Google Search Tool Irks Website Owners
Retailers and other big name Websites are up-in-arms over a new Google search tool that, they say, does more harm than good. The new Google service provides a search-within-search feature for many popular sites, especially retail sites, which are resulting in angry site owners who would rather help their customers find what they are looking for and leave Google out of the site-search equation.
When you search for "Best Buy," "Wal-Mart," "Wikipedia" or other sites, the traditional results page will pop up, but below the individual company page is another search box where you can search within the site. It seems like a really big convenience at first, but the retailers and site owners are angry about the fact that it takes away page views and can send consumers looking elsewhere due to the keyword-based Google ads that will often direct searchers to the competition.
Another Unappreciated Excellent Google Service
After some initial testing I liked the search-within-a-search feature implemented by Google. It was a convenience not having to leave the friendly confines of Google for the shoddy search systems used by other major sites out there. It just helped maintain consistency and improved the efficiency of searching so I didn't have to peddle around a different site hunting down a product or item that Google could find quickly and easily.
I'll concede site owners make a valid point, but then again, isn't it the fault of the site to begin with? Google is jumping on a site's inability to provide a quality search feature, so in a way Google is simply trying to fix what the site operators can't. The simple solution would be to provide a better search function and Google wouldn't have to step in with a feature like this.
The lesson to be learned is that when Google is going out of its way to fix your problems, that's generally the time to re-evaluate your own Web site and what needs to be done to make it more user friendly.
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Google's orientation is to provide convenience to the consumer. The "angry" retailers are more concerned about their own self-interest than their customers intersts.
Note to "angry" retailers: Get a clue. Learn the concept of "enlightened self-interest." Put you consumers interests ahead of your short-term market interest, and you're customers will keep coming back.
Google's orientation is to provide convenience to the consumer. The "angry" retailers are more concerned about their own self-interest than their customers intersts.
Note to "angry" retailers: Get a clue. Learn the concept of "enlightened self-interest." Put you consumers interests ahead of your short-term market interest, and you're customers will keep coming back.