Google Instant – The Search Before You Type

Abracadabra – Google’s most current version of its search engine “Google Instant” is upon us.

Google Instant searches before you’ve even typed in what you’re searching for. Not via telepathy (although that’s probably not far off) instead by dissecting and analysing what you’ve typed so far as an indication of what you’re looking for. Producing search engine results before we have even finished typing.

Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Search and Usability at Google has explained some of the reasoning behind Google’s move to Google Instant, stating that the average search lasts 25 seconds, this is made up of:

• 9 Seconds – typing
• 1 Second – query reaching Google and being returned
• 15 Seconds – consideration of SERP’s before the user clicks

However, with Google Instant comes the era of change. Super speed just got speedier and the 25 second search is no more. With its new functionality, Google has reduced is search time to 5 seconds. A whopping 80% reduction. Impressive. But how does it work?

The clue is in the name:

It is Instant: Results will now change as you type. The new interface in dynamic, depending on how you choose to populate the search bar.

It turns Grey: Google delivers the search it thinks you may want in a lovely shade of grey, If the shade of grey matches what you are looking for and Google got it right, you just need to look at the immediate search results

If not then scroll: Scroll through the search bar and its and its list of predictions, as you scroll whats listed in SERP’s will change dynamically, add to your search query if need be and continue to scroll, with search engine results changing before your eyes.

Google Instant’s predictions are real-time, streaming results in a way that is interactive and responsive, it’s the introduction of a “search before you type” philosophy.

With the higher beings and bods at Google boasting its benefits of speed and usability its a pond filled with murky water for SEO’s and PPC’ers.

As Google Instant now displays paid search ads without the necessity of the user hitting the search button, ads are displayed based on the predicted search. What is possibly going to change is our perception of an impression, what now registers as an impression is an “action to choose a query (for example presses the Enter key or clicks on the Search button) clicks on a link on the results page, or stops typing for 3 or more seconds”.

With SEO the fight for the top spots is going to be heating up, with less necessity to search beyond the first page as Google now does the searching for us. Some people worry its going to be the death of SEO but the same can probably said for every Google update. The new Google interface can certainly change elements of SEO, and indeed user/search behaviour. As users can now search more thoroughly and quicker, this will have to be reflected in our search strategies. Perhaps the long tail will get longer, perhaps users will adapt searches as SERP’s revolve below them? Second guessing this is half the battle, whats worth remembering is the importance of high quality, relevant content. It is always going to be needed, it is alwas going to be essential and and will continue to be indexed.

For now you have to be signed into your Google Account to enjoy/debate/explore the Google Instant experience and worry not folks, if Instant isnt you’re cup of coffee, there’s always the ability to opt out.

Play about with it, dip your toe in the predictive search sea and see if you get what you’re looking for.

Enjoy.

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