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November 3, 2009
Google Gets Patent For Search Results Based on Query, Click Behavior
Bill Slawski reports on a new Google patent that manipulates search results based on query patterns and click results. As Bill explains Google can track when people search for a few related terms and then click on a specific page and develop aggregated information when this action is repeated and give a higher ranking for sites that the group clicks on most often.
Seems like a form of behavioral targeting to me and also gives insight in to how Google is working to take the users' preferences to provide better results. Downside would be that now know people can manipulate this one fairly easily. One wonders if they plan to apply this to Adwords as an addition to their Quality Score or even other advertising mediums.
What it does show is that Google is aggregating search actions and want to use the information, if they are not already. The patent is just making sure the method is theirs.
Posted by Frank Watson on November 3, 2009 1:45 AM
Comments
SK November 3, 2009 6:34 AM
No here they are aggregating the searches for a series of related terms and a specific page that is clicked on - not non clicks but when a person searches for A then B then C and clicks on a certain site - if done by a significant number then when these search patterns are seen that page is promoted
Aussiewebmaster November 3, 2009 9:33 AM
i was under the impression they are already doing this to adwords; if you search for the same query very often and don't click on ads, they'll start showing ads that are normally in slightly lower positions a bit higher, since you haven't clicked on any of the top ads yet.
that's why google introduced the adwords preview tool so you can check up on your own ads in an unbiased way (and it won't count towards the impressions).