Search engines are constantly tweaking / adding / experimenting with their algorithms, with the aim of providing the most relevant results possible to the searcher. It may be worth while looking into potential changes within the next year and beyond.
Personalised Searches
The introduction of the expanded Igoogle, rows over user privacy and user search history - evidence suggests that Google are already moving towards a more personalised search engine experience. Google’s highly successful analytics software equips Google with a wealth of information, which I am sure will be taken into consideration when implementing a more personalised search. Much debate is still needed with regards to the ethics of collecting user data before personalised searches are used to their full potential.
Page Rank Tool
Google are intent on cracking down on paid links, and one method suggested to curve the paid links industry is to remove the page rank figure from public view. This may curve the growing industry, however it will also massively reduce the number of people with the Google toolbar installed. Ultimately, Google will be limiting the amount of user information they are gathering.
Semantic Understanding
Search engines currently have a limited understanding of what words actually mean and the context in which they are being used. Search engines have improved massively in the last few years, and a fuller semantic understanding of search terms should be with us within the next 5 years.
Devaluing Older Static Content
With the huge number of websites, blogs and social networking sites, content really is king. How often have you searched for the latest information on something, only to realise that what you have been reading was published in 2003? The risk of the internet becoming “cluttered”, and therefore providing irrelevant results is surely going to concern the Search Engines.
Written by North East SEO company
