Google is testing a new feature called “Alternate Searches” intended to enhance the user search experience. Other search engines like Yahoo! or AskJeeves have included in their results pages some suggestions of related searches.
Google never wanted to add these links but Nate Tyler (from Google) confirmed to Andy Beal that they are running a limited test of this new interface.
This new interface includes a new link at the bottom of a Google results page. The link Try Alternate Searches, when clicked on, takes you to a page that includes other suggest keyword searches, you may want to consider.
Google’s option is different from other search engines’ because Google’s “Try Alternate Searches ” takes the concept one step further by offering a link to a page showing the top-3 searches for common popular variations of the entered search term.
See screenshots from Andy Beal’s blog:
* standard results page with Try Alternate Searches link
* top-3 searches for common popular variations of the entered search term
Via Andy Beal (Google Testing “Alternate Searches”)
Other blogs and forums coverage:
* Google Testing New Related Searches & Clustering System?
* “Try Alternate Searches”: Google Testing Feature
* Google – Try alternate Searches
Olivier Duffez is an SEO consultant specialized on Google. Working on the Internet since 1997, he created in 2002 Web Rank Info, a free SEO resources French community (+13,000 members), and in 2003 his company Web Rank Expert. He created an online collaborative dictionary supported by Google.fr and DMOZ.
He’s giving SEO conferences in ImiTiki’s seminars and wrote a book about Google and SEO in 2004. He’s also part of the developpment team of PR Weaver and Agent Web Ranking softwares.
