Keyword Search Vs. Discovery: The WAR has begun…

Cue the music George…

Did you catch this Mad Money segment about the “mystery” of Google not hitting it’s quarterly estimates?

Cramer is confused, but I’m not. Keywords, (and therefore Pay Per Click Ads), are becoming old school before our eyes.

What Cramer said, “The mystery began last Thursday when Google reported a “big earnings miss.” ”

He attributed the missed quarter to cell phone users. Huh?

What he should have said, “The WAR between Google and Pinterest … between Keyword Search, (read old school), and Sharing & Discovery, (read new school), has begun”.

Pinterest has proven a new concept – the shift toward discovery, as TechCrunch calls it, as a replacement for Keyword Search based ecommerce behavior.

What am I talking about? …

Discovery: Finding what you want visually, by browsing friends pictures, (on Pinterest), then clicking on the image and going to the source website without ever typing a word. Then clicking, ‘Add To Cart’.

Keyword Search: Thinking, (or seeing), what you want to buy. Then finding a Google browser and typing words into a search field, (Google, or any other), and being presented with a list of potential relevant written descriptions, (which have historically be paired up with advertisements)… Then clicking onto those written descriptions, until you find the right picture to confirm you’ve found the right item, and then clicking ‘Add To Cart’.

Which activity sounds simpler?

Can it be any clearer? Ben Silbermann, worked in Google’s Dispay Ad group, and left to found a social Discovery & sharing platform that operates without Keywords.

Coincidence? No.

Brilliant – game changing – next generation – curb jumping – technology advancing – AWE Inspiring – ? – YES!

And to top it off, Pinterest has become the fastest growing stand alone website in history, (Per TechCrunch). (oops).

Let me explain more about the impact of this war…

In a social sharing & discovery world NO Keywords are necessary. And when no keywords are necessary, no Pay Per Click advertising is necessary. But that’s how Google became Google. What would Google be without Pay Per Click Ad money? That’s a radical thought right? But it’s already begun my friends. It’s already begun.

Here is how:

For countless small business owners, as they begin receiving a flood of Pinterest traffic, they can ratchet back their PPC spending because they are receiving free traffic that is more qualified than their old PPC traffic. The steady decline of PPC advertising is a strong possible future reality.

The WAR between Keyword Search and Discovery has begun. 11 million Pinterest troopers pinned images last month, (non-stop), like a vast clone army.

My guess about next steps? The droids will launch a counter attack. (AKA – offer to purchase Pinterest for several Billion dollars).

Cramer, call me if you want to discuss this further.

Ps. If you want to share this story on Pinterest, then Pin This Infographic for me, thanks!