If you happen to leave your computer signed on to your Google account. And if you happen to be a Google+ user, you will now see an option at the top of a completed search page for personalised results. These results factor in your travels on the net and preferences on G+ as captured into data by Google. Unless you click the personalised result icon you will never see any difference, but should you follow this clever little option, your results will usually drastically change.
Instead of seeing general global results you will be shown a far more localised, almost editorial slant of results. Depending upon what you use Google search for, this can be good or bad. It is at the very least a mixed bag. After running our favorite test search for pizza, we are shown the websites for the two largest pizza chains in the nation, followed by Wikipedia’s brilliant pizza insights.
The same search with the personal touch brings forth the site of our favorite local pizza place, followed by several recently researched Italian recipes. The results from the two different Google platforms are profoundly different.
Much speculation has been placed on Google’s addition of personalised results as a predecessor of Google’s next algorithm change. Some would prefer Google results shift away from broad based educational value to the Social network entertainment mode. These pundits go so far as to suggest Google include Facebook, and Twitter data as well as Google+. Others decry that any inclusion of social network data will destroy Google search.
Meanwhile Google keeps offering up new options that one can take or leave. All of this leads us to the need to optimise with an eye to social networking. A truly balanced SEO plan must include cross referencing to Facebook, Twitter and if one wants to be ready for the future, Google+
