HONOLULU (KHON2) — In recent years, more and more people are noticing that their Google search results seem to be getting worse or at least less informative.
Google has long been the dominating, go-to tool for finding and storing information online, there are signs that the quality of its search results has been declining for some time.
Many people from researchers to average internet users are starting to ask whether Google is broken.
So, KHON2.com decided to explore the new report and take a look at why Google search results might not be as helpful as they once were and what’s happening behind the scenes.
1. Google search results are dominated by ads
According to the report, a growing number of people believe that Google search results are becoming more about advertisements than providing information that is helpful.
The report provided this example: Around 36%, or a little more than a third, of all Google searches in the United States lead to websites within Google’s own properties. This means that search results are being filled with ads that push organic, or non-advertised, results farther down the results page.
Ads are also becoming harder to avoid when dealing with Google. the advertising often blends into the search results so that users may not realize they’re clicking on an advertisement.
2. Search results are often irrelevant or poor quality
Something else the report found is that many users feel that their top search results aren’t as relevant or useful as they used to be. The report found that 63%, or just under two-thirds, of people think Google search results were better the previous year.
Additionally, the report found that 66%, or two-thirds, of people think Google shows too many ads and 35%, or just over one-third, think Google is showing too many irrelevant results.
Experts from the report have noted that only 41% of the top 10 search results meet the user’s intent. This means the information shown isn’t always what people are actually looking for.
3. Google prioritizes big brands over quality content
A significant issue with Google’s search results, the report found, is that they often prioritize big, well-known brands over smaller sites that may offer more detailed or useful information.
An example from the report found that in searches for “best credit cards for bad credit”, big brands like Mastercard often appear at the top of the search results, even though their content may not be what the person is looking for.
The report found that Google tends to focus on big brands with strong name recognition, essentially weighting the results from biggest name/most advertising budget to least known name.
4. Forum results are filling up the search pages
Another issue the report found is that people said they’ve noticed that Google is increasingly showing forum posts, like those from Reddit, as top search results. The report found that this is the case even when those posts are outdated or irrelevant.
An example from the report shows that many of the top results for credit card queries lead to old Reddit threads or forums that don’t offer up-to-date information.
The experts from the report said this is a frustrating scenario for users who are looking for current and accurate data but end up reading outdated posts or irrelevant discussions instead.
5. Google’s strategy may be intentional for profit
The report led experts to believe that Google’s decline in search quality is not an accident but rather a deliberate strategy.
According to the report, Google is a major business; and its parent company, Alphabet, makes most of its money from ads. Based on how our market operates, the more ads people see, the more money Google makes.
Hence, by making search results less helpful, Google pushes users to keep searching, which means they see more ads.
This strategy has been supported by internal Google documents that show the company knew lower-quality search results would still drive revenue growth, according to the report.
6. Lack of transparency and biased results
Google’s search results that are often criticized for being biased and lacking transparency is part of what led to this report. For instance, the report found that 34% of the relevant pages appearing in the top 10 results show only advertiser products, without being clear about their paid nature.
This lack of transparency makes it harder for users to trust the results they see, according to the report.
7. Google’s search monopoly makes change difficult
Since Google is the dominant search engine, many people feel like they have no other choice but to use it, the report found. Because Google doesn’t face significant competition, it doesn’t have the same incentives to improve its service.
Instead, the company has focused more on maximizing profits through ads, even if it means providing lower-quality search results.
Google’s dominance, according to the report, has made it hard for users to find better alternatives, even though other search engines like DuckDuckGo and Bing are available.
8. Consumers are paying the price
The report also indicated that the decline in search quality can have a real cost for consumers. An example used by the report found that in searches for banking and credit cards, the top results often lead to products with higher fees or worse terms.
Users who rely on Google to find the best deals could end up spending more money on services that are not in their best interest, the report found.
The report also found that consumers could pay an average of $202 more by choosing products recommended by Google’s search results, as they are often skewed toward large advertisers rather than the best options.
9. Is Google still the best option?
As Google continues to prioritize ads and big brands, the report found that some people are beginning to question whether it’s still the best search engine.
While it’s hard to imagine the internet without Google, other search engines like DuckDuckGo and Bing may offer better, less biased results. But there isn’t a report on them… Yet….
So, if you’re frustrated with the quality of Google’s search results, it might be worth trying out different search engines to see if they provide more helpful information.
You can click here to read more about the new report.
While the report found that Google’s monopoly on searches may make it more difficult to find better alternatives, it’s important for users to be aware of these issues and consider other options if necessary.