You may have noticed something new the last time you googled. Perhaps you were looking for a review of this weekend’s blockbuster, the score of yesterday’s playoff game or  when that new restaurant down the street starts serving dinner, and there it was … a real-time search result.

In case you still don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s a screen shot:

Whether it’s breaking news, an eyewitness tweet, a new blog post or a fresh status update, real-time search is every search engine’s hope to make all of their results both relevant and instant. Partnering with the big names in social media -- Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, et al — Google, Bing and the rest of the search giants hope to bring an always-changing, always-popular, always-relevant aspect to their results pages. But what does that mean if you want your company or brand to be included in the results?

Social networks are more important than ever. If you’re not currently on social networks, you’re missing one of the best ways to have conversations with your customers. On top of that, now you’re also missing opportunities to connect with potential customers who look for you on popular search engines. The social networks presented in real-time search results have been given greater importance and staying power, and this should be reflected in your marketing plan.

SEO everywhere. People/companies who use social networking outlets should now become more concerned about their word choice. Having the right phrase in your last tweet or Facebook status could launch you directly onto the first page of Google. Not to mention, having posts about topics that aren’t directly related to your field will now help you reach an entirely new audience.

Stay relevant. Keeping current and relevant with your messages and messaging will be crucial. According to Google Fellow Amit Singhal, the characteristics that Google looks for in relevant real-time searches are author quality, probability of relevance and query hotness. Providing frequent, quality posts to all of your social networking outlets allows you to hit all three of these points.

Real-time search is just getting its sea legs, and users are just starting to understand what it is and how to use it. But if you position your company correctly and learn to use real-time search in your favor, you could be on the ground floor of the next boom in search.

Whether we’re talking simple star ratings or in-depth analyses, user reviews have become an ingrained part of the online experience. According to Nielsen Online (PDF), 81% of online shoppers use product reviews when making purchasing decisions, while 19% of shoppers post reviews themselves.

When the peer group becomes this large, however, savvy users begin to question if their needs are the same as the reviewer’s. While a high school quarterback and a 34-year-old father might have vastly different needs, they may both purchase the same 4-door sedan. Their reviews of the car could well be polar opposites (and with good reason); nevertheless, both reviews are equally valid. The average customer can become lost in a sea of conflicting reviews.

There are a few ways to keep user reviews useful, helpful and targeted:

Qualified Feedback. With over 1,400 positive customer reviews on Amazon, the Three Wolf Moon tee shirt is at the center of a massive meme that calls into question the validity of the site’s reviews. Qualified feedback has become increasingly popular as an alternative. In order to leave a review on Angie’s List, for example, you must be a paid subscriber. The site also certifies every review to prevent fake or fraudulent feedback; as a result, it has quickly become one of the internet’s most trusted sources.

Expert Reviews. An uptick in astroturfing has caused the trustworthiness of product reviews to falter, but expert reviewers can help online shoppers regain their confidence. Trusted experts provide shoppers with consistent levels of knowledge and experience while they read about the pros and cons of a product. Integrating customer reviews alongside expert reviews, as CNET does, gives consumers the best of both worlds, allowing them to hear what the experts and the general public has to say.

Experienced Users. By promoting their top users and best reviewers, companies can increase the reliability and consistency of the reviews, content and feedback they display. Motherboard (a collaboration between Dell and VBS.TV) promotes high-quality material and attention-grabbing comments by creating theme leaders. People who continually push the conversation and post interesting content receive the rank of theme leader, which is called out every time that user posts. The hierarchy within Motherboard’s community rewards its most active contributors, who in turn feel motivated to continue posting high-quality content.

User reviews will continue to grow in popularity. Online shoppers want confirmation that their future purchases are wise, and one of the best ways to get this kind of confirmation is through the experiences of like-minded peers.