April 30, 2010
Why Is Google Pushing Brands?
Last year, Google rolled out a big change – named the Vince Update – in the way their algorithm ranked brand-name sites. Sorry, in the way they "trusted" brand-name sites. While this of course had little to no effect on me personally (I don't own a brand-name website nor do I think I have to click on one when it's presented in a SERP) it did create quite a stir in the online community, and had many asking, "Why is Google all of a sudden focusing on big names?"
Well, the plot...she thickens, my friend. It seems Google's now shoe-horning other additions into their SERPs – still focused on driving eyeballs to brand-name sites.
To explain the first SERP change, I have to back up a bit and talk about Chrome – for those of you living under a rock, that's Google's browser – and one of its functions. While Chrome doesn't tell you PageRank (which seems odd, since that's pretty much Google's "cool-o-meter" for web pages), it does some pretty cool things, such as allows you to personalize your browser look and feel (mine's of course leopard print). Anyway. Other than aesthetics, Chrome also offers a Similar Pages button (in beta) to viewers; if you like the web page you're looking at and would like to quickly view, you got it, similar pages, you just click that button and voilà.
It seems Google wants to bring this function into their SERPs, as well. For name-brand searches they're offering up a "Pages Similar To" section:
These results do occur at the bottom of the SERP, but exist nonetheless. And, how does Google choose WHICH brands get represented here? Probably based on the 'trust' they perceive coming from Vince.
According to yesterday's post at Search Engine Land, Google's other addition is a test: pushing brands at the top of the SERP for product searches. However, in performing multiple searches this morning to determine the reach, it seems they've rolled this one out on a vast – if not complete – scale:
I can see where Google would test with extremely high-profile searches such as "point and shoot cameras," "HD TVs," even "laptop bags." However, I find it hard to believe they're merely testing with searches such as "dog leashes," since I myself am a dog owner and I didn't even know about the majority of those brand names. The point? I don't think Google's simply testing this anymore. It would seem to be standard procedure now...and not only is it (more than likely) here to stay; this brand-name pushing is taking up valuable real estate on the SERPs, pushing organic results even farther down.
The big question here is, why is Google pushing name brands at us?
Well, the plot...she thickens, my friend. It seems Google's now shoe-horning other additions into their SERPs – still focused on driving eyeballs to brand-name sites.
To explain the first SERP change, I have to back up a bit and talk about Chrome – for those of you living under a rock, that's Google's browser – and one of its functions. While Chrome doesn't tell you PageRank (which seems odd, since that's pretty much Google's "cool-o-meter" for web pages), it does some pretty cool things, such as allows you to personalize your browser look and feel (mine's of course leopard print). Anyway. Other than aesthetics, Chrome also offers a Similar Pages button (in beta) to viewers; if you like the web page you're looking at and would like to quickly view, you got it, similar pages, you just click that button and voilà.
It seems Google wants to bring this function into their SERPs, as well. For name-brand searches they're offering up a "Pages Similar To" section:
These results do occur at the bottom of the SERP, but exist nonetheless. And, how does Google choose WHICH brands get represented here? Probably based on the 'trust' they perceive coming from Vince.
According to yesterday's post at Search Engine Land, Google's other addition is a test: pushing brands at the top of the SERP for product searches. However, in performing multiple searches this morning to determine the reach, it seems they've rolled this one out on a vast – if not complete – scale:
I can see where Google would test with extremely high-profile searches such as "point and shoot cameras," "HD TVs," even "laptop bags." However, I find it hard to believe they're merely testing with searches such as "dog leashes," since I myself am a dog owner and I didn't even know about the majority of those brand names. The point? I don't think Google's simply testing this anymore. It would seem to be standard procedure now...and not only is it (more than likely) here to stay; this brand-name pushing is taking up valuable real estate on the SERPs, pushing organic results even farther down.
The big question here is, why is Google pushing name brands at us?
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