An experiment called Zero Search Results (aka Condensed View Experiment) was performed by Google from 2018 March 13th to 20th.
What was the EXPERIMENT?
The experiment intended to optimize the SERP for simple/direct queries like local time, unit conversions, and calculations by:
1. Giving you 1 PERFECT result using the 'Google Widget - It thus eliminates multiple search results for such simple/direct queries, theoretically, didn’t need them.
2. Clubbing all the clutter-results into 1 button "Show All Results" - Condensed view means faster load time - Faster load time means more efficiency - Zero Search Results could diminish load times by as much as half a second.
Example 1:
If you want to know the Eastern Standard Time, you'll search for 'Time Est' & get this:
Example 2:
For calculations or unit conversions you would get this:
Example 3:
If you want to know the Time/Date in London, you'll get this:
What's WRONG with all this?
1. In example 1 - If in fact you're searching for some music band called Time Est, or if you meant to embark on a Timex watch online shopping spree, you’d be sorely disappointed/annoyed. To see the results that you were looking for you'll have to click on the “Show all results” button
4. In example 3 - If you're looking for a "hot date" in/around the "London area” these are totally wrong results
5. In example 3 - You’ll notice the ads in the Zero SERP. This and other examples of SERPs exclusively populated by ads were brought to Google’s attention, with many wondering about the potential implications to paid search. Why wouldn’t Google just disable ads on Zero Search Results pages?
6. In all the examples - There is an extra click needed for seeing all results
7. Do we really need that extra '1/2 Second of improvement' for these queries?
What's the Climax scene?
1. The experiment could ultimately not survive the amount of user error and vocal pushback it received
2. Google finally decided to not expand Zero Search Results outside of local time, unit conversions, and calculations
3.
What was the EXPERIMENT?
The experiment intended to optimize the SERP for simple/direct queries like local time, unit conversions, and calculations by:
1. Giving you 1 PERFECT result using the 'Google Widget - It thus eliminates multiple search results for such simple/direct queries, theoretically, didn’t need them.
2. Clubbing all the clutter-results into 1 button "Show All Results" - Condensed view means faster load time - Faster load time means more efficiency - Zero Search Results could diminish load times by as much as half a second.
If you want to know the Eastern Standard Time, you'll search for 'Time Est' & get this:
For calculations or unit conversions you would get this:
If you want to know the Time/Date in London, you'll get this:
Example 4:
If you want to know current flight details, you'll get this:
1. In example 1 - If in fact you're searching for some music band called Time Est, or if you meant to embark on a Timex watch online shopping spree, you’d be sorely disappointed/annoyed. To see the results that you were looking for you'll have to click on the “Show all results” button
2. In example 4 - Because only Google Widgets (consider the 'Google Flights' widget) featured the results, the travel marketplace brands like Kayak/Expedia/etc would lose serious amounts of traffic/revenue - This directly meant the 'Death of SEO'
3. In example 3 - When you make optimizations, involving words like 'Time', you dis-consider brands like 'Time Magazine' from the search results4. In example 3 - If you're looking for a "hot date" in/around the "London area” these are totally wrong results
5. In example 3 - You’ll notice the ads in the Zero SERP. This and other examples of SERPs exclusively populated by ads were brought to Google’s attention, with many wondering about the potential implications to paid search. Why wouldn’t Google just disable ads on Zero Search Results pages?
6. In all the examples - There is an extra click needed for seeing all results
7. Do we really need that extra '1/2 Second of improvement' for these queries?
What's the Climax scene?
1. The experiment could ultimately not survive the amount of user error and vocal pushback it received
2. Google finally decided to not expand Zero Search Results outside of local time, unit conversions, and calculations
3.
Google officially announced it - Danny Sullivan; of Google; rung it's Death-bell
Source:
Wordstream.com/blog/ws/2018/03/23/google-zero-search-results
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