Search Engine Optimization: What Is The Future With Previous Query?

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

Search engine optimization was looking rosy. With organic searches taking around 85% of Google clicks and the economic downturn shifting the focus from PPC to organic, I thought perhaps a shift towards organic results would be on the cards. No, Google are throwing another spanner in the works.

Following an article from Search Engine War on Google’s Previous Query, things may change yet again. I am not sure if I like the new changes. I know as a searcher I am going to get a little frustrated and search engine optimization is going to require some smart thinking.

Using the same example that Search Engine War used, if I search for ‘Harrision Ford’ and then search for ‘Cornwall’, the ‘Previous Query’ function kicks in and returns listings for Fords in Cornwall (in the sponsored listings). How you can frame your search engine optimization strategy around that I am not sure. What I do know is that if I was an advertiser, I cannot see how that is going to improve my visitor numbers.

I can see that there are possible uses. If I search for New York and then search for airlines; having results returned that includes airfares to New York could be quite logical. I would imagine that this could be frustrating for many undertaking searches and it will be interesting to see whether or not sponsored links are clicked more often, or less often – I have a feeling we may see organic clicks move closer to the 90% mark because of this move – all the more important to have an effective search engine optimization program.

At present I can only see the connection in the sponsored listings, not in the organic listings so I am little puzzled at Search Engine Wars final paragraph which read in part:

No doubt some SEO’s will be reeling over this as the reliability of data produced from keyword research tools will be questionable due to the difficulty in reproducing search queries based on a previous history.

To my eyes the organic data will not be affected. However, if you use Adwords then you may find the results a little strange. It will be interesting to see how your Adwords data is reported. Search engine optimization will certainly need to find a way to capitalize on this change particularly if there is an increase in organic clicks.

The future will be interesting; if Google find their sponsored clicks are falling they may well decide to wind back the Previous Query function. Whilst the intention is clever, I think the concept may be just a little too smart – or perhaps not quite smart enough. If it can become a mind reader and know when a user is changing search topics – then it may well work. Until then, SEO is alive and well and has a bright and rather rosy future.