IMSS Web Solutions

Google Personalization

“Why do I get different Google results than you do?”

In the eMarketing world, we see this question almost daily. Usually, it’s a response to a memo in which our reported Google rank repositions differ from those seen by our client.

We usually reply to note that Google is not a single giant computer. In fact it operates from at least 36 separate “data centers” worldwide. (Click here to see a map of these)* 1 Although the data produced by the separate centers is coordinated, there may be times when the results from one center vary from those in others. This disconnect is usually temporary. The data centers will catch up with each other as changes in the index are disseminated throughout the global network.

New Kid

But there’s a new kind on the block: Google Personalization . OK, not really new. Google has been doing some form of personalization since 2005 (noted by Google itself in a blog). But the new version is serious. Google applies personalization to everyone, regardless of whether they have a Google account—although “opt-in” users get different views of the world based on what Google sees as their search history. For instance, if you are a foreign auto enthusiast, your search on “jaguar” is more likely to bring up car sites than zoological references. That’s the real difference: Google is making judgments about personal relevance based on its record of your personal search history.

If you have a tendency to look for particular kinds of products or services, Google may use your personal “web history” to refine your results.

As Google puts it: “When possible, Google will customize your search results based on location and/or recent search activity. Additionally, when you're signed in to your Google Account, you may see even more relevant, useful results based on your web history.”

This will only apply to a fraction of users for a given search: those for whom Google has an adequate amount of relevant data and those who are doing frequent searches on a particular keyword. And, most pointedly, those who sign in to a Google account and request personalized results. So, yes, you may see different results than those we report because Google is tracking you. Our reports show you what the rest of the world is seeing, although a few will see more “refined” results.

1 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/11/where-are-all-the-google-data-centers/

 Sour Cream

How does this affect the Search Engine Optimization industry? To quote Google itself and a number of industry experts, “relevance is more important than ever.” Why? Because when you enter “fashion,” Google is not going to deliver results regarding sour cream. It’s going to deliver results about “fashion,” and in particular, results tailored (pun intended) to your kind of fashion.

If you have signed in, it will most likely lead you to local clothing stores—not outlets half a continent away. And that’s the good news, because that’s exactly what you were looking for.

Rising Tide and Confidence

“A rising tide lifts all ships,” as the saying goes. Personalization works for searchers and it works for search engine marketers. Google’s value proposition is confidence—confidence that your search will bring back relevant, useful results. Because it scores best on the “confidence meter,” Google manages most of the Net’s searches.

As users become more confident, they do more searching. That’s good for eMarketers. As Google results—now personalized— become even more useful, more searches are done and more confidence emerges.

This confidence is also good for marketers. Whether you are paying for clicks or for organic listings, you don’t want searchers who stumble into your site not really knowing what they are looking for—or having typed in the wrong keyword. You want searchers who are looking for exactly what you are selling—a qualified lead.

Knowing that Google will help in refining searches, search engine marketers can use a much broader list of keywords—in effect, expanding one’s reach by letting Google do the refinements. This will help online merchants gather more traffic without more cost. Optimization techniques will not only make your site generally relevant but also “personally” relevant. You can be found globally, and you can be found locally. And you can be found by the exact audience you want to target.

As more precision and less guesswork become the norm, the results are a win for everyone. Netsmartz is capitalizing on personalization through its LSEO (Local Search Engine Optimization) program. Contact us for details

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