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Customize your search results with SearchWiki

Have you checked out Google’s SearchWiki features? The SearchWiki allows you to customize your search results. You can move pages you think match well within your search to the top and can remove others that have no relevance to you. You can even add your own url’s to your results and make comments. You need to be logged into your Google account to take advantage. This is more indication that Google is moving towards personalized search results and user engagement. What are your thoughts on the SearchWiki features?

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Posted by Real Estate Advertising - Misty Lackie on 11/21/2008 02:08 PM

Comments (17)

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17 Comments on Customize your search results with SearchWiki

NOV

2008

JUST aw it right before reading your blog - holy cow!

Google is very cool, there are so many avenues to explore. My husband created a recipe search engine with google, recipe8.com and it is a wonderful tool that I and my friends use when brainstorming dinner ideas. Maybe it's a good time to buy some Google stock?

Misty, Thanks for the information. I just noticed Google is already starting to change. Matt

Hi Misty the search wiki is a cool feature. I have used it a couple of times:)

Hi Misty, thanks for the information. I watched the video and then read some comments on Google. Seems some like it and some don't. Do you think this is important for SERPS as we are the only ones who can see the changes we will make?

Hi Missy - I have some concerns on the SearchWiki comments people can leave. Everyone who is logged into Google can see these comments. People can also thumbs up and thumbs down comments. I am not sure if Google plans on indexing these comments or placing any weight on them. If they do then I can see some major abuse happening there. If the SearchWiki comments get indexed and Google places weight on them, then I can see it affecting the SERPS. I suppose time will tell on how this ends up affecting things.

Missy I wanted to give you an example. Go to http://www.google.com/search?q=google+searchwiki&hl=en&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-25,GGLG:en&swm=2, which will show you all wiki notes (comments) people have placed on results that were returned from searching "google searchwiki". I wonder if these comments will hold any weight in the SERPS?? Not sure yet.

This is very interesting and as soon as I too thought about when/how some might try to abuse this. To be determined I guess. ~Rita

NOV

2008

@ Maggie Baumbach- Very interesting. After reading this post my first thought was, I wonder how many consumers are using this feature. I always think about the consumers usability when I learn of a new tool.

I went on your recipe8.com. WOW that is fantastic, you could invite community members and use that in your local advertising. Especially now when 'tis the season to bake and cook. I know I cook more in winter than in summer (when I grill). You could invite your SOI to search and/or contribute.

It IS about community. Thank you. I am going to DM you. You just made my morning reading. Thank you.

And thanks Misty for putting this post out.

Hi Misty, ah another good idea. I need to give up real estate and go back to school just to learn all this cool struff. How do you stay on top of all the changes? Rich Charlotte NC

Misty ~ You are full of good information! First you save my skin on Twitter and now I find out you are here on AR!

I'm subscribed...Thanks Again!

Hi Kristal- thanks for subscribing. I was glad I was able to help you fix your blog through Twitter. I think it was just good timing but it showed the power of Twitter.

Hi Rich - I wish I could say that I stay on top of all the changes. I think it's impossible to completely stay on top of it all. I am subscribed to a ton of techie newsletters and blogs and read a lot, which helps out some.

NOV

2008

Misty I have not read up on this at all but have started to use it more. What I am wondering is if I move one of my sites up the list does that also move it up for everyone else who does a similar search? My guess is that it would if enough people moved it up as well. I am hoping you may have read up on this?

It doesnt Bill. There is no evidence that Google intends to use this info or not. It may weight it lightly but probably not a lot since its so easy to abuse. I personally dont see what purpose it does. I search for so many things I am not going to sort things out thats what Google is supposed to be doing.

Hi Bill,

According to everything I have read and what Googles documents state, it only affects your results. Google is capturing that move it up and remove it data though, so who knows what, if anything they plan on doing with it in the future.

What I am a little unsure of is how the SearchWiki comments and voting of comments will affect things. The comments people leave are public and you can vote them thumbs up or thumbs down. I wonder if Google is going to be indexing those comments??

DEC

I'm late to this but the very first thing I thought when I was introduced to this on another blog forum was the potential for abuse. Plus, most of the repeat searches I do on Google is to check the placement of my own sites. If I start moving them around when I'm logged in (which I am 99% of the time), then I'll have to remember to log-out every time I want to check my real serps.

JAN

I think google tries out many things, somethings fall away, others take hold. I think user-contributions will be hard to accomplish, as things can be very subjective by nature, but who knows what kind of heuristics and algorithms or even artificial intelligence they will employ behind the scenes to analyze this front-end user contributions.

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