Google Instant – User Interactions
Having read other blogs on the topic there does not seem to be much discussion regarding the users state of mind and the interaction with the new search. For example, users of Google are at very different stages of the purchasing cycle. My thought would be that if there is a requirement for the purchase the search habits are less likely to change. If people need “holiday insurance” they will type “holiday insurance”. However if they are months away from the trip and in more of a browsing state, they are more likely to be tempted away from their original goal/search as other results are displayed instantly. They may start typing “holiday”, and be drawn to cheap holiday ideas or other holiday related searches.
Another factor to consider is that not all people use the computer in the same way. Obvious I know, however some people touch type, others don’t. And some, (like my parents) use the one finger approach to punch the keys. Again these different types of users are going to use Google Instant differently. If you type quickly and look at the screen then it may not change your behaviour much. If you are a key puncher however, it could be a case of entering a few characters and watch the results change, incurring impressions for all advertisers each time there is a pause.
The quality of traffic arriving at advertisers sites may also take a dip as users may click a result earlier in the search process. This will potentially have impacts on search strategies for advertisers. We are working on an article discussing potential impacts and implications on search strategy. So watch this space!
We will be updating our blog with additional thoughts/insights as things progress.
I agree it will be interesting to see what impacts it has. As you alluded too I think it will have an impact for search marketing on impressions and so forth.
What are your thoughts about search results being pushed down the page?
Hi Mike, thanks for the comment.
It is clear that as the search query predictions roll down the page this pushes the natural listings further down the SERP emphasizing the need to be in the top 3 positions to gain exposure above the fold. There’s a good chance that this will have an impact on SEO traffic generation vs. PPC in my opinion.
Interestingly, this new function of Google Instant also drops down the PPC position 1 – 3 whilst position 4 (The top right hand ad) remains at the top. It’s possible that this may well have an impact on the CTR of position 4 against PPC positions 1 – 3 when Google Instant is in use.
Google Instant Search only works in the modern browsers and only works if you use the google.com home page. I’m sure the browser plugins will be updated soon to accomodate this new feature.
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