Why Google should index audio

August 31, 2008

These days it’s widely becoming common knowledge that Google indexes more than just web pages, and this is allowing for a broad range of information sources to be found through the search engine. Google indexes widely used files such as pdf, xls, doc, txt, ppt, and swf, and is always adding new ones.

One of the most popular computer file type that exists is audio, and so far cannot be indexed. However, it is being widely discussed that it is now the right time for Google to start indexing audio files as it would serve as a useful source of information to be found through the search engine.

If Google were to start indexing audio, then podcasts could be automatically transcribed to text which would allow for them to reach wider audiences such as the hard of hearing, and users without computer audio access. Having podcasts searchable through a text source means that you can access the part of the podcast you want to listen to fast, or scan through podcasts looking for particular items of interest.

It also opens the scope for radio broadcasts to be archived to text for future reference, and again, accessible to people who cannot hear audio for whatever reason.

Technically, for Google to index audio is a big task, but not difficult one. The technology and techniques to automatically transcribe speech to text has existed for years, and is one that has useful benefits for businesses, people, and society in general. It was not long ago that people found it hard to imagine Google ‘reading’ Flash files, or indexing pdf files.

Of course if Google did start indexing audio, then new approaches to SEO could emerge, but it is likely that Google would place intelligent guidelines that prevent ‘audio spam’.

Please let us know how indexible audio would benefit you…

William Gardner - SEO Programmer