With the latest “silent” move by Google, it looks like the tech giant is moving towards replacing websites with apps. Dan Cristo, director of SEO Innovation at Catalyst, a though leader in search social media, previously predicted that the web is set to go extinct to make way for native mobile apps. Now that Google has silently acquired a company called Agawi, it looks like Dan’s predictions have solid basis, after all.
Dan pointed out that Google and Bing have recently started indexing app content in search engines. Although search engines still don’t have the capability to actually crawl and discover content within a standalone app, it is only a matter of time before they can create a structure that will allow them to link the content inside an app from within the app and other external sources.
Apparently, startup company Agawi has developed a solution that will enable search engines to index app content. According to The Information, Google has acquired the company last year, but kept mum about it until a few days ago. Now that this technology is in the hands of Google, Dan believes that the final hurdle for allowing apps to replace websites has been cleared.
Just like Netflix streams videos, Agawi’s technology has the capability to stream apps. Dan explained that instead of bundling an entire app into a single, large file, it is broken down into many smaller files. This will enable a user to use other portions of the app while the rest of it is still being downloaded.
So what will Google do with this technology? Dan believes that in the short term, it looks like the tech giant wants users to be able to test an app before downloading its full version. And in the long run, Google is expected to use Agawi to solve common problems associated with mobile apps, particularly those concerning slow downloads.
With this technology being developed and as more users are switching from desktop to mobile, Dan is convinced that apps will soon be taking over the Internet. Therefore, search marketers should make the necessary preparations to ensure that they will be able to keep up with the changing times. According to him, marketers and even business owners should have a “firm understanding” of what search engines like Google can do with apps today. He added that they should encourage their respective clients to consider developing an “app strategy” if they haven’t done it already.
