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The incredible power, speed and impact of Google's activities over the past year is rapidly changing the landscape of how people search online. (By the way - I spend hours and hours per week reading and learning about SEO and I sometimes have a tough time keeping up with Google's new releases and news. Their new continuing initiatives are very impressive.)

First, it will be helpful to review a few things Google has recently done. Read on about how this is impacting and will continue to increasingly impact website ranking results.

Just in case you aren't aware here are just a few of the very significant things Google has been up to during the past year:

• Google Analytics (Web analytics)
• Google Website Optimizer (Website optimization tool)
• Google AdWords (Pay Per Click advertising)
• Blogger (Google's online blog application)
• Gmail (custom email with 10 gigabytes of available storage)
• Google Docs & Spreadsheet (web-based word processing & spreadsheets)
• Google Calendar (share schedules, meetings & event information & more)
• Google Talk (instant messaging, voice messaging & file sharing)
• I Google (a customized and personalized home page)
• Google Page Creator (a website authoring tool)
• Picasa (photo organizer and sharing application with photo manipulation abilities)

And this is just a few of Google's offerings!

So what's the common thread to each of these applications?
... you must sign in each time you access each of these. And that means that Google has access to information about your online use and website use.

This can come from analyzing your website's traffic via Google Analytics or "recording" your search engine use every time you are logged into one of these applications. That doesn't mean that Google is watching over ever online move that you make but Google "learns" from this. And now they are using this information to personalize your searches.

For example, if you type in "Jaguar" into browser Google can help figure out whether you are more likely to be looking for Jaguar - the animal, Jaguar - the luxury automobile, or the Jacksonville Jaguar's football team based in Florida. Google learns from your search history and modifies the results you see accordingly. It's a personalized thing!

What impact does this have on YOU - the website owner or manager?
This "personalization" can have a very significant impact on visitor searches. Once upon a time if you typed in something like "blue widgets" results worldwide typically offered very similar results. The same top 10 results would typically be very close whether you are searching at work in Vancouver or at home in Dubai.

Now visitors may get increasingly different search engine ranking results even from the same street. Carrying on with our example noted above... if you are a football fan your search for Jaguars may result in information about football and the National Football League. If you are an animal lover the same search results may show information and photo galleries of the majestic jaguar feline.

So What Do You Need to Do?
Does this information make you a bit nervous? If you are relying on Google text search then to drive your business or organization's website traffic then you night have reason to be a little concerned.

Can You Really Afford to Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket?
I wrote about this in a previous blog post (see Web Mama Says "Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket). If you are ranking well in Google now for important keywords then more power to you! But consider what happens if Google changes it's algorithm and that means you loose your strong ranking. Don't think it can happen to you? Well, think again. We've seen this happen several times.

Google alone offers numerous options to find your website. And what about other search engines or links from other websites, blogs (like Blogger), photo-sharing websites (like Flickr), video sharing sites (like YouTube) and social media websites (like MySpace)? Increasing your website's visibility in these other places provides other ways to bring in targeted traffic... plus they'll typically have a beneficial impact on our website's rankings with Google, Yahoo and MSN.

Just Like Financial Planners Say - DIVERSIFY!!!
Don't put your search engine strategy eggs in one basket. You probably wouldn't invest your hard earned cash in just one investment regardless of whether it's providing a good return or not. Just the same - diversity your website's visibility by making sure you appear in as many relevant places as possible... not just Google's text search. (Hint, hint again... a welcome byproduct of diversification is typically improved search rankings for Google's text search as well.) You can't go wrong by diversifying your website's visibility and removing your vulnerability to Google's personalized search.

Need Help Spreading Your Website's Love Around?
If you need help with this contact us. We'll be glad to help you diversify your website visibility in a strategic manner that works and make your site less vulnerable to loosing traffic due to Google's personalization!

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