Sunday, August 02, 2015

google-keeps-multiple-databases-and-differences-are-big

Google has multiple databases they use today and the differences between them seem bigger than ever.

Back in the good old days of SEO, Google had many data centers and people tracked them, you could look and see small differences, e.g. on 12+ different Google data centers you might rank between 1-3 for your keyword phase.
I do not think anyone has a way to track all the different Google data centers anymore. If someone knows how to, please email me and let me know.


Today it is very different, I will explain and show detailed search examples below.

There still are at least 4 or 5 different Google search results and in the example below you will see in one screen shot the search for my name my resume is #2.


This is true for all keyword phrases and it has been this way for about three months now. I think by now the Google search results would become more consistent and not have so many versions.

The way I first noticed this is by setting my search results location to USA and to have personal results (search history) turned off. Also I am logged out of Google. When you are logged out of Google you see the newest search results from Google. Then you see the search results above.
There are unanswered questions however. Why is it that sometimes the results are the same no matter if you are logged in to Google or not?
Our the search results migrated from the "logged out" database to the "logged in" database over time?
If yes, then how much time does it take?
The the frustrating questions, like why is it the sometimes the newest results are never migrated (moved) to the "logged in" database?

Now if I keep all Google settings the same and login into Google I see my resume at #10 or #11. That is a big difference, plus there are a few other Google search result versions.



Also somehow Google lost my picture, which does not bother me. My name is very competitive, there is a Priest named Tom Forrest. He even has an exorcism video that I send to people as a joke sometimes.
There is a photographer, book writer, doctor, actor, sound engineer, and a gun dealer all with the exact same name as me.

Google does not seem to understand how few people comprehend all the different settings and options you can have now when you perform a Google search. I estimate 50% of people do not even know about turning on or off search history, setting different search Geo locations, etc.
I am explaining this to many people several times a week, and now with the big differences in search results you see depending on all these factors and the fact that even if you set all search setting the same you still may see significantly different search results it makes it tough to explain to clients and for them to understand.
This is a reoccurring problem with Google, they just assume the average person understands all of this, when it is difficult even for very experienced SEO experts to follow and understand all the changes and different options Google offers today.


There are many more changes coming, please click and read the following article about new Google patents and how they are already affecting Google search results.

http://searchengineland.com/structured-data-serps-googles-patents-tell-us-ranking-universal-search-219205