{"id":1570,"date":"2015-04-28T19:47:48","date_gmt":"2015-04-28T19:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iteratemarketing.com\/?p=1570"},"modified":"2021-06-11T21:51:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-12T04:51:52","slug":"changing-faces-the-evolution-of-googles-search-results-page","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iteratemarketing.com\/blog\/changing-faces-the-evolution-of-googles-search-results-page\/","title":{"rendered":"Changing Faces – The Evolution of Google\u2019s Search Results Page"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the last few years, Google has rolled out significant changes to its search engine results page (SERP). From a simple list of top search results, the Search Page has evolved to show an ever-widening array of information, from answers provided by Knowledge Graph to local listings and reviews tied to Google Maps. In a recent white paper, Mediative\u2019s digital marketers took an in-depth look at the changing face of Google\u2019s SERP and its effect on user behavior.<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2005-6, the typical SERP was a list of search results that we are are familiar with: 10 organic links to webpages, with a title and short description. First on the page would be a handful of ads (usually 3) followed by 10 organic results.<\/p>\n

In 2005, Enquiro were the first to coin the term \u201cGolden Triangle.\u201d Based on heat-mapping and eye-tracking reports, researchers identified a triangle of user attention from top-to-bottom and left-to-right. This research became very prominent in SEO circles, and was the perfect ammunition for proving that the top 3 organic search results were the prime real estate for massive amounts of traffic.<\/p>\n

The keywords used by searchers were also a reflection of Google\u2019s emerging technology. In those dark days before personalized search, every user would be served the same results for the same keywords, and a broad search for \u201cInbound Marketing\u201d would display results from all over the world! Thus, these years were the height of explicitly localized keyword usage, searches for \u201cInbound Marketing in Portland, OR\u201d filled search query reports for years.<\/p>\n

Since those salad days of Google\u2019s youth, we\u2019ve seen huge changes to the SERP. As the search giant has changed their mission from simply providing the most relevant results for a given search term to predicting and anticipating the question behind the search query, additional elements have been added to the page to compete for user\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

As a result of these and other additions, prime real estate on the SERP has shifted considerably. More recent heat-mapping by Mediative reveals that the Golden Triangle\u201d is a thing of the past. With the first Organic Result now occasionally appearing \u2018below the fold\u2019 users have become much more sophisticated in their brief hunts for the most relevant and useful information on the SERP.<\/p>\n

Possibly as a result of mobile browsing, users are now conditioned to search vertically rather than horizontally<\/b>. This means that businesses in lower positions (esp 2-4) are much more likely to be seen now, even if that result is further down on the page than previously.<\/p>\n

What this means for you:<\/b><\/h3>\n