Strange UK Google Results

Seem not be drawn from any of the usual datacentres

[James_Dale]

I just carried out a search on Google.co.uk (using 'the web' option). I noticed that the SERPs were completely different to the SERPs on any Google.com datacentre for the same query. I double and triple checked, but the results on all datacentres are absolutely nothing like the results I found on .co.uk.

I was not using the 'pages from the UK' option, but 'the web' option. So this is really weird.

The same sites can be found in both sets of SERPs, but just at completely different positions (several pages difference). Another strange thing: despite clicking on the SERP result in the Google.com search, the link appeared unvisited when I found it in the Google.co.uk SERPs. The same document.

I thought this was very strange so I looked at the status bar messages as I hovered over the SERPs. All contained tracking codes on the .co.uk searches, but simply listed the domains themselves on the .com searches.

One of the quirkiest behaviours I have ever seen from Google!

[edited by: Marcia at 3:24 am (utc) on Sep. 13, 2003]
[edit reason] fixed formatting [/edit]

[James_Dale]

Can anyone else in the UK confirm this?

[James_Dale]

Also just noticed while looking through these results that there is an incredible level of flux. For example, in Google UK, try running a 'the web' search for "search engine optimisation". Occasionally, the Google.com results can be seen, but hit refresh a few times and you soon see a result which isn't coming from any of the usual 9 datacentres, and which is using tracking codes (view the status bar when hovering over the SERPs).

I want to know where this is coming from, and why Google would prevent UK users from seeing the main Google.com results. Seems to be some sort of hybrid of the missing index page problem.

[Dayo_UK]

James

Wonder if it is connected with what I saw in this thread:-

[webmasterworld.com...]

Ok, that was on Google.com - from the UK, but what I was seeing did not match any data centres.

(.com and co.uk do match for me at the moment though - and they do match datacentres, however I am still occassionaly expriecing it)

Results were so bad I wondered if it was Scumware - but happened on Work computer and Home Computer :( - so I assumed not.

[James_Dale]

Here is an example of what the tracking code looks like:

a href=/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://www.domain.com/&e=7651 target=nw><b>Keyword1</b> <b>Keyword2</b> <b>Keyword3</b>

Are Google testing clickthrough rates to determine how relevant some brand new, scarily different algo is? Seems a good explanation for using tracking codes, especially since these are only used when these apparently non-datacentre-derived SERPs are displayed.

Also seems to make sense that they would use .co.uk as a testbed, for sporadic searches.

By the way, Dayo, I just read your original thread there. Made me laugh, as I'm feeling the same way right now! Few other people seem to be seeing this...but we're not going mad. Something is definitely up.

[Jakpot]

Strange USA results also.

[claus]

I also got that tracking code once, i can't find the thread i reported it in, but here's two others:

1) Does Google measures the clickthrough from the Google results
[webmasterworld.com...]

2) Google Recording Clickthroughs
[webmasterworld.com...]

/claus

[James_Dale]

Thanks Claus, I also recall those threads.

However, this is something a bit different. Those types of tracking URLs are being used, but they only seem to be there when these vastly different SERPs are showing.

Google must be testing clickthrough rates on some new algo, but these SERPs look pretty scary to me.