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Google tablet search - separate algo or not?

         

EditorialGuy

3:50 pm on Jan 6, 2016 (gmt 0)

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There's been a lot of talk about Google mobile search, but what about tablet search? Does it have its own algorithm or subalgorithm?

I ask because, in Google Search Console (ex-WMT), there's a "Devices" report under "Search Analytics" that shows average rankings for "Mobile," "Tablet," and "Desktop." Every time I've looked at the report, I've seen different rankings for the three device categories.

Of course, the "average rankings" differences could simply reflect the fact that people may search for different things on their phones, tablets, and computers.

Andy Langton

12:34 am on Jan 7, 2016 (gmt 0)

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As far as I'm aware, there's no specific changes to accommodate tablet rankings. To Google it seems that tablets are pretty much desktop devices although not "anchored" to a desk.

There's not even much of a mobile algorithm, to be blunt - it's mostly just "switching" the landing page in SERPs to send mobile users to a mobile-friendly page when one exists. There are no levels of mobile-friendliness, for instance.

Leosghost

12:46 am on Jan 7, 2016 (gmt 0)

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Define "tablet"..
We have 3 .."tablets"..each has a different screen ratio and DPI..and two of our phones have higher DPI than that of one of our "tablets"..
I have an old laptop ( amongst other laptops here ), still working and in use ( which at the time of purchase new cost over 3 grand ..in Euros ) that has a lower screen resolution than two of our phones..

lucy24

1:11 am on Jan 7, 2016 (gmt 0)

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Define "tablet"..

"Something that uses the Google app instead of going to google dot com in a browser".

Andy Langton

11:26 am on Jan 7, 2016 (gmt 0)

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"Something that uses the Google app instead of going to google dot com in a browser".


That's only true a percentage of the time, though. Once the user is in a browser, address bar searches go to the Google site like other queries. On Android, at least, it's perfectly possible to never use a Google app at all.

EditorialGuy

5:06 pm on Jan 7, 2016 (gmt 0)

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Define "tablet"..

I'd be more interested in Google's definition, but in any case, I don't think there's too much doubt in the marketplace about what a tablet is, and I have no reason to believe that Google can't (for example) tell an iPad from an iPhone.

RedBar

11:09 am on Jan 8, 2016 (gmt 0)

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There's not even much of a mobile algorithm


According to an AdSense forum member he was told specifically by his Google rep that mobile had 100% its own algo.

How different the results actually are I don't know since when I compare the supposedly two different SERPs they appear to be very similar.