Many searchers have seen and used Google’s newest search features – Search Options and The Wonder Wheel. The Wonder Wheel is hidden in the “Search Options” link that now shows up at the top of every search:
Click on the show options and you will be offered several choices to refine or restrict your search results. My two favorites are the time based results (so I can find NEW content when I search) and the Wonder Wheel:
If you click on the Wonder Wheel, you will find a tool that recommends related searches. Notice you can click several levels deep and as you click the results change in the right column. Also notice how you can move backwards and forward through the wonder wheel. It really is quite… wonderful.
Check out this video from Google Search Engineer Adam Stepinski talks about everything you can do with Google’s Wonder Wheel, a tool in the Search Options Panel:
Also, you may want to look at the new search engine from Microsoft, Bing, which adds suggested related searches directly into the left column:
Clearly, the search engines are making it easier and easier for consumers to refine their searches. Although, Bing is showing a lot different recommendations than Google.
In the long run, this is another part of the trend that is diluting the power of the traditional top placement in organic search (by encourage consumers to refine their search)
Trent, have you tried the “Google Street View” feature yet? It claimed that the viewer can see, even the most hidden corners around the streets!
Yea, it is a real time waster! Almost as entertaining as Google Earth. Haven’t figured out how to use it to add value to my lodging customers though… any tips?
Trent
Trent, there’s a very good article on how to use the Google Street View. You might want to check it out at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/google/5015670/How-to-use-Google-Street-View.html.
To be honest, I tried it after I reading the post and I found it’s quite useful too!
How come no one wants to speak about the new Bing search engine site that has been launched by Microsoft, it is being hailed as Microsoft’s latest attempt to eat into Google’s market share of the search engine business.
Ok so i have tried Bing and frankly the results for me aren’t so impressive so I continue to use Google for my search.
Wilson,
I know how to “use” Google Street View… what I don’t know is how to use it, on behalf of my customers, to enhance their website or online presence… any thoughts there? Trent
Trent, if you’re dealing with the real estate agencies, then you can convince them to use the Google Street View to investigate the current real estate.
Let’s take an example. If a rental is about to rent an apartment, but he/she didn’t have time go to the place and survey the apartment themselves, then the real estate company can provide the “Google Street View” service to the client and let them observe the whole apartment and its neighborhood through the online camera!
Is there a way to package that up and embed it into your website so that it becomes a valuable part of a webpage… or do you just have to send them over to Google Earth?
Yea, it is a real time waster! Almost as entertaining as Google Earth. Haven’t figured out how to use it to add value to my lodging customers though… any tips?
Trent. good comment. thanks.
Trent, until now, I haven’t find the software to embed this feature and upload it to the website. Don’t worry, I’ll try my best to help you here, see if I have the luck to discover it…
Would be nice if when you click back say 3 bubbles along the path you have created you wouldn’t lose any bubbles after the one you are now viewing.Thanks for the update!!