Google expands search results

Posted on 26 Mar 2009 at 10:51

Google is implementing two changes to its internet search. It is extending the capabilities and scope of related search and increasing the length of of search result descriptions.

Related search results usually appear at the end of the first page of search results. Currently they present variations on the search terms entered by the user but now Google is employing a new technology that can better understand associations and concepts related to your search

For example, if you search for “principles of physics”, the Google algorithms now know that “angular momentum”, “special relativity”, “big bang” and “quantum mechanic” are related terms that could help you find what you need. So related searches will include results using those terms.

The second change relates to long queries—searches comprising several words. When you search on Google, after each blue result are a few lines of text, which Google calls snippets. These should give an idea of what each page is about, with the search terms shown in bold. But with longer queries, the need to highlight each terms means that the snippets may be short on useful information and context.

In such cases, Google will now present longer snippets, ensuring that the snippets present all the search terms in context.

Ori Allon, technical lead, Search Quality Team, and Ken Wilder, Snippets Team engineer, said Google blog that these changes should give users quicker access to information.

“We are constantly looking for ways to get you to the web page you want as quickly as possible,” they wrote on the Google Blog. “Even if you don't notice all of our changes, rest assured we're hard at work making sure you have the highest quality search experience possible.”

Author: Simon Aughton

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