Google Releases "Instant" and changes the game. Again!
According to some very influential insiders in the world of SEO, Google's release of "Google Instant" has created an entirely new paradigm in the way the search giant displays search results. Users of the new system (that means everybody) will no longer have to deal with the horrific process of pressing the search button, or hitting enter. Instead, the results will now pop up - along with corresponding search ads - as the user types their quarry. What's next? Pre-cognition searches?
According to Google Search VP Marissa Mayer, "...once you get used to it, you won't be able to search without it,". Predicted to save users more than 350 million hours a year, the question then becomes will users spend less time searching and more time clicking on ads, or (as I predict) will this mean less ads displayed? Less ads displayed may produce very targeted ads, however as an advertiser it sounds like a great way to increase revenue for Google by way of increase click cost per keyword.
Of course in the changes, Google had to come up with a new way of recognizing and logging a page impression. Seeing as the real-time results change as the search term is typed, Google decided that a "cognitive pause" was three seconds. This means that if a user stops to read a result for three seconds or more, Google believes they are doing so to comprehend the contents of said page. My question is, how will this really effect "Click Through Rates"? Some of us have spent months and even years working to increase our CTR. Google claims that they have taken this into account and have changed the CTR calculation, but I'm still a little sceptical.
Although it's a change, and a dramatic one at that, I'm not sure it's a welcome one from an advertisers perspective. Users will no doubt love that they no longer have to reach their chubby fingers across the desk, or their keyboard to press yet another button, however one must keep in mind that along with this new "instant" search comes a more integrated behavioural search product. Google is very much watching what you are searching, and how your searching for it; making it even more difficult for search marketers to get accurate metrics to evaluate and measure their efforts. But hey, on the bright side, this will help those 90+% of "Search Experts" take more money from unsuspecting customers.
For more information on "Google Instant" or to try it yourself, check out this link: http://google.com/instant
Until next time, remember, I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Ciao,
Paul Chesher
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