Google is aiming to transform the way people discover audio content through search results.
In a recent interview, Zach Reneau-Wedeen from Google’s podcast team discussed the company’s plans to give audio content the same level of importance as text, images, and video.
“Currently, Google excels at providing text and video related to your search query. With the incredible work podcasters produce daily, there’s no good reason why audio shouldn’t be equally prioritized,” he stated.
One approach Google is considering is integrating podcast metadata into search results. This means that, beyond appearing when the title is searched for, podcasts could also appear in results when specific topics or individuals are searched.
This would involve Google devising a method to identify what each podcast episode covers and comprehend the content of individual episodes.
“This is something Google has mastered for text articles, images, and even more structured data like maps. We can assist with audio too, offering the potential to help people find the best content for their needs more effectively than they currently can,” he added.
In a future where audio content is indexed like text, it could create a new avenue for marketers— audio SEO.
If audio SEO becomes a reality, it could lead to the emergence of new forms of audio content, such as spoken-word versions of articles or brief sound clips answering specific questions.
Let’s hope it doesn’t result in podcasters repeatedly saying the same words to boost their rankings for specific keywords.
