SEO Blog

Late last week, Google introduced personalized search results for all Google account holders. Whenever they are logged into a Google service, sites that they find popular are weaved into organic search results. While Google users might not notice effects immediately, over time the contents of their personal Google Search History files and Google Bookmarks will be used to determine search rankings based on each users unique profile. As those files start to fill up, individual users will increasingly see search results tailored to their personal tastes.

The primary goal of any search engine is to present results that are as relevant as possible. That seems simple enough but, of course it isn’t. Information, like the people who use it, is complex and ever evolving. Over the years, the goal line has shifted with the evolution of technology.

At one time, the word, as found on page, in links and in the title and source-code of a document was the major determinant of relevancy. As the Internet grew, location became a determining factor, along with the importance of the word. Today, personal data is used to instruct Google what is and is not relevant to individual users.