Seeing Google+ post in SERPs with no connection or log-in

[Robert Charlton]

I was extremely surprised this evening to see a public Google+ post appearing in the #8 serp position for a food-storage query that I typed in as I was putting away my groceries. The query was a two word search in the form...

[storing widgetfruit]

Roughly 3-million results returned.

What was surprising is that I'm in no way connected with the poster, not even remotely. I'm seeing the same results on different browsers I just tried... signed in to my Google account on one, not signed in on another.

The post that ranked is a 10 word post... that's all... has the two words of my query in the post (but with an adjective modifying "widgetfruit" in between, so it's not an exact match), with no title or traditional SEO signals... and it isn't what I'd normally consider an answer to the query. The top results on the page and the results that followed this position #8 result were much closer to what I would expect to be traditional results.

I tried a bunch of other searches in the same pattern, and couldn't get another Google+ result to show up in position #8. It is perhaps a position to watch.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

You don't need to be signed in for Google to gather information and make assumptions.

For example - With instant previews if you type a letter into search without pressing the search button that information is instantly transmitted to google and, partly based on your ip geo-location, Google returns a best guess. Think about that for a second, you don't need to perform an actual search for Google to know your're IP is looking something up. As for why you're seeing someone Google thinks is related to you it doesn't have to be on Google+. If you're following someone on Twitter for example they may have authored a page and so that page is returned to you. If you're not logged in Google makes a best guess, they have your IP address from the first letter you type.

[edited by: Sgt_Kickaxe at 7:13 pm (utc) on Sep 4, 2011]

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

Also, the implications of what I just said are fairly significant. If I was to type in "MARI" and then backed up or didn't complete the search would Google's best guess become Mariage(they guess at errors too) or Marijuana or something else? If the instant preview guessed marijuana then you forever have a search for drugs attached to your history even if you DIDN'T search for them and with no care as to what your intentions were. Authorities are allowed to request your history from Google, we'd all better hope Google gets it right EVERY time. Instant previews are not without danger.

[Robert Charlton]

My point in mentioning this case is that, as I'd understood it, publlic Google+ posts hadn't yet started appearing in the general serps, though there's been speculation that they might eventually. This is the first one I've seen, at any rate. There may well have been many others, but I haven't seen any mention of them.

I'd think that Google would expect a certain threshold of interest to be shown in a public Google+ post before ranking it. I can't imagine that this one was selected by traditional quality signals. It's more likely a test, and Google is probably straining for a match.

With regard to what assumptions Google might be making here about me and my search identity... I've got search history disabled on the browser that's signed in, and cookies flushed on the other that I use. Yes, I know that Google can track me by other means... but I'm talking here about social connection... not about whether I'm interested in the subject. I was interested in the subject, which is why I searched it, but not in the person who posted his comment in Google+.

The only connection I have with that poster now is that I spent some time checking out his Google+ profile. No other connection that I can find, except to say that the person is a Google employee (in this case YouTube). I think Google would be clouding signals a lot to use a poster's connection with Google as a ranking factor on a non-Google-topic query.

The post, btw, is still ranking at #8. I'm pretty sure it is a "Universal" type of result. It's possible that #8 is a new test position for Google+ posts... but that's a guess.

It also might be a test position for QDD (query deserves diversity), as all other answers were assuming my interest was in storing fresh widgetfruit, whereas the Google+ post was commenting on storing dried widgetfruit.

[Robert Charlton]

I've played with this a bit more, running the same search a few more times on the browser not signed in, but changing the default location to widely different cities in the US. The Google+ result is now #9 for all locations I tried, shooting down my position #8 theory, but it's otherwise consistent.

Sometimes, Google will use location as a way of introducing variation into the serps for various tests it's running. In my extremely small sample, I didn't see that, which doesn't mean it isn't happening.

[Robert Charlton]

Just for the record... I've gotten confirmation that others are seeing the Google+ post as the #9 result for the same query.

It's the kind of result that would have fueled discussion about onpage factors in, say, the days of Infoseek in 1997... about whether you could rank better because of the increased keyword density by putting your target term on an extremely small page. Again, only 10 words in the post... two of them the targeted keywords.

It's still the only Google+ post I've seen ranking. I'm assuming there will be more, and I can't help thinking, because of this one, that they might get a special boost for a while.

[walkman]

Robert, you are missing the obvious reason: Google is using search to promote their junk "social" network.

I see and have reported many times searches that had at least two and sometimes even 4-5 G book searches--with zero connection. This is the new Google, expect more of it as they want us to move our content to their network like Youtube, G+, Blogspot etc. They can't say it openly but they are using other ways to send the message.

Search has been given the message it appears, see the stories with the authors Google+ ID being shown with the picture? Google wants you to get one or....good luck. Classic monopoly. For search directions follow the money and Google's (non search related) goals: listen to Eric Schmidt. The Google guys and girls might penalize or unban a site or two but the big boys make the important decisions. They wouldn't last a week if they cost Google money with a search update, or didn't follow Google's strategic agenda.