Google’s Personalized Search – Big Changes To How Sites Can Rank
There’s a Buzz in SEO Circles About What Google’s New Changes Might Mean
On December 4th, Google made a big announcement about a switch to “personalized search” that didn’t really grab too much attention. But I am aware of this new search results development, and thought it worthy of mentioning.
Googe’s official name for personalized search is “Web History”. There are two options: Signed-Out Web History and Signed-In Web History.
Keeping my explanation short, “personalized search” means Google can now determine what your web surfing habits are and if you seem to favor certain sites over other sites, such as whether you consistently like to go to Overstock.com rather than Like.com, and starts to give Overstock a rankings boost. Or Target’s website instead of Wal-Mart’s. Somehow, someway (their secret) Google has the ability to memorize your web surfing habits. And mine, and anyone else’s. Thus, you will start seeing more of your “favorite most often visited websites” listed, perhaps for searches where those sites weren’t showing up before for you.
Before you get all worried about invasion of privacy issues, which has been a point of concern for many, Google offers us the ability to accept or refuse having personalized search results shown to us. Maybe you’ll feel better knowing that a person’s searching history is only kept for 180 days. Plus, you can delete that history at any time, but even if you don’t, it can’t actually be viewed by anyone other than Google. So Google claims privacy should not be a concern for us.
Also, in case you didn’t know, ALL the major search engines have recorded what you search on for many, many years. That’s just one of the many ways they determine ranking positions. Now Google is simply using the recorded data to further refine the results you can see.
Remember – you don’t have to choose to sign in to personalized search … but maybe a lot of your potential customers will.
How Could Personalized Search Affect Your Website Traffic, You Ask?
First, let’s talk basics. Personalized search will most likely affect ranking positions. Where ranking positions have sometimes been prone to vary depending upon which Google data center you live near (there are exceptions but I’m trying to keep this simple), now those sites one person favors might very well not rank the same for another person if both people search for exactly the same keyword phrase.
However, everything about this new ranking change isn’t set-in-cement. Such as … the website of a local bakery probably won’t be affected quite the same since a local bakery is just that … local and unique to the services offered. Or a local car mechanic, dry cleaners, etc.
So if you’ve been real proud of those top ranking positions you’ve held for quite awhile, you just might find you’re NOT holding a top ranking based upon the searching tendencies of the particular searcher in question. Follow me here? To further explain – your grandmother may not get the same results as you do because most likely the two of you search for quite different topics. 
Is Google’s personalized search reason for those of us battling to gain top rankings, or to continue to keep our top rankings, to get all crazy and worried? Um, not really. Not in my estimation, nor in the estimation of many respected SEO gurus.
What Google’s new search option means is that we need to continue to utilize good solid optimization basics on each and every page of our site, being:
- Make sure your web pages are accessible (well thought out navigational structure and hierarchy).
- Utilize the keywords that searchers employ within your Title and meta tags, and content.
- Over-delivery quality, informative content that visitors to your site will find useful and valuable.
- Try to earn editorial links from good sources related to your niche.
So, when all is said and done with any shift or change in ranking algorithms, the core issues I just listed above are ones that haven’t gone by the wayside, nor probably ever will. I’ve preached those four key points to all my SEO clients over the years and will continue to do so. And though yes, sometimes gaining top rankings isn’t a easy slam-dunk, by sticking to those simple points most all of us will ultimately see our sites holding great ranking positions.
Are You Looking For Some Magic SEO Pixie Dust?
Many Business Owners are Now Realizing They Do Indeed Need to Pay Attention to Their Organic Rankings
Oh boy, now that the economic climate is what it is, and many business owners are feeling a bit of a downturn in their sales, there is a little more buzz being heard by SEO consultants about “how can we get top search engine rankings?”.
And unfortunately there are a lot of lousy-no-good SEO firms sending out emails saying “We can’t find your website in the search engines. How would you like GUARANTEED top-10 rankings for these keyword phrases?” and then they go on to list terms they think are relevant to the website in question. Then of course there’s always the mention that there is an on-going monthly fee involved for the “guaranteed” ranking positions!
Unfortunately, too many businesses mistakenly jump at the rip-off offer being made. Of course guaranteed month-after-month top-10 rankings does sound pretty darn good, doesn’t it? Sigh …
I have never blindly assumed what keywords are or aren’t important for bringing targeted qualified traffic into a client’s site, without first having a good discussion about what their business goals are; who their target audience is for their products or services; what do they want their website to “do” for them. Important issues like that!
Then, and only then do I begin my research to determine the SEO “game plan” for my client.
SEO is not about picking keywords that are sitting at the top of a generically researched keyword list and then stuffing those keywords into the content. Not at all. This method rarely converts into the “MWR”. “Most Wanted Response” being capturing leads; or maybe getting visitors to sign up for a newsletter; or yes, perhaps making SALES!! And that is where these shady “we can help you – guaranteed” SEO firms miss the boat.
Among many other issues to take into consideration, my clients are taught about the need for well written and informative content that will satisfy the visitor when they land on that particular webpage. Yes of course, part of the SEO goal is to have great search engine rankings so that a potential customer can find your listing, but crummy content that isn’t targeted to and written with the key factor in mind doesn’t work. A great page of content that is convincing and informative will hopefully convert that visitor into doing what you want them to do!
If we could find magic SEO pixie dust that would GUARANTEE that each and every person landing on your website would give you your MWR … well then we’d all be standing in line to buy some, me included. (Gimme a big bag, please! 
) Then doing business online would be a no-brainer!
If you’d like to find out about how to improve the response of visitors coming to your site, or would like to discuss any other aspects of improving your online presence, please contact me. I offer a complimentary consultation.
Bruce Clay ‘Keywords Are Dead’ Video – Search Engine Facts For 2009
‘Keywords are Dead’ is Becoming Truer by the Minute
I viewed this video yesterday and I think it is truly worthy of being offered to all of my blog viewers. If you have a site, then you’d better become seriously concerned about what it is going to take to maintain your (top) rankings in the days to come!
For all intent purposes, I whole-heartedly agree that it looks like the “search engine ranking wars” are going to get close to brutal in the not-too-distant future. No one can ignore what is going on in the ever-changing world of search engine algorithms. Google is making it even more competitive as to who gets top rankings and who doesn’t.
I needn’t say more. Just watch this video now. 
Sharing My Keyword Rankings To Prove SEO Really Works
Yup! This SEO Stuff Really Works!
Alright, I’ve given you a glimpse into one of my top-ten rankings keyword phrases in my previous post. Because the explanation of how my Home page ranks #1 for this keyword phrase isn’t beginning basic cut-and-dry techniques, I thought I’d choose a keyword phrase that does clearly show the most basic level of optimization techniques.
This example couldn’t be any clearer, or easier to explain as to how I hold the #1 ands #2 spots as of today (and have been for quite awhile). The keyword phrase to notice in this screenshot is: hypertufa recipes.
Content … Let Me Talk About That First
Alright, one of the most basic things you need to do with the on-page (your content) optimization in order to try and achieve top-ten rankings is to use the keyword phrase sprinkled throughout the page. I have done that. I also used a variation of the term, “hypertufa recipe” (singular). If you review the actual content: Basic Hypertufa Recipes you’ll see what I mean.
Note: If you read through the page, you’ll see I haven’t over-used the keyword phrases … yes they may show up often on the page, but based on the quality level of information I am trying to provide for my all important visitor … the number of times I’ve used the keyword phrases is quite acceptable.
Next … the Title Tag and Description Meta Tag
Next is the issue of properly optimizing the Title tag and Description meta tag with the keyword phrase. Let me show you both of them as found in the #1 ranking position:
TITLE tag: Basic Hypertufa Recipes and Important Mixing Guidelines
DESCRIPTION meta tag: Start with the right hypertufa ingredients. These time-tested recipes will insure your garden art project’s success. Lots of ‘tufa tips & guidelines.
Can I let you in on something about the level of “expert” SEO of these two tags? It sort of stinks! (Did I just say that??) Yes … I wrote these tags when I first built the website many years ago and well … I wasn’t terribly proficient in SEO, but I was almost adhering to all the basic rules. What do I mean by “almost adhering”??
I mean that I should have used both words – “hypertufa recipes” – TOGETHER in the description tag. That’s what I teach all my clients to do. And for sure, today I would definitely write a better Title and Description but you know what? If it ain’t broke … don’t fix it!
I’m leaving well enough alone because I am holding the top two rankings! Why mess with something that is working??
Before I end this post, I’ll mention one more thing that is causing these two pages to rank as nicely as they do. It’s because my competition isn’t doing as good a job as I am in all the optimization factors nor are they experiencing some of the other important factors that help search engine rankings (in-pointing links, quantity of quality content, etc). I’ll teach you about these “advanced” SEO issues in future posts.
I hope you are starting to get an idea of how your keyword phrase has to be focused upon in a number of ways for each page of content on your site. See you later!
