Google Instant provides an interesting insight into the popular view that Google likes BIG BRANDS. Try the following simple test.
Type in each letter of the alphabet and have a quick look at the results.
Here are my Google Instant results
A=Argos
B=BBC
C=Currys
D=Debenhams
E=Ebay
F=Facebook
G=Google Maps
H=Hotmail
I=Itv
J=John Lewis
K=KLM
L=Lotto
M=MSN
N=Next
O=02
P=Paypal
Q=QVC
R=Rightmove
S=Sky
T=Tesco
U=uTube
V=Virgin
W=Weather
X=Xbox
Y=YouTube
Z=Zara
Now this raises a few questions.
The first question for me is why Argos? Surely the more popular brand has to be Apple. They have more inbound links, more Google searches, although considerably less indexed pages! And I am suspecting considerably less PPC. How many elements of the 200 or so criteria that Google uses to rank your website are really at work here – we need a video appearance from Matt Cutts to help spread a little light on the matter.
Another point to note is the difference in results from the normal Google search? If you type ‘A’ into Google with ‘Instant’ switched off then it is frankly a lot of junk that appears. So what we have hear is Google implying a certain level of control over what it thinks you are or should be looking for.
Will it change? This will be the test as to whether this is a truly instant ‘reliable’ search. To me this feels a little like a pre-formatted list and not really an actually search result. It is Google suggesting that these are the people I think you are looking for and as such will help those businesses considerably. Not that the likes of Argos or the BBC need any free help.
So my final question is what defines a big brand in Google’s eyes?
I shall report back with any news.