The constant flow of new features for Google’s search engine means, inevitably, that some of them will be notable flops. The latest effort to personalize the company’s search results appears to be one of those, according to some experts.
The system allows users to "star" search results that they found particularly useful, which are then displayed in a separate block above the natural search results if they are found to be relevant to future searches. However, Web Pro News’ Chris Crum reports that people have sent him comments like "I really am getting hacked off with this bloody personalized search thing… the serps are full of bloody crap for 50 percent of searches and ultimately less relevant than before."
The system does not appear to do a great deal for search engine optimization (SEO) either, as user-modified searches can be even more difficult to measure and target than standard ones. Google has had an uncharacteristic run of less successful product launches of late, incurring harsh criticism over the default privacy settings in its Buzz social media tool.
