If you look closely at consumer packaging, magazines or any other printed material with a web address, you might notice the term “Augmented Reality.”

Wikipedia defines Augmented Reality (AR) as “a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are merged with (or augmented by) virtual computer-generated imagery — creating a mixed reality.”

A complex example of AR would be a head mounted display that allows the user to view superimposed graphics and text. Remember RoboCop? Real-world AR technology hasn’t quite reached that level of sophistication yet, but AR on the web is presently mixing graphic elements (3D, Video, text, etc.) with live video footage to create a unique user experience. The final image is a taken with the user’s web cam and displayed on the web page, as opposed to a cyborg policeman’s digital visor.

Take a look at a Science Channel special on AR and how it’s being used to engage students.

Some web users aren’t sure what to make of AR. It’s a little far out, but depending on the success of AR on the web, it could be commonplace within the next few years. And with companies like Home Depot and Target using this technology to reach their audience, it’s gaining exposure fast. Here are some examples…

Home Depot Gift Card

Target Holiday Campaign

InStyle

Esquire

So what does this mean for you and your business? Well, that’s all part of the fun. There is no road map for how to use AR. Signal is seizing the opportunity to get creative and think of ways to engage your audience. Maybe you have a product that you’d like to showcase. You may have pictures of this product online, but the ability for someone to interact with a three-dimensional product could make a lasting impression.

Signal developed our own AR site to tie in with our 2009 holiday greeting card. If you’d rather get back to non-Augmented Reality, I understand. But if you’re interested in just a little more, check it out.

Have a great holiday and a happy new year!

Google has pioneered the principle of “blended search,” or “universal search,” which means that search results from a variety of content categories – including video, news, images, shopping results and more – are brought together on a results page in an attempt to bring the user the most relevant possible matches.

A search for something like “landscaping” in Google will return not only regular web pages, but also images of landscaping ideas, local business listings pinpointed on a map, related news articles and more.

If you search for something more specific like “growing a pumpkin patch” videos will appear as thumbnails directly in the results page. See how it stands out on a results page otherwise dominated by your basic blue links and black preview text.

Although it is possible to earn a thumbnail spot like this from any online video service, you’re likely to see better results if you host your videos on YouTube. Google tends to rank YouTube videos more favorably over Hulu, Metacafe, etc. Google also tends to favorably rank web pages with embedded video content. Notice the top results for our search for “landscaping” all have embedded video content on their page.

Signal has found excellent results from adding and optimizing online video for numerous clients. YouTube specifically outperforms the rest. It’s easy to use, it offers cool ways to embed and share your videos online, and it greatly amplifies your chances of being found by web searchers. Not too shabby a deal.

Tom Wilde, an expert in search engine optimization (SEO,) explains this shift in a recent blog post on SearchEngineLand.com. A short time ago, consumers had to buy an entire album to listen to their favorite song, flip through a magazine or newspaper to read a certain article, and tune into a television network to watch a beloved show. Today, with the introduction of iTunes, Hulu, and countless other web sites and tools, users can find the exact object that they are looking for while bypassing their usual containers.

This presents an interesting challenge to publishers, who must now consider how web users discover their material and cater to this when they publish. Also, how will Web 3.0 affect Internet giant, Google, if the search engine provides links to containers (web sites,) rather than specific objects?

Read the post to learn more of Wilde’s thoughts on the future of the web.

What does this mean for a company looking to gain more visibility in search engines? On one hand optimizing web pages for organic visibility in Google has gotten more and more difficult, particularly in cases where the much-sought-after real estate of the first page results has been divvied out into some of these other categories.  On the other hand, blended search results mean there are now more opportunities for visibility.  To take full advantage of all blended search has made available, today’s search marketing strategy must be all-encompassing, from claiming your Local Business Listing in Google Maps to optimizing press releases and more.

Of these opportunities, online video is predicted to show huge growth in 2009.  According to a survey by PermissionTV, 67% of US Marketers plan to focus their online marketing budget in online video in 2009.

Online video major focus for marketers in 2009

Adding video to your marketing strategy or repurposing existing video for increased online visibility could be the right move for your company. For one, adding videos to your website can help increase conversions and convert visitors faster.  In addition, videos actually stand a much better chance of ranking in the top ten than any given web page.  When done right, adding videos to your website can even make your site more relevant to users, which helps you rank better in Google. The sooner you can get started the better.