Google Adds Second Search Box….But Why?
Posted by jonathan at 3:22pm EST on 03/27/2008
Google has added a second search input field to results. It doesn’t appear for every search, but for some select queries it does. For this example, we will be looking at the terms “best buy” on Google.
Personally, I never use the “more pages from X.domain” because if I want to use such a query, I would have started with that query. I do not know the analytics of google.com and how people actually do use the links.
It appears as though Google has decided to provide a search box instead of just having a link. Here is what it looks like,
Now there is larger problem at hand. Google is providing a way to more easily find competitors of BestBuy.com. You’ve got MyCricket.com, VerizonWireless.com, or 1800mobiles.com as competition to Best Buy’s Wireless division. If I were BestBuy.com, I would certainly not want my competition being more easily accessible than I was.
That said, I predict that Google will fade away this second search box just like they have for some of their other universal search features.
Incoming search terms:
- google search bar for mobile phones on sale
- google second search bar
- How do I get a second search bar in Google?
Eduardo
Mar 27th, 2008
Well, short answer: Is not made for you. it’s for the lazy or new that don’t even know they can narrow their search that way. And for the competitors it’s been like that from the start and the only way to get rid of that is being more creative than them.
Jonathan Dingman
Mar 27th, 2008
Eduardo,
A valid point. So then how about giving me a preference setting that says “opt me out of this!!” As far as the ads, yeah, I agree. My point above in the article was only semi-valid. But it does make for easier competition when people actually do use this new feature.
The second search box will actually probably confuse some people. You’d be surprised, but I assure you at least one person will be confused.
Eduardo
Mar 29th, 2008
Well, being a partnership with Best Buy and not organic response for any other company, it will make sense a back link to universal results, as you point out. I think what is more confusing is the change of behaviour toward free (as in freedom) search results. That is the cause of the second search box (i agree that it will have a confusing effect) and other probable changes in the commonly simplistic approach of Google Search interface.