Sphinn - Is Google Backing Off From Universal Search?

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Is Google Backing Off From Universal Search?

Went Hot: October 16, 2007 - 2:13 pm
Posted By: MattMcGee 628 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://blogs.mediapost.com)
Category: Google Searching

On MediaPost, Mark Simon calls Universal Search a failure: "Universal Search will probably not be viewed as the greatest Google fiasco since Google Video, but it’s clear that it's failed to deliver on the vaunted promises made by Marissa Mayer back in May." Agree? Disagree?

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from qwerty 628 days ago #

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Hm... if universal search isn't working for Google, it's pretty safe to assume it's not working for the other engines. I kind of doubt that's the case. It seems more likely to me that they're just tweaking a few things in the background.

from SearchBuzz 628 days ago #

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I wonder what Jason C. would say about this issue.....considering Mahalo is like Universal Search on steriods!

from MiriamEllis 628 days ago #

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Here's a conspiracy theory, heh heh: Google rolled out Universal search to get the other engines to jump on the spurious bandwagon and is now jumping off, having tricked their competitors!

No, seriously, this was a very interesting article. I have to say, it came as a surprise to me...I hadn't noticed a disappearance of the feature. Is this really what everyone is seeing? No videos, news, etc? Is this correct?

Good find, Matt.
Miriam

from RichContent 628 days ago #

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I'm pretty confident that Universal Search is still in the game.

Google is not likely to let Ask.com to walk away with "most effective Search Results" anytime soon.

What I'm seeing is the need to truly coordinate all of your media assets to get into that coveted front page, above the fold spot in results. You can do it, but it takes nuanced refinement of your web site, news and content.

Watch... once they figure out how to manage the new browser real estate needs for Universal Search, it'll all come together.

We've been doing some case studies on Universal Search, and finding that there are simple elements that if applied correctly really change results in the video arena, as well as images.

More on this as it unfolds.

Mark Alan Effinger

from planetc1 628 days ago #

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I've noticed less video results in search (for not so popular search terms) and was wondering what google was up to. Be interesting to see where things go.

from MattMcGee 628 days ago #

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I actually had a conversation with someone last night here at SMX Social Media who also noticed videos are no longer showing up in searches that this person has been monitoring. Seems like something we should be watching, if nothing else.

from St0n3y 628 days ago #

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That article was a joke. Someone disengaged their brain before writing it.

from RichContent 628 days ago #

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Hey St0n3y – c'mon, it was pretty well written...

I'm not buying it, but ya' gotta' give him kudos for flailing in the face of Google...

Here's some YouTube: http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=SgY&q=will+farrell&btnG=Search

And a little Image result: http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=7Lt&q=demi+moore&btnG=Search

I'm with you that Google is just working on it.

One thing we noticed: when we distribute video through about 50 sites, we find the Google Video results change day to day. They seem to treat video as Social Media, putting the most active/ranked/commented videos atop even their own Google Video and YouTube.

But I digress.

I give him a 7.5 for quality of writing.
A 3.5 for lack of foresight.

Thanks for keeping the conversation lively...
ME

from JamesOmdahl 627 days ago #

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I'm still picking up videos and news results for search terms like "auto insurance" - so it might be one to watch going forward.

I'm with the naysayers on this one...if Google is pulling back a bit now, it is just so they can come out with a more profitable version of Universal Search in the future.

from TimDineen 627 days ago #

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As a searcher: the "Universal" stuff just gets in my way from finding the results I was originally looking for.

It's a question of interface/usability, I personally just avoid looking at anything that gets in my way as usually video or images or news results do (when I wasn't specifically looking for any of that type of results).

from St0n3y 627 days ago #

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Well, if we are talking about the merits of blended search, I think ASK came out of the box with superior on-page integration. And didn't Ask 3D come out before Google's Universal search?

from RichContent 627 days ago #

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Hey St0n3y,

Absolutely! Ask 3D is THE rockin' implementation of Universal Search.

Pretty. Clean. Well organized. Compartmentalized.

One pain: It's all AJAX, so doing reporting for clients can be more of a challenge.

But it the finest presentation in the search industry, bar none.

And TimDineen: I know the way Google currently implements the video/news/image results pushes organic site results down, but give it a bit. I think shortly we'll see better management of web page real estate as Marissa Mayer and friends figure it out.

best,
ME

from MattCutts 626 days ago #

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Personally, I didn't get where he was getting the basis for several of his claims. For example, he says "And yet in the past several weeks, Google’s SERP appears to have reverted to its old, text-heavy format." I'm not seeing that at all myself.

from RichContent 626 days ago #

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Agreed Matt.

Probably a limited search on a keyphrase with mostly web site returns, I expect.

I have to do a few different keyword searches to get to a response that truly performs well in Google results. Hence the praise for Ask.com's excellent compatrmentalization of content elements. It allows them to "dig deep" in terms of finding media elements to fill the various slots.

Any insights into the migration path Google may be taking?