Normally when related queries are suggested after doing a search on Google, they appear at the bottom of the search results page (SERP). I noticed this weekend Google is testing the display of other Google categories as well as related search queries above the right side column ads. (Outlined in red)
The example above shows a link to Google Products. However, other keyword queries generate links to other Google search products: Google News, Scholar, Blogs, Books, Video, etc. I am only able to create these results on Firefox using Google, not via MSIE or Opera browsers.
What does this mean for search marketers? Not a whole lot. But if Google started using the top right screen real estate to start showing links to more information, it could present secondary promotion opportunities in the same way that OneBox results do.
It makes sense for Google to do more to disambiguate search results, because as good as Google is at “organizing the world’s information” the quality of search results is nowhere near ideal. Adding alternate drill down options helps make up for variances in query context and searcher intentions.
Here are screen shots of other layouts Google has been testing recently.
Interesting find.
I find this option less annoying than the test where they put this info on the left hand side of my screen.
Seems they are just trying to add more modules on the google pages. I think it can create a 2nd spot for prime ad location tho 🙂
We’ll see how this goes.