Google has revealed a new facility that will allow users to look beyond web pages when trawling the internet for information.
Universal Search will allow users to search for information contained in blogs, news articles and video in addition to traditional websites.
The new service, which will be available to users via a number of tabs on the results page, is being predicted by many to shake up the search engine market.
"It's breaking down the silos of information that have been built up," said Marissa Mayer, the vice president of search and user experience at Google.
"It's a broad, long-term vision that will unfold over the next few years," she added.
The new service will initially only be available on English searches conducted on Google but if successful the practice could be spread to many of the company's sites around the globe.
The new service was revealed yesterday and saw the company's share price rise by more than three per cent.
