Google is now MODIFYING the query you enter to what they think you should search for.

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  • rowan
    Too lazy to set a custom title
    • Mar 2002
    • 17393

    #1

    Google is now MODIFYING the query you enter to what they think you should search for.

    Anyone noticed that recently G has begun to quietly change or even remove words from the search query you entered?

    For example, I entered the search query "create maps using aerial photo"

    At the bottom of the page, I find this: Tip: These results include the word "make". Show results that include only "create"

    They CHANGED the query from "create maps using aerial photo" to "make maps using aerial photo" !!

    Another query, and they REMOVE a word. I enter "former preston workshops site"

    They say... Tip: These results do not include the word "former". Show results that include "former".

    At what point does this change from a gentle guiding hand to "we know all and this is what you must search for"???

    Comments?

    (Note - the highly specific search terms are included here because I couldn't find anything more generic that caused the same behaviour)
  • seeandsee
    Check SIG!
    • Mar 2006
    • 50945

    #2
    interesting change
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    Contact here

    Comment

    • TheDoc
      Too lazy to set a custom title
      • Jul 2001
      • 13827

      #3
      Aye, I have noticed that... I like it for searching.... but I hate it for seo. The are clearly pushing people into a focal point that they know is better quality and can be controlled by higher valued sites that we can't beat out. Thus less spam listings for the user and better personal search results for return visits.

      Then again, it has already given me new ideas
      ~TheDoc - ICQ7765825
      It's all disambiguation

      Comment

      • GrouchyAdmin
        Now choke yourself!
        • Apr 2006
        • 12085

        #4
        Tip: These results do not include the words "Alice Springs". Show results that include "sty".

        Comment

        • Serge Litehead
          Confirmed User
          • Dec 2002
          • 5190

          #5
          they don't substitute but rather Include supplimenting synonym - having dealt with search engine technologies before, I find it neat.

          for a very specific searches its always good idea to use advanced search methods.

          Google won't restrict you or change anything for you - they full well aware of potential outcome of such action.
          Last edited by Serge Litehead; 07-01-2009, 07:49 AM.

          Comment

          • Webmaster Army
            Confirmed User
            • Jun 2009
            • 236

            #6
            Originally posted by holograph
            they don't substitute but rather Include supplimenting synonym - having dealt with search engine technologies before, I find it neat.

            for a very specific searches its always good idea to use advanced search methods.

            Google won't restrict you or change anything for you - they full well aware of potential outcome of such action.
            Can you reed?

            Another query, and they REMOVE a word. I enter "former preston workshops site"

            They say... Tip: These results do not include the word "former". Show results that include "former".
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            ICQ: 597472742

            Comment

            • Serge Litehead
              Confirmed User
              • Dec 2002
              • 5190

              #7
              google is always descreet and thats what i like about it... it doesn't do anything shady, even if they appended something - they tell you about it

              looking at your query here's what i realised.. you're looking for
              former preston workshops site - you are not interested in any other former things..
              google searched for it and provided this result
              http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
              which only has one Former preston phrase - so it looked for former preston, but have found only one, at the end of results google is trying to help you more and find out if you want to see whats more out there with +former keyword.. but when you look at those results.. they are less relative for your search query..

              no i can't read) i know this google change is more trouble for SEO, but my user experience with google as a surfer just went top a notch.

              Comment

              • rowan
                Too lazy to set a custom title
                • Mar 2002
                • 17393

                #8
                Originally posted by holograph
                they don't substitute but rather Include supplimenting synonym - having dealt with search engine technologies before, I find it neat.

                for a very specific searches its always good idea to use advanced search methods.

                Google won't restrict you or change anything for you - they full well aware of potential outcome of such action.
                Can you explain the removal of words then? It's not like "former" is a redundant or common word.

                Comment

                • rowan
                  Too lazy to set a custom title
                  • Mar 2002
                  • 17393

                  #9
                  Originally posted by holograph
                  google is always descreet and thats what i like about it... it doesn't do anything shady, even if they appended something - they tell you about it

                  looking at your query here's what i realised.. you're looking for
                  former preston workshops site - you are not interested in any other former things..
                  google searched for it and provided this result
                  http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
                  which only has one Former preston phrase - so it looked for former preston, but have found only one, at the end of results google is trying to help you more and find out if you want to see whats more out there with +former keyword.. but when you look at those results.. they are less relative for your search query..

                  no i can't read) i know this google change is more trouble for SEO, but my user experience with google as a surfer just went top a notch.
                  Maybe it's regional, but I can see at least 3 results that have the phrase "former preston workshops" (when I actually force +former)

                  I see the same thread on another board is already indexed - it's been 2 hours.

                  Comment

                  • Serge Litehead
                    Confirmed User
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 5190

                    #10
                    Originally posted by rowan
                    Can you explain the removal of words then? It's not like "former" is a redundant or common word.
                    see post above.. its easy to spot if you anylize both results the original query results and their suggestion.

                    there have not been removal.. as the very first result CONSISTS of word Formal - but that's the only one they have relative with rest of keywords in query. they only thing i would not use in their case such wording "we have removed such word from query" - in realty they found limited number of them - unsatisfactory. so the only thing wrong is they worded the TIP incorrectly - because above that its all good - as seen in results.

                    Comment

                    • Serge Litehead
                      Confirmed User
                      • Dec 2002
                      • 5190

                      #11
                      Originally posted by rowan
                      Maybe it's regional, but I can see at least 3 results that have the phrase "former preston workshops" (when I actually force +former)

                      I see the same thread on another board is already indexed - it's been 2 hours.
                      of course.. you may find some relativity in their suggested forced query - that why they offer you this TIP.. the pages we see in the tipped result are probably far outranked by the pages in original query without them having Former keyword that they must offer forced query just in case your focus more on Formal than other keywords.

                      Comment

                      • Serge Litehead
                        Confirmed User
                        • Dec 2002
                        • 5190

                        #12
                        lets say for example we have an index of 100 pages for keyword "former preston workshops"
                        only last one actually has keyword "former"
                        but wieght of other pages brings page with "former" all the way down to last position...

                        google realizes you're looking for "former" but SERP for "former preston workshops" don't have it in results because it might be well below 1000 results they they actually display for any given search string.. and offer you forced +former solution - so you can actually see more results with all searchable combinations.

                        Comment

                        • Serge Litehead
                          Confirmed User
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 5190

                          #13
                          Tip: These results do not include the word "former". Show results that include "former".

                          actually this does sound right, they didn't say they REMOVEd any words, they didn't find them in top 1000 serps.. only except the first one, hence given tip.

                          Comment

                          • Serge Litehead
                            Confirmed User
                            • Dec 2002
                            • 5190

                            #14
                            so who can't read here? )

                            Comment

                            • rowan
                              Too lazy to set a custom title
                              • Mar 2002
                              • 17393

                              #15
                              I personally think this "tip" should be more obvious - it's not until you've scanned the first page of results that you realise (if you even see it) that G has modified the query... at least their other helping hand stuff such as "did you mean" appears before, and close to, the #1 result...

                              Comment

                              • Serge Litehead
                                Confirmed User
                                • Dec 2002
                                • 5190

                                #16
                                agree...

                                Comment

                                • Mr.Right - Banned For Life
                                  I guarantee it
                                  • May 2005
                                  • 18314

                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by rowan
                                  Comments?

                                  Comment

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