Google tests new search features and challenges Microsoft

Mon 6 April 2009 14:14, Dennis Sievers

Google is currently testing the presentation of the search results with a small number of users. Along with this both the graphical presentation as the text per search result is thoroughly revised. With this it is possible to restrict the outcome to recent results, forums, videos and product reviews. Besides this it is possible to show larger texts and illustrations with the results. This test is currently running with a small number of selected American users. However search engine marketing firm Indenty has already been able to take a glance into the Dutch results, the English results are explained by Google Blogoscoped.

According to search engine guru Danny Sullivan the well chosen timing of this experiment is not coincidental. Earlier this month Microsoft’s new search engine Kumo came out into the news. Kumo tested with categorizing results and focused more on related results. There were rumors that Google might not be able to do the same. Then last week Friday, CEO Steve Ballmer said that Microsoft has the advantage over Google as they can more easily experiment with their search results. In an interview in New York Ballmer said “Google does have to be all things to all people,” while this isn’t the case for Microsoft.

Precisely then Google launches a number of new possibilities in her search results, amongst which the so called ‘wonder wheel’. These new developments are not very special on their own, but do look graphical renewed.

When for example someone searches on the keyword “Enschede”, a big city in the Netherlands, Google shows the wonder Wheel with as the most important related keywords “firework disaster Enschede” and “University of Twente Enschede”. One can click on these results and that way search for relevant topics.

With Search Suggestions it is possible to click on different suggestions. One can also quickly spot if there were any new articles placed in the last 24 hours, week, month or year. These are only a few of the many small changes in the search results Google is currently testing.

With these experiments Google again shows her competition that she does not accept it when others report they can outdo Google in the battle for the best, quickest and biggest search engine.

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Comments (1)

- DaveB
Ballmer has it wrong.
While MS has consistently tried to be all things to all people with Windows, Google is willing to just throw new ideas into the ring to see if they take off. Lots of Google initiatives go nowhere.
Google is much faster and lighter on their feet than MS, and it's Google that has the advantage over MS.
I think this is either wishful thinking or spin doctoring on Ballmer's part.

Wed 8 Apr 2009, 14:29

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