Thread
Is Google dying – dead?
In 2018, Google updated the SERP for higher education. In every presentation I do, I tell people they did it because 63% of enrolled students felt lost in finding details about #HigherEd.
Along came Google to sort out results.
In 2018, Google updated the SERP for higher education. In every presentation I do, I tell people they did it because 63% of enrolled students felt lost in finding details about #HigherEd.
Along came Google to sort out results.
When newly aware people type in a school into the browser, the top hit is often the .edu. On mobile, the top hit is "about" which pulls content from Wikipedia.
But, on both, Google attempts to answer EVERY question one might have when they Google a school.
But, on both, Google attempts to answer EVERY question one might have when they Google a school.
How much does it cost? Is it a good school? Is it D1? Is it this, is it that? Here are reviews about it.
The problem is, Google treats every search for a school like people are unaware of it.
They are obviously not. They Googled it by name.
The problem is, Google treats every search for a school like people are unaware of it.
They are obviously not. They Googled it by name.
If you type in Harvard University into Google, you're obviously aware of it. You can't accidentally type in a school.
Google tried to be smart and figure out what you want to know. The thing is, what you want to know is probably on the .edu.
Google tried to be smart and figure out what you want to know. The thing is, what you want to know is probably on the .edu.
A click to the .edu takes you out of Google's walled-in ad-filled world. Since Google is a for-profit company, taking people out of the profit center isn't high on the list.
"No, please, leave. We don't want to make any more money."
"No, please, leave. We don't want to make any more money."
So we're left with a mess. The US SERP is a mess. The rest of the world has a different SERP, meaning a Canadian student looking at schools in Canada and then in the US has to navigate a different SERP.
Thanks for clearing that one up, Google.
Thanks for clearing that one up, Google.
At its core, Google is/was awesome. The "I'm feeling lucky" button is a genius of marketing and confidence.
Rarely clicked, but always seen, it says "you will get to where you want, we promise."
Simple, glorious marketing.
Rarely clicked, but always seen, it says "you will get to where you want, we promise."
Simple, glorious marketing.
If you type in your school to Google, and you click "I'm feeling lucky" it will take you to the .edu.
If you click "Google Search" it will take you to a mess of AI trying to "guess" what you want to know.
If you click "Google Search" it will take you to a mess of AI trying to "guess" what you want to know.
And according to data I collected, only about 19% of people who do a search for a school by NAME click on the .edu.
HigherEd is not feeling very lucky at that number.
HigherEd is not feeling very lucky at that number.
Google keeps launching too many snippets. Here are what is there now:
People also ask.
Programs.
Outcomes.
Canadian SERPS also have "Things to know" on the SERP now as rising high school seniors begin their search.
People also ask.
Programs.
Outcomes.
Canadian SERPS also have "Things to know" on the SERP now as rising high school seniors begin their search.
It is too much. The attempt to clear things up has muddied the waters of schools.
Yes, the .edu is not perfect. And yes, more could be done on the home pages to create "Things you should know" at key times in the process.
But the SERP is a mess.
Yes, the .edu is not perfect. And yes, more could be done on the home pages to create "Things you should know" at key times in the process.
But the SERP is a mess.
It assumes people want to know everything at all times and people don't.
The SERP is trying to answer EVERY question, and not just guide people to a place that can tell them more.
It is overwhelming.
The SERP is trying to answer EVERY question, and not just guide people to a place that can tell them more.
It is overwhelming.
"Currently, the predominant business model for commercial search engines is advertising."
"We expect that advertising-funded search engines will be inherently biased towards the advertisers and away from the needs of the consumers."
Appendix A: infolab.stanford.edu/~backrub/google.html
"We expect that advertising-funded search engines will be inherently biased towards the advertisers and away from the needs of the consumers."
Appendix A: infolab.stanford.edu/~backrub/google.html
The above quote is from Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page.
Kind of full circle.
As always, I link to @pomeranian99's post on giving up Google search.
debugger.medium.com/what-its-like-to-stop-using-google-search-fbdf9919c551
Kind of full circle.
As always, I link to @pomeranian99's post on giving up Google search.
debugger.medium.com/what-its-like-to-stop-using-google-search-fbdf9919c551
