Google Quick Search Results - weirdness

[PaulJa]

When I type a search term in the Google search box, it does what it should do, it adjusts the results for every letter of the query I type..

except, when I get to the end of typing the query and press the search box, the results below totally change

SO, when using the quick search filter results when typing my full query in I get one set of results, and when I then press search, I get another set.

Anyone else notice this? This is on .co.uk with the 'Pages from the UK filter' on

[aristotle]

Did you just see this happen once, or does it happen for many different search terms?

Edit: I Just had another thought. Could it have inserted some ads at the top after you hit enter?

[LavingRunatic]

It sounds like you're talking about Google suggest. It's been active in the US for ages now.

[tedster]

Yes, I do think we're talking about Google Suggest - but the fact is also mentioned that the last SERP you see under your last letter typed is not the same as when you press Enter. I see the same thing - not what it used to be!

[Kendo]

Since the other day while using Google to research synonyms for a new product name, I now have to enter a captcha code just to get normal search results... the same results that Google dishes up to everyone else.

Yahoo!

[PaulJa]

As tedster says, its the fact that when you press Enter that it all changes that's the 'weirdness' I was trying to explain, probably badly!

[deadsea]

There is a case in which I would expect this behaviour. I'm going to give a specific example because I'm not sure I can explain it without it. I'll make it generic and non-commercial as possible.

Let's say you want to search for "going post" which is the name of a band. You type it in but the results are for "going postal" which is a much more common search query. Then when you hit enter Google realizes that you actually meant "going post" and not "going postal" and switches the results to what you want.

[PaulJa]

I see what you mean, although, I'm not sure that's what this is.

It seems to be behaving a touch different today. I'm getting the same effect, although more so on specific longtail searches including a brand in the search. Not so much on searches without the mention of a brand in there.

Yesterday it was behaving as I said for the search 'blue widget' - today it isn't.

[tedster]

Wow - another area for testing that I never considered before.

[aristotle]

Perhaps another possibility is that the preview results come from a different datasource that hasn't been updated with the latest real-time SERPs