Google Social Search 'has SEO implications'

The recent unveiling of Google's new Social Search feature could be of particular interest to online marketing professionals operating in the search engine optimisation (SEO) sector, an expert has suggested.

According to Tim Gibbon of Social Media Portal, both brand marketers and digital agency specialists have been focusing on how best to use online content to boost their Google ranking.

While these efforts have primarily centred on the search engine's universal search results - which combine standard web results with those for images and video - Social Search could offer new opportunities, he indicated.

"This move will certainly be of interest to search marketers," Mr Gibbon remarked, adding that the launch also highlights the importance of social networking websites working with their rivals to allow more content to be made available across them.

Google unveiled Social Search - which lets users see results from their friends' websites and blogs along with standard listings - last week.

The feature is currently in beta after initially being developed as an experimental service last autumn.

This news story was brought to you by Bluhalo - a leading UK digital agency.