However, Google Instant could also be a blessing in disguise for some Adwords customers.  With all the fanfare on the new instant search results, a small interface feature slipped through the cracks (see picture below):  the top 3 Adwords results are now more prominently displayed in the center of your screen.  As you conduct an instant search the suggested results box pushes down both the ads and organic search results.  This change reduces the number of organic search results displayed on your screen and puts the advertisements center stage.  Where the top two organic results would normally be displayed there are now ads.

An eye-tracking study of Google Instant users showed that they didn’t spend as much time looking at the right-hand column ads, however, they spend more time looking directly below the search box.  This would translate to the top 3 results getting even more clicks with the introduction of the  new feature.  This could increase the CTR and Quality Score of those ads that currently spend more time in the top 3 slots.   Will this create even more of a division between big Adwords spenders and smaller businesses who are just getting into the game?

Google Instant Comparison

Google has just implemented Instant Search capabilities, which allows a user to view predictive search results while typing in a keyword.  Essentially, this incredible feature rids the need to use the search button ever again.

Our first question here at Insight Forge was how instant search would affect Adwords ad results as well as organic SEO results.

Google Instant and Adwords

Google has a section on their instant search informational site that addresses the effect on Adwords.  As you type a word into the search box, ads will display directly below and in the right hand column just as before.  The ads will change up as the predictions for the search query change.

How Ad Impressions Work with Google Instant

One big change is how ad impressions will be counted.  According to Google, there are three ways that an impression is counted:

1.  If you stop typing for 3 seconds the current ad results will be counted as an impression
2.  If you begin a search query and click anywhere on the page it will be counted as an impression
3.  If you press enter or the search button (as it was before) it will be counted as an impression.

As far as the overall effect on impressions, Google makes the statement that you should “continue ‘monitoring your ads’ performance the same way you usually do. Google Instant might increase or decrease your overall impression levels.”

Overall, instant search seems like it could help users find what they are looking for via ads, however, the real results can’t be determined until some more concrete quantitative data comes in.

Google Instant and SEO

How will Google Instant Search change how organic search results are listed in Google?  According to Sergey Brin: “Basically it stays the same. It’s still the same results, it’s just adapting to behavior.”

Although the results are the same, will there be new new strategies for targeting keywords that ‘aren’t yet keywords?’  For example, will optimizing for  the keyword ‘Haw’ bring in users that want to search for ‘Hawaii’?  If so, this could change up the SEO game entirely.

Well, Google – we do hold you to that, and I think it’s time you took a review of this page and ask yourself if these items are still true.

1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.

Google, you clearly have strayed from your path of focusing on the user.  In fact, you seem more focused on colluding with huge penny-pinching businesses nowadays.  If you focused on users, you never would have reversed direction with Android – an open mobile OS that was said to eventually free users from the chains of giant mobile carriers.

Today, we are seeing the opposite with Android; users are getting tied to lengthy carrier contracts through offerings of super phones (recently Verizon’s Incredible and Sprint’s EVO) which are filled with irremovable bloatware.  Google, this definitely is not focusing on the user – it is focusing on making carriers and corporations happy.

2. It’s best to do one thing really, really well.

Google, admit it – you are trying to become more than a one trick pony.  No longer are you purely focused on search, but you’ve now got your tentacles wrapped around the mobile sector (among other things). We were OK that you went in a different direction to build Android (even if we knew it was just another way to display your ads to users), but you seem really confused now.

You’re kind of like Michael Jordan – you were really good at basketball, but when you started playing baseball everyone started to realize that you suck at it.  Google, you’re starting to suck at stuff.

3. Fast is better than slow.

I’ll give you this one Google – you are sticking with this philosophy.  In your ‘net neutrality’ writeup you propose creating a new second internet that runs in the fast lane, allowing companies to develop innovative and wonderful pay-for services that require more bandwidth. Only problem is: if there is fast lane it leaves the old internet, the one that most people use, stuck in traffic.

4. Democracy on the web works.

Google, how democratic would the new internet you envisioned really be? I can see it now: carriers denying apps that don’t suit their purposes and people denied internet services because they aren’t paying for the ‘premium’ internet.  Google, if democracy means letting businesses walk all over people by denying them freedom of choice in broadband and the wireless spectrum, then by all means, democracy works.

5. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.

This one is true Google.  You know that you’ve hit on something really big with this mobile thing. People need answers everywhere they go, and now that your Android is the #1 selling mobile OS in the United States, they can conveniently Google anything, from anywhere (and click on the ads to prove it!) Although you tout Android as being ‘open source’ – it seems that your services like Google search and Gmail are a ‘must add’ to any Android handset on the market.

6. You can make money without doing evil.

To address this one I’d like to refer to Huffington Post writer Marvin Ammori: “You have to hand it to Google. Going from “Don’t Be Evil” to “Greedier than BP” overnight is a pretty impressive trick.”

7. There’s always more information out there.

Google, you’re making us question who will have access to this information in the future.  Your CEO Eric Schmidt referred to the proposed second pay-for internet: “This means that broadband providers can work with other players to develop new services. It is too soon to predict how these new services will develop, but examples might include health care monitoring, the smart grid, advanced educational services, or new entertainment and gaming options.” So these fantastic new health care and educational services will only be available to people willing to pay for it?

8. The need for information crosses all borders.

Apparently not for people in China.  Although you made a short stand by pulling your service from China due to censorship disputes, you eventually gave in.  It seems that the prospect of tapping China’s huge market was too alluring for you to stand up for what was right.   This situation seems vaguely familiar: throwing internet freedom aside in order to try and make more money…

9. You can be serious without a suit.

Google, I’m not sure anyone buys this hippy-dippy corporate culture bullshit anymore. Don Draper wears a damn fine suit and I’d love to see his take on Adwords.

10. Great just isn’t good enough.

As much praise as you get for your algorithm, there are several other search options out there (Bing in particular) that have been gaining on you in the past year.  I don’t think you realize how many people use Google simply because ‘its Google’.

They liked the way you did things simply, they liked the idea of not going ‘corporate’ with Microsoft, they liked how you stood for what was right.  In other words, people found a reason to like you.  If people start to realize that you are just another corporate giant out to make a profit I wouldn’t underestimate their ability to realize that “Google just isn’t good enough” anymore.

One problem we’ve encountered over the years is the logistical nightmare of managing a ton of Google accounts at the same time.  You’re signed into your Adwords My Client Center account in Chrome, Personal Gmail account in Firefox and a client’s Google Local account in IE.  It becomes quite a hassle.

Finally, Google has started to make some headway on this problem by letting a user sign into multiple Google accounts at once, all from one browser window.  Simply go to your Google Account Settings, and switch the ‘multiple sign in’ button to ‘on.’  It looks like Google is still working on getting some extra features working in multiple accounts like Docs and Spreadsheets, but this is a great first step.  Way to go Google!

So what does this mean? Maybe nothing, and we are simply seeing fluctuations due to an unsteady market.  However, it could also be a sign that search marketing is continuing to eat away at other forms of online advertising.  Consumers continue to rely heavier on web search as a prominent source of educational, entertainment and business related information and media.   This supports the fact that getting basic SEO on a website now will provide enhanced dividends in the future.

During an economic downturn, if consumers are still attuned to peripheral  Pay-Per-Click ads (like Google Adwords), they must be even more familiar with getting what they want within the actual search results.   As far as spending money on marketing, getting a higher search ranking for a website would probably place among the highest cost / benefit ratios of any advertising budget.