Google introduces personalised search – for everyone
Up until the beginning of December 2009, individuals in the same geographical region, typing the same search term into Google, would have identical results displayed in their web browser. You might be surprised to learn that your Google search results now vary, depending on your web browsing history. That means search results on your office computer, will be different from those on your PC at home or to those of one of your colleagues.
So how will Google’s personalised search impact on SEO campaigns?
Personalised Google search for everyone was announced on the company’s blog on 2nd December 2009. Since then the Web has been buzzing with commentary from SEO professionals. It is not yet clear just how much this new move will affect traffic to your site, Google has yet to announce just how results will be impacted, but the consensus is that it will be much harder for SEO specialists to push a brand’s site higher up the rankings using a specific keyword. And assessing how SEO work has positively impacted on a sites’ Google ranking has just got a whole lot more complicated.
Customised search is nothing new, so what’s the problem?
Sure, it has been available to a minority of users who log into the iGoogle browser and have ‘Web History’ enabled for some time. The roll-out to all users as a default setting – you have to actively opt out by clicking on ‘Web History’ and disabling customisations to disable personalisation – means that there will no longer be just one set of results.
How does Google’s personalised search actually work?
Google uses an anonymous tracking cookie to monitor individuals’ search history and click-throughs during the past 180 days, even while not logged into Google. This cookie helps Google to artificially inflate sites that users favour higher up individual’s search rankings. This means that, for example, if a person searches for ‘France accommodation’, a site they have visited before will rank higher than its competitors, regardless of its organic SEO performance. An operator in position four on the list could whizz up to position two ahead of bigger players based purely on search history.
The change is unlikely to really register with the average user. It is the latest development by Google to improve relevancy of results to individuals and this means that it is highly unlikely that people will see any reason to opt out.
What about individuals’ rights to privacy?
Yet again there are serious concerns regarding an individual’s right to privacy in relation to Google. Especially as this change is not immediately obvious to everyday users. And switching off personalised browsing, is not as straight forward as an ‘opt in’ or ‘opt out’ prompt or a check-box.
Advice on how to adapt SEO campaigns to address Google’s personalised search for all
When it comes to SEO best practice, the key principles are still valid. The need to ensure that your brand’s website continues to perform well in its ‘real’ or natural ranking is paramount.
Google is constantly upgrading its complex search algorithm to ensure relevance of search results to users. The introduction of personalised search for all has added an additional human filter, which will effectively demote sites which may currently perform well in search, but which do not provide users with a high quality user experience.
The creation of compelling content has never been more important. Attracting users by giving them content they can engage with and actively directing users to it could provide the means to push a site higher up a Google user’s personalised search view.
So how will Google benefit from personalised search for everyone?
The same tracking cookie which is used to build up personalised search results, can also be used amass personal data on individual users interests and browsing habits. This means that brands’ ability to target ads to the right customers will improve significantly. Ultimately the relevance of PPC and display advertising campaigns should improve. And more effective advertising campaigns for brands equals more revenue for Google.
