New Tracking URLS?

Is Google now tracking what result you click on?

[Chico_Loco]

I've seen this before, but only briefly and it was a long time ago:

When I just did a searc on Google, the links are no longer direct to the site, they are in the form:

[google.com...]

Where xxx was a 3 digit number and "start" reflected the ranking of the website on the SERP.

I don't see the keywords in the URL, but it would seem that Google are now tracking what you click on.

Anyone else seeing this?

[otech]

I think its been like that for a while now, i mentioned something about it in a thread last week with the same title...

Guess it could help them show which of the links are completely useless (dont get a click), but couldnt really say much about the quality of links searchers do click on without following them through the site and seeing what happens from there (which might be possible if you have the toolbar i guess...)...

It would be a huge amout of information to keep track of though...

[edited by: otech at 8:20 am (utc) on Mar. 28, 2004]

[otech]

Found that other thread,

[webmasterworld.com...]

They deemed the topic to 'black helicopter' or something to comment on.. i too have wondered what they might do with that info though...

[gengar56]

Yes, I do see it too. Perhaps Google could use this to better track trends or which pages are most relevant by CTR?!