Now, for the first time, Google is delivering search results as a visitor types out their query. Google said the change won't affect search results and my tests verified that, showing no apparent adjustments to Google's algorithm (sample search keywords I tested Tuesday show about the same results today).
But even without changes in search results, the release of Google Instant will certainly spark questions among users--the most likely of which is how the implementation of Google Instant will alter search patterns.
Google Instant was created to develop instant results. In order for it to work correctly, Google Instant attempts to predict your search phrase, thus providing results for the predicted phrase. Not the right phrase? Google Instant offers additional suggested phrases below. Scanning through them shows the search results of each. Still can't find what you're looking for? Keep typing and "Google" your phrase as you normally would.
While this may certainly save a few seconds from a visitor's search (Google claims Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search), it may also affect how visitors search.
How will Google Instant change search trends?
Perhaps the most important question is how Google Instant will change the way people search.
Previously, those using search engines typed in a phrase, looked at their results, and if they didn't see what they were looking for they typed in another phrase and trouble-shot again. Now, those results are served up instantaneously while the searcher is typing them. Therefore, searchers can begin by searching very broad phrases and continue narrowing them as Google's results are populating. This gives me reason to believe two major search trends might change.
First, visitors will likely type in more long-tail phrases because they'll see while typing that the short-tail variation of their search is not bringing the results they're looking for.
Second, I can see search moving forward in reverse. Google visitors are typically more inclined to search by region first, then by keywords. In the case of real estate, using the city/state/region in front of the term "real estate" or "homes for sale" tends to produce more searches in any market than phrasing it the other way around. In August, Google had 60,500 searches for "Akron homes for sale" and another 33,100 searches for "Akron real estate." It only received 2,900 searches for "homes for sale in Akron" and 1,000 searches for "real estate in Akron," however.
With Google instant, the key is finding your search as quickly as possible. As visitors become used to using Google Instant, they may begin searching by primary keyword first and region second; IE: they may type in "real estate," then, having not found what they're looking for, continue with "in Akron," add the state if they still don't see results, and eventually create a long-tail search phrase that they might not have typed had they not been privy to Google's results while typing the phrase.
So I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot more "real estate in Akron, Ohio in Firestone Park" searches than "Firestone Park real estate" searches as users adjust to Google Instant.
How is Google Instant affecting real estate websites?
Looking at the accounts of all real estate websites Delta Media Group facilitates SEO for, we're seeing very little, if any change in overall website traffic since Google Instant went live September 8. For most websites, there was a slight bump in traffic (though it's too early to tell if that resulted from the Google Instant go-live). In a handful of websites, there was a slight traffic decline from similar days over the past two months, and in the remainder of websites there appeared to be no change in traffic.
To analyze results more closely, we also looked at search engine traffic direct from Google. Of the 18 sites we analyzed, half of them saw traffic increases, a few saw slight decreases and the remainder saw no true change. All in all, it appears that Google Instant may have produced a slight bump in our websites' search engine traffic, though it's far too early to truly say that.
Conclusions on Google Instant
Google Instant is an innovative new service that appears to do exactly what it claims: save you time searching. While some searchers will likely adapt to and thrive with it, others will opt to use Google's traditional search instead (an option Google provides to the right of its search bar after a search has been conducted).
But the most important issue is how Google Instant will impact search trends. Search engine rankings are only as significant as the amount of people searching for the phrases you're ranked on. We'll keep a close eye on the trends we're seeing at Delta Media Group, and our SEO department will be working to best improve traffic and rankings from those trends.
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