Google Using Auto-Fill
Yahoo, Google February 3rd, 2008
Today I noticed that Google appears to be using an auto-fill application in at least one of their foreign landing pages. When you perform a search on Google’s Korean portal, Google offers to help you fill in the remainder of your search for you. This also allows the user to see how many results are listed for each keyword.
Yahoo has used the auto-fill option on many of their sites, including the main search page as well as the Yahoo Finance website, allowing people to find their quotes easier. The auto-fill application allows users to interact more closely with the search engine, and it makes finding the desired results easier.
Personally, I don’t think this is a good thing for domain owners. If a user was inclined to type in Lowell.com in Google, the search engine probably wouldn’t display that as an auto-fill option, as there aren’t as many results for the full domain name as there are for the term “lowell.” Because of that, Google would presumably rather have the user enter a term that has many advertisers, rather than a domain name where advertising is much more limited.
Whether this is a test or something they decided to do to assist Korean users, only time will tell. It maybe a “more friendly” option for users, but it probably won’t be too helpful to domain owners.
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Google has this running as a suggestion tool here:
http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en
It has been useful in comparing search results for different keywords, but about two weeks ago I noticed that it had stopped offering up ‘longer tail’ results, i.e. it used to provide information related to keywords beyond the obvious.
Interesting that if you stop typing at lowell you get a variety of keywords suggested according to popularity. If you type lowell. it actually offers matches for a .edu and a .k12.ma.us BUT no .com!
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I believe that Google is attempting to put domainers out of business, even ones who develop their sites.
And they just might succeed.
Ms Domainer
February 4th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Hi. They call it Google Suggest. Try it here:
http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en
To learn more: http://labs.google.com/suggestfaq.html
- Arvind
DomainDictionary.com
February 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Thanks Elliot. I knew and have used Google suggest and the Yahoo results for some keyword branding studies, but didn’t know about the Korean version.
I find it can help domainers with a sales model like me who may be working with a com that evidently has a .co.kr equivalent get a clue. Took the name I have on auction www.funddoctor.com and plugged into that Korean page and then put the results page thru Googles language tool.
Found a couple more name options and how the related terms were being used over there.