Google have launched a new search enhancement feature called “Instant”, this is how they describe it:

“Google Instant is a new search enhancement that shows results as you type. We are pushing the limits of our technology and infrastructure to help you get better search results, faster. Our key technical insight was that people type slowly, but read quickly, typically taking 300 milliseconds between keystrokes, but only 30 milliseconds (a tenth of the time!) to glance at another part of the page. This means that you can scan a results page while you type.”

The next question most people are concerned with is, how will Google Instant affect seo?

Google has again changed the personalised results and is now affecting what the user sees in search – paid and natural. It is something to be aware of, but it will only affect those that are logged into Google.

1. Unique search queries
According to Google, 25% of searches are unique. Therefore if someone is offered new results in the search box, they may stop writing the rest of their search query, potentially lowering the number of unique search queries.

2. Long tail search
There may be a change in the long tail patterns of keywords as people are offered instant results. There may be a decrease in the number of long tail search queries typed into Google.

3. Brilliant basics SEO
Title tags and meta descriptions are even more important as this is what comes up in Google in the instant results. It is important keywords are in the title and description tag, encouraging users to click through.

Google Instant may just be kept as a default but there is an “off” switch and you also have to be logged in to see it. It is certainly distracting when typing in search results into Google. Google has even admitted it does not know yet how users will interact with the search results, ads and search experience. However, one thing is for sure, users should find relevant results quicker than before (Google say 2 – 5 seconds saved per search) and seo and ppc practioners will need to keep an eye on how Google Instant affects traffic to their site. The search landscape is constantly changing and the seo and ppc team are always adapting well to these modifications implementing best practice techniques to their campaigns.