Around the Net

Google: +1 Will Reorder Search Results

  • Wired, Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:30 AM
In other Google+ news, Google has confirmed plans to turn its +1 button into a crowd-sourcing tool to helps it re-order search results and fight Web spam. "While not surprising, the move would bring Google's search engine into the social networking era, while simultaneously creating a new avenue for blackhats [sic] to manipulate search results and potentially incurring the wrath of trust-busting authorities," Wired.com writes.

Still, in an email to Wired, a Google rep writes: "Google will study the clicks on +1 buttons as a signal that influences the ranking and appearance of Websites in search results." The purpose, according to Google? "To improve overall search quality," its rep writes. "For +1's and other social ranking signals, as with any new ranking signal, we'll be starting carefully and learning how those signals are related to quality."

As Wired warns: "These plans are a touchy subject for the search giant, especially given the scrutiny that Google is under from regulators in Washington and Europe over complaints that the company's results favor its own products over those of other companies."

Read the whole story at Wired »

1 comment about "Google: +1 Will Reorder Search Results".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. Chris Nielsen from Domain Incubation, August 30, 2011 at 5:31 p.m.

    Great! So all my efforts towards clicking on +1 for my many sites should start paying off soon? This is very positive news that "adds up"! I can't wait to see what the "sum total" is. :-)

    Double Plus Good...!

Next story loading loading..