So Google, have decided to personalize all searches by default?
Big deal you might think – I’ll get more of the results I wanted? Well that depends if you actually know what you wanted in the first place? By personalizing your results, Google will in effect be showing you more of what you already know and less of what’s actually out there.
Think of it as shopping in the “Big City” compared to a small town. The wide selection of choice has been replaced with a small reputable selection that you know and trust.
But which is better? From an SEO and Internet Marketing perspective this could be a nightmare!
Imagine you’re approached by a small start-up, to market their new website which will be selling products in an already competitive marketplace. How do you stand a chance if your potential customers will always see the existing supplier at the top of the SERPS?
Isn’t this going to lead to stagnation in the results that Google provides? Maybe Bing are rubbing their hands at the opportunity to grab another percentage point back in the search stats following this move by Google?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see what really happens. I’m just surprised there hasn’t been more of an uproar from the SEO community for such a significant change in the way SERPs will be presented. Is it coincidence that the change was made just as Google distracted the SEO community with real –time searching…