Does "Google Instant" kill Long Tail Search?

[Ed Brooks]

Google’s new Google Instant search will “Auto-Complete� suggestions for your search as you type. If you plan on typing “Chevy Impalas for sale Long Island�, before you get done typing Impalas, you’ll see “Chevy Impalas for Sale� as a suggestion. No need to finish typing. Great, but what will this do to “long tail� searches?

I have to think they’ll decrease. From Google’s standpoint, I think PPC bids will increase. The PPC ad placement can be served up by IP address. It will be increasingly important for local businesses (Car Dealers). So you can do all the “organic� optimization you want, but if customers are doing more high-level “short-tail� searches, they will never see a local dealer – only national sites. The only way to get on the page is with Pay Per Click.

The result for Google, more revenue. The result for dealers, fewer “free� SEO clicks. What do you guys think?

[Alex Snyder]

Google << if Google Instant isn't working on the main Google page yet, use that link. You have to try it to get it. Just search for 3 different things.

I may be premature in this concern, but I am concerned on how we can continue to find out which keywords are working. If Google is doing real time results (very cool and better IMO) then we won't know which keywords are working for our sites. Does this increase the need for PPC?

[jasonputnam]

Good point Ed. How this impacts SEO, long tail searches and PPC will be very very interesting to track. This could be very big.


Google Instant

[Alex Snyder]

I may be premature in this concern, but I am concerned on how we can continue to find out which keywords are working. If Google is doing real time results (very cool and better IMO) then we won't know which keywords are working for our sites. Does this increase the need for PPC?

It looks like this is less of a concern. I did some testing and Google does figure out which *complete* keywords were used to find you. If you're strong in SEO or have a highly converting PPC campaign you should see more return from the Google Instant change. I'm speculating here - only time will tell.

According to Matt Cutts, a pause of 3 seconds will register as an impression. I'm very curious to see how the impression side of PPC changes. In time it will all normalize, but it could be a bit of a shock to a few uneducated dealers.

If you've ever seen a CoBalt report (the one they email to you that focuses on impressions) it will surely make them look like heroes so I'm calling on that one in advance.

[Chip Grueter]

Pretty clever way they came up with to maintain referrer strings.

[Ed Brooks]

According to Matt Cutts, a pause of 3 seconds will register as an impression. I'm very curious to see how the impression side of PPC changes. In time it will all normalize, but it could be a bit of a shock to a few uneducated dealers.

If you've ever seen a CoBalt report (the one they email to you that focuses on impressions) it will surely make them look like heroes so I'm calling on that one in advance.

It shouldn't impact clicks, but will impact impressions. Requires a "Reset" on what you expect for a click rate. Click rates will sink like a stone - at least on paper.

[JoePistell]

Its friggin' annoying. Rather than thinking deeply about getting the phrase to match what I am trying to find, I get this bizzarre flashing crap taking my eye off my mission.

VISUAL NOISE. I cant believe this passed thru beta.

[Alex Snyder]

It shouldn't impact clicks, but will impact impressions. Requires a "Reset" on what you expect for a click rate. Click rates will sink like a stone - at least on paper.

I'm just talking about impressions Ed. You need to see some of the reports a few website vendors provide in order to understand where this whole thing could be a bit funky.

And Google is saying an increase in impressions will happen: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogsp...entral+Blog%29

[JoePistell]

Arron Wall, matches Ed's take: How Google Instant Changes the SEO Landscape | SEO Book.com

[JoePistell]

Most users look at the keys and not the screen. STOP. I'll say it again, 98% of users look at the keys, not the screen. They begin to enter their phrase, glance up to see if they typed it right and now they discover the screen togging results with every key stroke. Their eyes go up and down and up and down trying to find a reason to look at the SERP. Instant search is not fluid for these people.

For those that dont look at the keyboard, I now have to train myself to not look at the SERP until I get most of my phrase up.

All I see is geek ego at google driving this Instant P.O.S.