The Blog on Branding

Google Revitalizes Search Results

We all do it on a daily basis. There’s nothing to be ashamed about. Just admit it: you Google. Sure, it sounds like a dirty word, but Googling is the fastest way to navigate the World Wide Web. And let’s face it, the Internet is definitely a web. The Internet is in 233 countries and over 360 million people have access, so the content ranges from extremely helpful to seriously disturbing. I know that I am a lot more aware of just how many weirdos are out there now that I have access to the Internet from just about anywhere (thank you, iPod Touch). And of course, Google is the first place I go to sift through all of the information ricocheting between computers in those 233 countries.

“Thanks to the iPod Touch, I have internet access everywhere!”


But I have a problem with Google. (How dare I?)

• The Problem with Google
• How are These Prioritized?
• Beating PageRank

The Problem with Google

But as fantastic as Google is, there is one persistent glitch that really irks me and has probably bothered you, too. When you Google something, searches are prioritized by Web pages that closely relate to the exact terms you typed in. For example, say you are coming to visit my hometown of Pittsburgh and you want to check out the art scene. You might search for “art in Pittsburgh,PA” and so your results will be filtered through those terms.

The first hit is the Carnegie Museum of Art. Well, okay, that’s helpful, I guess, but it’s pretty mainstream, and I might have already known about it. The second hit is the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Okay, not so helpful. I don’t want to apply to art school, I just want to see what art museums and galleries are around the ‘burgh. The next couple of hits are pretty much the same, with the Andy Warhol Museum and The Mattress Factory Art Museum underneath the Art Institute.

How are These Prioritized?

Google also prioritizes its search results based on PageRank, a number out of 10 that represents the importance of a Web page on the Internet. What makes a web page important, you ask? It’s all about the links, baby.

• The more sites that link to a Web page, the higher its PageRank will be.

  For instance, CNN.com’s homepage has a PageRank of 10/10, while our lovely BrandingBrand.com Blog homepage has a PageRank of 4/10.

• Google determines PageRank by sending out spiders – no, not real spiders, though that would be very cool.

  These are robots that travel through the World Wide Web (spiders, webs…get it?) and sift through the hundreds of millions of Web pages to build lists of the words found on those sites. The spiders first travel to sites that have heavy traffic and then crawl out from there, so the more links to a site, the more likely it is that a spider will find the page. Hence, PageRank goes up. Ah, the circle of life (or the Internet).

“Google sends out spiders to determine PageRank.”

Beating PageRank

Because of PageRank, finding what you want from a search like “art in Pittsburgh, PA” can be infuriating. I want to know about some of the cool, smaller art galleries or maybe what’s happening in the performing arts in Pittsburgh.

Enter Ori Allon, a former Australian PhD student who developed a nifty software called Orion. Orion is a software that allows Google to display results based on association to key words in your search. So, instead of a robotic answer to a query about the Pittsburgh art scene, Google can seem more like an actual human being that knows about related items – kind of like a librarian.

“Orion is kind of like a real, live librarian—not a robot.”

Google Grabs It

Google acquired Allon’s Orion software in 2006 and has since incorporated it into its search engine in a subtle yet satisfying way, much like a fine wine complements a great fillet.

“Scroll down to the bottom of your Google search for a sweet surprise!”

When you Google “art in Pittsburgh, PA,” you can scroll down to the bottom of the page and find a section titled “Searches related to: art in Pittsburgh, PA,” and release a contented sigh. Under this title are a list of related searches (well, duh) such as “art galleries in Pittsburgh, PA” and “Pittsburgh performing arts.” Genius! Now you can click the related “art galleries in Pittsburgh, PA” and the first hit is a sweet page on Pittsburgh.net called the Pittsburgh Art Guide that lists galleries in the area.

“Ori Allon + Orion = Super, Humanized Google”

Sure, the Orion software isn’t perfect, but it has definitely helped Google humanize its searches. So don’t worry – you don’t have to call those relatives you hate in Pittsburgh to find out where the great art galleries are. Just Google it. We won’t tell anybody.

Carrie Milford Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.