Early Feedback on Google Instant

A few weeks ago, Google made a major change to the way they display results to web search queries. Dubbed Google Instant, the new user interface doesn’t actually change the results or the format of the SERPs (search engine results pages). What it does is change how fast users see results. Now it only takes one letter typed into a query box to start showing results. During the announcement presentation, Google used the letter W as an example, showing that by typing a single w into the box generated results for local weather. Furthermore, as a user types additional letters into Google, the results page will change to display what Google predicts the final search will be. Combined with the dropdown menu known as Google Suggest , there’s hardly a need for anyone to hit the search button anymore. Simply use arrow keys to scroll up and down and/or hit the enter key to choose results.

Instant search has caused an uproar in online marketing as search engine optimization(SEO) companies such as elixir interactive work to figure out what impact these changes will have on the SEO strategies in place for their clients. Early data suggests one interesting affect. Google is still showing the same results, just faster, and the top few results continue to get most clicks by an overwhelming majority. Contrary to what many predicted, tests are showing that results lower on page 1, say 8-10, are actually getting more attention as searchers scroll down the page to see what else is there. The catch is that those extra eyes are coming at the expense of page 2 and beyond.

Whether this early research will hold as more and more searchers become familiar with Google Instant remains to be seen. Users are changing the way that they interact with Google and it will likely be a few months until SEO companies can determine the lasting affects of predictive search.