(32 votes, average: 4.81 out of 5)
Loading ...Google has made a lot of changes in the past couple of years that has really shaken up the search industry. It has rolled out numerous Panda updates, introduced Penguin, and most recently, launched its Knowledge Graph in order to give users “things” instead of “strings” of links.
However, as Grant Simmons, the Director of SEO and Social Product at The Search Agency, pointed out to us, Google has tendency to announce similar products that aren’t “fully-baked” after a competitor releases a new product.
“Google is trying to differentiate itself by copying,” he said.
According to Simmons, it’s been evident for some time that Google is worried. Social is one particular area that is an obvious issue of concern for the search giant, which is why Simmons believes Google has pushed so hard to integrate Google+ into its search results. While it’s natural that Google would try this approach and take advantage of its massive userbase, whether or not users respond well to it is the real question.
Simmons told us that social media has certainly changed the game of search and that it would continue to do so going forward. At this point though, it is not apparent who will emerge as a leader in the space, if it is any one player specifically.
Yes… Sorry, Google… Don’t get me wrong. I still really like Goggle and use many of it’s products but lately I’ve been feelin like Google is slowly becoming the “Walmart” of the Internet. Just give me good relavent search results and stop trying be everything to everybody.
I agree to a point. I mean it’s great to be diversified so that no single point of failure or lacking in one area drags Google down the drain, however Google needs to be focused on search basics again and perhaps take a lesson from DuckDuckGo and stop trying to personalize search. 90% of the time the results are so bad these days I am forced to use other search engines to find what I’m looking for. Before Panda and Penguin it was more like 10% of the time. That’s a pretty big screw up if you ask me. I agree with your statement there Dustin, Google is becoming the Wal-Mart of search, and I’ll add that they used to be the Mercedes Benz of search. It’s like as if I walked into Starbucks and said “give me a cup of coffee” and they didn’t bother to ask me what size I wanted, if I wanted it hot or cold, etc., that’s how I feel this personalization is becoming with Google. If Google were to give me options I could tailor, I could fine tune or turn off personalization and have search my way instead of Google’s way or the highway. Search should be how I want it, not how Google wants to give it to me. I suppose since the company is Google and not Burger King we’re just going to have to take it or leave it.
Dustin,
You’re right and I believe there’s going to be continued user pushback on the integration of Google products that’s driving users further into the Google product mix.
Google Shopping (or Gamazon as I call it) is a classic example of organic results being pushed aside in favor of a Google-controlled channel, same with Google Flights (at least now the Flights block is designated as “advertising”)
Cheers
Grant
Indeed because of its frequent updates Google tends increasingly to favor some over others but also note that it has implemented very effective strategies to make searches more fair and that the main reason i think that many still use it as Dustin.
Stocklii
I tend to agree with the underlying statement that Google’s results remain ‘fair’ from the standpoint of relevance to search user intent, probably the most effective of search engines in understanding user intent and curating content that consistently delivers to satisfy that intent.
Challenge is that Google is trending toward a “Google click” mentality by offering more results that lead to additional Google products or results. If this strategy continues to satisfy searchers’ intent (as it will for many) although folks might cry ‘foul’ it’s a legitimate business strategy that is mutually beneficial to both users and Google. Win wins are great!
BUT if users start to have the *perception* that the results are curated in a less user focused manner ‘fair’ and a more commerce-driven fashion then there *maybe* an exodus to alternate search venues.
As I mention in the video, it’s already happening in some niches, making “Search Everywhere Optimzation” the new credo for SEO practitioners.
Whether Google can provide the same quality, (perceived) unbiased, socially-connected and experience as these niche search venues remains to be seen, I do know that users sticking around within Google properties is a goal of the search giant, and ultimately it’ll be the user who decides whether Google will be their preferred (and trusted) search portal, information curator and / or social hangout.
Cheers
UPDATE: Will be interesting to see what Twitter launches as their new search features in the near future (today?).
I still believe any new search functionality needs a business model integrated (at some point) to provide a win win scenario their current functions doesn’t provide for either Twitter or their users.
As CNET editor Dan Farber put it “I have to believe that Twitter’s Discovery engine has mistaken me for another user.”
I guess we’ll see today if they finally understand user intent and have discovery components to satisfy
Cheers
Very right SEO really depends upon google as companies want result in google. So google has to play main role so it can easily close the SEO work any company. Or can easily change things which he wants. SEO become complex after these updates and we need more and more learning to get the results. I dont know about knowledge graph but this video really help learning knowledge graph.
Hope google will make results relevant more
מאז הפינגויין מלא אתרים לא רלוונטים עולים בתוצאות
Google is simultaneous update.It’s very harmful for SEO.Its seo killer a panda update .
אני חושב שהגיע הזמן שגוגל סוף כל סוף יעשו שינוי שכזה וימגרו את תופעת הספאם של מקדמי אתרים.