Apex Internet Blog

Google Instant offers a new way to search

With the recent introduction of Google Instant, Google has unveiled one of its most significant changes to its search interface since it launched Universal Search in 2007. Whereas Universal Search delivered a different set of results to users by combining results from Google’s video, news, images, local and book search engines in its search results pages, Google Instant changes the way in which users actually perform and refine their queries for information.

What is it?

In essence Google Instant is the equivalent of ‘predictive search’, whereby search results appear (and change) as you type your search query into the search box, thus removing the need to hit the enter key or click the search button to execute your keyword search.

By using predictive technology Google is able to predict what you are typing and present you with a set of search results that it thinks matches your search query as you type. For example, let’s say I type in the phrase “buy car insurance”, as soon as I’ve entered “buy car i” I begin to see results for “buy car insurance”.

Where is Google Instant available?

Initially Google Instant was only released to users on selected Google domains - US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia. Currently searchers using domains other than Google.com can only access Google Instant if they are signed in to a Google Account, although Google are planning to roll out Google Instant to all other domains over the next couple of months.

We should also point out that Google Instant is only accessible from Google’s home page or the search box at the top of the Google search results – not from search box in your browser, the Google toolbar or other places that offer access to Google search (such as iGoogle).

Why has it been introduced?

According to Google, Google Instant offers three main benefits:

• Faster searches (Google’s research suggest it saves 2-5 seconds per search);
• Smarter predictions that help guide user searches;
• Instant results that let the searcher see results without clicking a search button or pressing enter.

What impact does Google Instant have on Search Engine Optimisation and Pay-Per-Click campaigns?

In terms of actual rankings, Google has stated that Google Instant changes nothing in terms of their ranking algorithm. Therefore your website should continue to rank well for whatever keyword phrases it was ranking well for prior to the launch of Google Instant. However, over the longer term there is the potential the search behaviour of users will change as a result of Google Instant, and as such the keyword focus for some campaigns may need to be re-evaluated (see the section below regarding long-tail keywords).

From a Google AdWords perspective there is the potential for Google Instant to result in a higher number of impressions being accrued for your Pay Per Click advertisements as they shift in and out of Google’s results while a searcher types in their search query. Depending on how the searcher interacts with the search results page, it is possible that an impression could be triggered. According to Google, impressions will be counted in the following situations:

• When your site appears in the search results following a completed search; or
• If the searcher starts to search and then clicks any link on the search results page (including an ad or “related search” suggestion); or
• If the user stops typing and the search results are displayed for at least three seconds.

With the number of impressions so intricately linked to Click Through Rate (and subsequently keyword Quality Score and therefore cost per click), this change is likely to have an impact on Google AdWords campaign metrics. Just how much of an impact however, is probably still too soon to tell.

Google Instant and the future of long-tail keywords

One of the key areas where Google Instant is most likely to have an impact is when it comes to long-tail keywords – i.e. specific, niche keyword phrases consisting of multiple keywords  which offer a low level of competition, low search volume, yet high searcher intent and conversion rate.

Given that searchers are now likely to be shown results containing websites that are somewhat relevant to their query after they have only typed a few characters, then they are less likely to continue typing and entering long-tail keyword search queries before choosing to click on a result. As a result website owners and advertisers who base their Google AdWords and SEO campaigns around a long tail keyword strategy may notice a decrease in traffic from their long-tail keyword phrases and consequently a shift towards more generic keyword phrases may be required.

Final words

It’s now almost eight weeks since Google Instant was launched and from an SEO and Google AdWords perspective, it’s still too soon to know for sure what the best approach is. Even once sufficient data is available to enable website owners to make informed changes to their strategy going forward, the breakneck pace at which online marketing continues to develop means that there’s likely to be another significant change just around the corner. 

In the meantime, keeping a close eye on your traffic via Google Analytics or some other website analytics package should be a priority. If significant drops in traffic are reported then Google Instant might very well be a contributing factor and something that warrants further investigation.

Google’s latest change reinforces the notion that nothing in the world of SEO is guaranteed and despite the latest shake up from Google, the basics of having a good content strategy in place (i.e. fresh, unique content that is developed with the end user in mind) will not change.

Categories: Search Engine Marketing, Search
Posted on: 5th Nov 10 by Mark Vassiliou
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