Google held its annual developer conference, I/O, at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, from May 7-9. Although not explicitly a digital marketing event, the information shared at I/O tends to interest marketing professionals as it forecasts Google’s strategy for the coming year. The 2019 edition of the event was no exception: the three-day conference was highlighted by product announcements and news that will shape the next twelve months.

First, Google announced enhancements to Top Stories in the News section of search results. Top Stories will now include more information about the searched topic, a story timeline where applicable, and direction to relevant podcasts.

The company also introduced augmented reality features giving users access to 3D objects for use in search results and the real world. For example, a search for a piece of furniture might give users the option to virtually place that piece of furniture in their living room. The utility for retail and ecommerce businesses is obvious.

Speaking of ecommerce, Google Assistant will soon help searchers complete certain tasks, including transactions such as movie ticket purchases or car rentals. If you’re not optimizing for voice search yet, added investment in Google Assistant should be the inspiration you need.

Expect even more Google news next week when we recap the company’s Marketing Live event, which took place May 14! In a blog post, Google teased announcements regarding the Google Ads app and local campaigns updates, including new inventory in Google Maps.

As a Google Premier Partner digital marketing agency with access to valuable insights on Google’s preferred practices, GrowthEngine Media stays up to date with the latest and most pertinent innovations at the world’s largest search engine. Visibility on Google is paramount to success in our hyper-competitive digital marketing landscape, and GrowthEngine Media can ensure that your business gets noticed by the clients that matter most.

Image source: events.Google.com