SEO and Universal Search Engine Optimisation: Optimisation for Diversified Search Results

Understanding SEO and Universal Search Engine Optimisation

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Universal Search Engine Optimization are two key elements of digital marketing. SEO focuses on search engine optimisation to improve the online visibility of a brand or product. It uses specific techniques to help websites rank higher in organic search results, increasing their visibility and traffic potential.

What is Universal Search Engine Optimisation?

Universal referencing, on the other hand, refers to the diversity of results presented by search engines. In addition to traditional text results, it includes results available in various formats such as images, videos, news, maps and locations. For digital marketing specialists, the aim of universal search engine optimisation is to achieve optimum positioning on these different types of results in order to reach a wider audience.

The Impact of Universal Search Engine Optimisation on SEO

Universal SEO is transforming the way marketers think about SEO. Rather than focusing solely on ranking in traditional text results, they now also need to optimise content for different formats. This involves new strategies, such as optimising images and videos for search, and using news and social media to improve brand visibility. By adopting a universal SEO perspective, brands can not only reach a wider audience, but also offer a more diverse and enriching experience to their users.

Developing a Strategy for Diversified Search Results

It's clear that universal search has a significant impact on a brand's SEO strategy. Understanding how to optimise content for different types of search results is key to success in this ever-changing digital landscape. This might mean learning how to optimise images for image search, how to make the most of video opportunities on YouTube or how to position yourself in Google news to maximise brand visibility. With a well thought-out, strategic approach to SEO, brands can position themselves at the forefront of this dynamic and competitive digital landscape.

Historical development of universal search and transformation of SERPs

When Google introduced the concept of "Universal Search" in 2007, SEO professionals realised that the era of ten linear blue links was coming to an end. With just one click, users could now see YouTube videos, images, news from Google News, Google Books extracts, interactive maps and data from Google Scholar all appearing on the same results page. This transformation has rapidly changed strategies, forcing SEOs to think in terms of ecosystems rather than isolated keywords. SERPs are more like mosaics than lists. Studies carried out by Moz and SparkToro show that by 2023, almost 55 % of queries will trigger at least one enriched result (video, image, People Also Ask, local pack or other). The consequence is clear: organic traffic is fragmenting across several media, forcing brands to diversify their presence.

Understanding search intent and the multiplicity of formats

Optimising for universal SEO is no longer just a matter of choosing the right keywords, but of mapping search intent and responding to that intent in the most relevant format. An informational query such as "install photovoltaic panels" frequently generates a mix of text guides, video tutorials, schematic images and links to specialist shops. Conversely, a transactional query such as "buy cheap iPhone 15 Pro" often triggers a Shopping carousel, paid ads and blocks of product reviews. Successful marketing teams are those that simultaneously orchestrate long articles, explanatory videos, FAQs tagged in schema.org, and high-resolution visuals.

The rise of visual search and Google Images

Google Images accounts for more than 20 % of all search traffic according to Jumpshot. An interior design e-commerce site, for example, cannot ignore the impact of ALT optimisation and EXIF structuring. In 2018, Ikea implemented a precise nomenclature of attributes ("furniture type + colour + collection + use") in order to appear in a dominant position for visual queries such as "Scandinavian oak coffee table". The images are compressed using WebP, tagged using JSON-LD and available in several resolutions for responsive display. The result: an increase of 35 % in organic traffic from the Images tab in less than six months.

Video, YouTube and converSEO/SEA agency

With over two billion monthly connected users, YouTube is not just the second most popular search platform: it's a direct extension of the Google SERP. The Sephora brand has taken advantage of this convergence by creating playlists of make-up tutorials, each optimised for a main keyword ("round face contouring", "beginner smoky eye"). By integrating time-stamped chapters, rich metadata and links to product sheets with strategic timecodes, Sephora has ensured double visibility: on the one hand in Google's Videos tab, and on the other in YouTube Search. Coupled with TrueView for Action campaigns, the brand achieved a ROAS of 6:1, proving that good video SEO can feed paid search and vice versa.

Shopping results and the domination of marketplaces

Universal search engine optimisation has seen the rise of marketplaces in the Shopping carousel. Amazon, Cdiscount and Fnac systematically appear for consumer product queries. A young DNVB (Digital Native Vertical Brand) like Respire has circumvented this barrier by relying on Google Merchant Center and structured "Product" data. Their listings benefit from verified reviews ("AggregateRating" schema), 360° visuals and stock updated in real time via XML feeds. Combined with dynamic pricing driven by the Content API for Shopping, this strategy has enabled us to gain ground against the giants, while reducing the cost of acquisition.

Optimising text content for Featured Snippets and People Also Ask

According to Ahrefs, optimised extracts (featured snippets) capture an average of 8 to 10 % of clicks on a mobile SERP. To hope to get this insert, you need to structure the paragraphs into short, hierarchical and directly readable responses. The Doctissimo site, for example, monopolises hundreds of snippets thanks to "expert box" sections limited to 40-50 words, located after each H2. Meanwhile, the People Also Ask (PAA) block multiplies opportunities: an article that feeds three relevant questions can visually occupy half a smartphone screen. Advanced SEOs create intention-question correspondence tables even before writing the content, then mark each sub-heading with an anchor link to improve internal navigation.

Schéma.org, structured data and Rich Results: the language of robots

Structured data acts as a translator between the content and the algorithm. Marmiton's recipe for "gluten-free crêpes" is a good example of the leverage effect: thanks to the "Recipe", "NutritionInformation" and "HowToStep" tags integrated in JSON-LD, the page benefits from a carousel of recipes, a display of preparation times and a rating. The average CTR has jumped from 4.2 % to 7.9 %. In B2B, HubSpot is deploying "FAQPage", "Event" and "SoftwareApplication" to push comparison pages and webinars into the rich results. Standardisation is no longer just a technical issue: it has an impact on conversion, because users get a pre-experience of the content before they even click.

Local referencing, local pack and off-site signals

The Local Pack often occupies position zero for "keyword + city" queries. Vegetarian restaurants in Lyon, for example, see three establishments appear before the first organic link. A pizzeria like "Pizza Pino" has invested in a winning triptych: an optimised Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), the collection of authentic reviews on Trustpilot and the relaying of Facebook events. Add the updating of opening hours via the Google Business API and the weekly publication of Google Posts, and the rate of directional clicks (clicks to Google Maps itinerary) increases by 28 %. Off-site signals, such as NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency and local citations, remain decisive.

SEO for Google News and Discover: a premium on freshness

The appearance of Google Discover in over 800 million active feeds is changing the game. Media outlets such as Le Monde have created dedicated Discover optimisation units. This involves 1200 px visuals, a more narrative editorial tone, and "max-image-preview:large" tagging via robots.txt. The ROI can be massive: Numerama saw 40 % of its overall traffic come from Discover during the launch of the PlayStation 5. For Google News, AMP loading speed remains a recurring factor, even if the constraint has been relaxed. Rich RSS feeds, consistency of publication dates and Author Authority have played an increasing role since the 2023 Topic Authority update.

Optimised for voice search and connected devices

Google Nest speakers, Amazon Echo and Android Auto dashboards all encourage "zero position" responses. According to Comscore, 50 % of searches will be by voice this year. Yet voice search involves long, conversational sentences. A computer troubleshooting site targeting "laptop won't turn on" needs to think about voice phrases like "Why won't my Dell laptop turn on and how do I fix it? The addition of Q&A outline, 20-30 word paragraphs and 8ᵉ grade readability (Flesch FR) increase the likelihood of being read by Google Assistant. Speakable compatibility, still in beta, offers an audio preview of articles; the Washington Post is already testing this tag for its political columns.

Technical optimisation: Mobile-First, Core Web Vitals and WebP images

Since the full roll-out of the Mobile-First index in 2021, the mobile version is the official reference for exploration. Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS) influence visibility, including in enhanced modules. Shopify recorded a 5 % decrease in impressions on product carousels when LCPs exceeded 4s. The corrective action consisted of migrating to an in-house CDN, activating HTTP/3 and deferring JavaScript. Note: the WebP format reduces the weight of images by 25-34 % compared with JPEG, improving LCP without any noticeable visual loss. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) combined with native lazy-loading deliver a near-instantaneous experience, which is essential if you want to stay in the Top Stories Carousel.

Measuring performance in a context of diversified results

Traditional tools, such as Google Analytics or Search Console, provide a partial overview. BrightEdge and SEOClarity have introduced specialised dashboards capable of segmenting traffic by type of result: snippet, video, image, local, Discover. Semrush Sensor signals the volatility of carousels, while Rank Ranger provides a Universal Results Tracker. KPIs need to evolve: we're no longer content with the click-to-impression ratio, we're monitoring pixel visibility (pixel depth) and display time above the waterline. A travel blog may lose clicks on a keyword, but if its image carousel rises, brand exposure increases - so we need to correlate this with multi-touch attribution data (Adobe Analytics, HubSpot Analytics).

Holistic content strategy and thematic silo architecture

To take advantage of universal search engine optimisation, internal meshing must reflect the semantic universe. The "pillar theme and clusters" method popularised by HubSpot is proving its worth. Let's take a gardening site: a "Urban vegetable garden" pillar page links to video clusters (compost tutorial), an integrated podcast (interview with an agronomist), an infographic (sowing calendar) and a buying guide (essential tools). Each piece of content is linked via a balanced do-follow mesh, enhanced by a "BreadcrumbList" diagram to clarify the hierarchy. The result: more time spent, a lower bounce rate and a positive UX signal. This approach is reminiscent of the "topic cluster" logic advocated by Google's Natural Language Processing (muM and BERT), which evaluates overall expertise rather than an isolated page.

Case studies: brands that succeed with universal SEO

Decathlon By segmenting its ranges (trail, tennis, diving) and adding YouTube video mini-series with multilingual subtitles, the brand simultaneously occupies the Videos carousel and the Shopping product sheets. Its SEO team is working with R&D to publish interactive 3D models (WebGL) that can be indexed.

Michelin Guide The site is aligned with the local pack, with enhanced restaurant profiles (chef, awards, sustainable recognition). The company also feeds Google News with news briefs about new stars. The same keyword "restaurant Paris" can trigger a rich snippet, a News result and a Google Maps entry, all from Michelin.

Le Slip Français This French DNVB combines video storytelling, lifestyle images and shopping carousels. It has been awarded the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant via schéma" (Living Heritage Company via scheme) Organisation label - the institutional anointing improves the E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust).

Indispensable tools for effective universal SEO

In addition to Screaming Frog for the technical audit, Cloudinary makes it easy to transform images for Google Images and WebP. A Digital Asset Management (DAM) such as Bynder ensures visual consistency between video, image and banner. InVideo or Descript accelerate the production of short video clips, which are important for the Videos tab. For structured data, Schema App or WordLift generate contextualised JSON-LD. Last but not least, Frase and SEMrush Topic Research identify questions likely to be included in RTA blocks or voice searches.

Conclusion: supporting future developments in diversified research

The algorithm will continue to broaden its spectrum: Google Explore, AR Search and Search Generative Experience (SGE) are already being tested. Those who want to stay one step ahead need to think beyond the keyword and embrace a multimodal vision: text, image, video, audio, 3D data. Universal SEO, far from being a simple display module, is emerging as the strategic framework that links UX, content and business. Brands that are able to align their SEO, creative and data teams around this philosophy will enjoy a sustainable competitive advantage in the increasingly dense jungle of SERPs.

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