kind of content is selected for in Google News results, and what should be avoided?
- Shopping search: Ecommerce brands can upload their product data feeds to appear on the Google Shopping listings, but what minimum attributes are required to show inventory for free?