Legal Research

Google Algorithm Changes

By admin

Google tweaks its algorithm all the time – maybe even every day or more.

However, this is a big change and I find it interesting.

Official: Google Now Lets One Domain Dominate Search Results
Aug 20, 2010 by Barry Schwartz

“Prior to this week, Google would only show up to two results from the same domain on a single search result page. Now, Google has confirmed what many are seeing, where a single brand dominates a single page of Google?s search results.

This is not a bug, this is not an anomaly, it is an intentional change to Google?s ranking algorithm.”

Read Search Engine Land for more above.

This reduces diversity of links on the first three pages of search results and few people ever venture past the first page above the fold.

It allows for seach engne optimizers to ensure that their clients dominate the first page of results.

It means that dominant players in an industry can dominate the hits on your searches (and ensure that the ads are their’s too).

It might not be a big thing but it might be. Professional searchers need to be aware of ths change and those of us who teach search and find skills might want to add this soundbite to our training sessions.

Can you imagine a library database subscription where the algorithm would actually prefer the sites that paid for placement? There would howls of outcry. Is that possible or probable here?

Stephen

Full post as published by Stephen's Lighthouse on August 20, 2010 (boomark / email).