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

rowan · 07-01-2009, 06:45 AM

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 · 07-01-2009, 06:51 AM

interesting change

TheDoc · 07-01-2009, 06:53 AM

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

GrouchyAdmin · 07-01-2009, 07:14 AM

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

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 08:48 AM

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.

Webmaster Army · 07-01-2009, 08:57 AM

Quote:

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".

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 09:10 AM

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.

rowan · 07-01-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

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.

rowan · 07-01-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

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.

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

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.

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

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.

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 09:46 AM

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.

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 09:50 AM

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.

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 09:52 AM

so who can't read here? )

rowan · 07-01-2009, 09:53 AM

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...

Serge Litehead · 07-01-2009, 10:00 AM

agree...

Mr.Right - Banned For Life · 07-01-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowan

Comments?

07-01-2009, 06:51 AM	#2
seeandsee Check SIG! Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe (Skype: gojkoas) Posts: 50,945	interesting change __________________ BUY MY SIG - 50$/Year Contact here

07-01-2009, 06:53 AM	#3
TheDoc Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Currently Incognito Posts: 13,827	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

07-01-2009, 07:14 AM	#4
GrouchyAdmin Now choke yourself! Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12,085	Tip: These results do not include the words "Alice Springs". Show results that include "sty". __________________ AIM: GrouchyGfy

07-01-2009, 08:48 AM	#5
Serge Litehead Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind the scenes Posts: 5,190	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. __________________ SilverCrocodile.com Adult web design since '05 Last edited by Serge Litehead; 07-01-2009 at 08:49 AM..

07-01-2009, 09:10 AM	#7
Serge Litehead Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind the scenes Posts: 5,190	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. __________________ SilverCrocodile.com Adult web design since '05

07-01-2009, 06:45 AM	#1
rowan Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 17,393	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)

07-01-2009, 09:46 AM	#12
Serge Litehead Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind the scenes Posts: 5,190	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. __________________ SilverCrocodile.com Adult web design since '05

07-01-2009, 09:50 AM	#13
Serge Litehead Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind the scenes Posts: 5,190	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. __________________ SilverCrocodile.com Adult web design since '05

07-01-2009, 09:52 AM	#14
Serge Litehead Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind the scenes Posts: 5,190	so who can't read here? ) __________________ SilverCrocodile.com Adult web design since '05

07-01-2009, 09:53 AM	#15
rowan Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 17,393	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...

07-01-2009, 10:00 AM	#16
Serge Litehead Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Behind the scenes Posts: 5,190	agree... __________________ SilverCrocodile.com Adult web design since '05