In December, Brafton reported that a new feature in search allowed users to block unsatisfactory search results after bouncing back to a Google SERP. However, with the recent roll out of Search, plus Your World, the feature is currently absent … and some users are finding that personalized results, themselves, are absent.
While the blocking feature will likely come back as Google fine tunes its new, more personalized search results, its absence has raised some concerns. Google told Search Engine Land that it is currently working on Search, plus Your World to make the new search method more effective. For the time being, though, users will not be able to block low-quality websites that sneaks into SERPs.
As a whole, Search, plus Your World seems to be inconsistent, as Brafton has found that logged-in Google Apps users with App-derived G+ accounts still see the usual search results lacking any of the new features more often than not. Many Brafton employees also report that they are unable to see personal results even when logged into their personal Google+ accounts (though they see profiles in search and people and pages).
The longer it takes for all features of Search, plus Your World to be rolled out entirely and for search quality filters to be accessible via the new search, the longer it will take for users to adapt. While Google executives may hope Search plus Your World will drive Google+ use, Brafton reported that just 8 percent of non-G+ users say the change is inspiring them to open accounts. The same study showed that 45 percent of consumers do not want social data appearing in their search results.
