“Our goal is to get you the right information at the right time.”
This is Google CEO, Larry Paige, describing, Google Now, the new updated Google search app for iOS. It launched last week in the Apple App Store and has been compared to Apple’s Siri voice command service because it also handles voice instructions from smartphone owners. The difference being that Google Now has been designed to provide users with useful everyday information before they ask for it. Updates about weather, news, stocks, sports, traffic and more are presented in flick-through “cards” that are tailored to fit each user based on their internet search history and specific daily habits.
For sports fans, Google Now has the potential to make going to and from the ballpark or stadium much more efficient. Imagine the scenario of a season ticket holder who frequently travels to see their local team. With the anticipatory search of Google Now, the app will learn the fan’s routine and create the most useful cards for that fan. For example, without a user ever having to enter any search terms, Google Now would display the day’s weather and how long it will take to get to the game based on the current traffic.
Then, upon arrival at the ballpark Google Now generates cards showing nearby restaurants and sports bars in case fans want to grab a bite to eat or a drink before the game and avoid those expensive stadium concession prices. For foreign fans, Google Now automatically shows currency conversions, key local language translations, popular photo spots, and the time difference between the current location and home.
While at the game, fans can use Google Now to get play-by-play updates and in game summaries of other teams that they are following, all while staying in the Google search app.
Once the game is over, Google Now will again display the estimated time for the commute home, restaurant options, local attractions, and times of movies at nearby theaters in case fans want to extend their night out.
This type of predictive search technology certainly has a lot of potential for sports fans. The more fans use it, the more it learns and becomes a better mobile assistant.
But fans are not the only people in the sports world that can potentially benefit from Google Now. Sports marketers and advertisers could also capitalize on this new search idea from Google.
In terms of marketing, if the predictive internet searching of Google Now turns out to represent the search habits of the future then teams will have to adapt to the fact that less searching means less data to utilize and Search Engine Optimization may not be as important. But on the other hand, the cards in Google Now offer new opportunities for sports teams to get the attention of their fans. A personalized sports advertisement about a user’s favorite team can come in the form of one of the cards and be viewed before searching the web. This means that Google Now will have recommended this brand before users conducted a search, thus creating exposure and credibility.
Basically, imagine the potential for brands to be noticed before a Google search takes place. It would almost be as if Google finally sold ad spots on the completely white Google.com home page.
A lot remains to be seen with this new predictive internet searching technology from Google Now. Theoretically, it could make the lives of many users more efficient, especially sports fans.