There have been some very significant changes with Google over the last month or so. The introduction of Google Instant (where search results appear as you type) has far reaching implications for anyone interested in their search ranking. As the web has increased in size and competition for one- and two-word phrases has become intense, the answer has been to optimise pages for longer phrases. But some have suggested that since Google Instant, pages optimised for these 'long tail' phrases are no longer getting the traffic they were.
Here's why. For example, let's say I plan to search for 'business networking Sussex'. As soon as I start typing, suggestions appear in the form of a drop-down box of 5 'likely' phrases, and the search results on the page change dynamically with each letter I type. The drop-down box pushes the actual search results lower on the page, so the bottom results fall away. When I get as far as 'business net' this is what I see:
At this stage, I might well be tempted to click on something that's being presented to me, rather than continue typing. A couple of those links look good. Or I might choose 'business networking sites' from the suggestions I'm given. Let's say I do complete the phrase, here's what displays:
The first thing you notice is that Local Business results take up a good part of the top of the screen, with everything else pushed down. So if you're not in these results, it's looking even less likely you'll be found and clicked on.
Although you could argue that Google is simply making the search process faster, more efficient and more tailored - Google also 'customises' your results, favouring sites you've previously visited - the converse of that is that your options are being closed down. The searcher is simply not seeing a lot of what's out there - it's being filtered out very subtly, through the power of suggestion and placement.
It looks like something intelligent - anticipation, perhaps. But it's no more intelligent than 'people who bought this also bought ...' - it's down to computer algorithms and behavioural data.
A similar change has been wrought to the Google Adwords tool - until now, a mainstay of basic search engine optimisation (SEO). You enter a word or phrase and the tool comes back with a list of suggestions - similar phrases based on search popularity. This is usually a very long list - and it's a great way of seeing what 'long tail' phrases you should be optimising for. But now, only a limited set of results appears, presumably to focus the searcher on a small set of phrases which they will then be persuaded to bid on for their Google Adwords, so pushing up the prices and favouring big brands with big budgets. Here's an example of how the Google Adwords tool comes up with only a fraction of the possible results.
Perhaps you're thinking "well boohoo for the SEO peeps!" but I think it's more significant than that. I know we all like to have the choosing done for us, on some occasions, but when I want the library, WH Smith won't do. Is Google improving the search experience, or limiting our choice? Or is a limited choice good?
It’s a good point, Robin, and very well made. I’ve been wondering about the same recently. Google are in the game, after all, not for the greater good of mankind, but simply to make money. The way it has panned out, in my view at least, is just one more example of how ‘control’ is asserted over a huge swathe of the planet’s human population.
Kind regards,
Mayke
Thanks Mayke. I received a response to this post yesterday on Twitter from Steve Evans (@steve_e) who said “Actually a lot of the data shows users typing longer queries since Instant. So maybe small biz will benefit (in some cases)”. I asked where he got that from and he said from his own and client sites. So I shall look out for reports along these lines, would be interesting to know why in some cases people are typing longer phrases.
I think it’s still too early to see what impact Google Instant will have and have read some conflicting reports on it too. This article on econsultancy suggests that the longer tail keywords have increased: http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/6701-google-instant-has-changed-the-way-we-search
It’s also worth considering how many people are using Google Instant regularly as it only works if you’re logged into a Google account. More often than not I’m not logged in, so don’t get the suggestions, and I often use the Google toolbar too which also doesn’t have Google Instant attached to it. I think time will tell, but it’s something I need to look into more when doing keyword research for clients, as the suggestions that come up could influence which keywords should be chosen.
Thanks Sam, good points about having to be logged in and the Google Toolbar. I’m thinking of starting to use Bing more by way of comparison, rather than being locked permanently into Google as I seem to have become.