Google Instant
 

Hi,

Does anyone know how this new Google Instant system is working?

I can't work out whether it's done by popular search strings, or by 3rd and 4th keyword strings.

Cheers.

Re: Google Instant
 

Its shit, like all the new Google changes. The sidebar on the left is shit, the new google images is shit, and instant search is shit.

Its done by popular search strings though I think (see screenshot): if you type in "what is t" then it assumes you mean "what is the tea party movement" and displays the results you would have got if you searched for the latter phrase

Re: Google Instant
 

Oh I don't disagree that it's shit.

And it seems that, at least from your example, keywords at least still have something to do with is. See screenshot for keyword popularity for 'what is the tea party' and here for a search on 'what is the torrah'.

It's a stupid system and it's pissing a lot of companies off; I've just started learning a bit about SEO and now this crap happens.

Re: Google Instant
 

Anything that annoys SEO companies is probably a good thing on some level tbh.

Re: Google Instant
 

no comment

Re: Google Instant
 

its just another useless gimmick

Re: Google Instant
 

Kenny,

When they made the change, it had no algorithm change to search results. Meaning, the rankings themselves for the search results were not changed at all--but rather the effect of instant will be in the potential results shown to the end user and the long tails selected by the user.

It's based on popular search terms (see link below) which in turn is identical as the auto-complete algorithm. I remember reading an article by Cutts that mentioned the auto-complete algorithm is based not only on search volume, but also dozens of other factors such as location, if it's a mobile search, and previous results of other searchers clicking one of the auto-complete options over another, etc. Meaning even if something has a higher search volume according to the Keyword tool, it won't necessarily appear above the other search term.

I'd say it'll impact user behavior primarily. Users may become more lazy, or be less tempted to go the 2nd page of search result. I'd say another effect would be that "long tail" searchers will be guided towards longer tails. For instance, where I would'ave searched for "maxmind geoip php", I may instead click the first option on the auto-complete which may read "maxmind geoip php api." It's genius for Google, because long tails tend to have higher CPC bids for the "more niche" competition. Other changes could affect your adwords account (for SEM impressions) etc.

See: http://www.google.com/support/websea...?answer=186610

Nitin

Re: Google Instant
 

Nodrog is correct. The new Google features are indeed shit.