Google personalized Search Results makes life easy for Searchers

Recently Google introduced new feature for search engine users. Google now providing personalized search results for everyone who uses Google search engine, without considering they have opted for it or not in the previously available personalized feature. Searchers now have now the options to select or completely opt-out to get personalized search results. Google designed various protections to safeguard searchers privacy. It will raise some concerns when users opt-in instead of opt-out this feature. Below is the deeper look on the new feature.
How it works?
Google keeps the track of what you are watching from search results and favor that particular sites in future search results. For example, if someone often searches and click on the links of specific website from Google's results, over time, Google thinks that you really like that specific site. From this Google give that specific site a ranking boost, means you will get more listings from that website, perhaps for the searches where it wasn't shown before.
Each individual have their own custom tailor-made results. It means by each individual like different website as per their individual preference, Google thinks that the person likes that particular website and start showing more of the website listings.
In most of the cases searchers clicks on variety of websites from search results in such case Google will not show favorite website but it will show everything. Google still considers other ranking factors. Personalization feature does not help you the best way in cases like if you are searching for certain keyword and its not there in your favorite site. But in some other case personalization may help to put the website on the first page of results. Also, personalization may position various websites into top results for various search queries.
Privacy Issues
Google have to record what you are searching to give personalize results - that raises the concern of individual's privacy. Users are more concerned about can people able to see what you have looked for? How long the information kept? Can user turn it off?
The answers for above questions are yes you can turn it off. The history is kept for 6 months (180 days). History can't be viewed whether you have deleted history or not at anytime.
There are two type of personalized search or "Web History" - official Google name - available. Its Signed-In and Signed-Out Web History.
In Signed-Out Web History, Google learns if someone used a particular browser and seen it in past. Behind the curtains, Google tracks all the searches done by that browser and also records all the information that have been clicked on Google search results, when used that browser. You can able to see the customized search results but not able to see that information at anywhere. Google not record your name it only remembers the information for 180 days, older than this all information is forgotten. You may not able to see past history if you use different browser as the history is not recorded by Google for this particular browser.
In Signed-In Web History, Google learns that Google is used by particular Google user. Behind the curtains, Google keep the record of what you click on in search results and pages you visit, if Google Toolbar tracking feature is specifically enabled. Google records all the activity of the user has done during Signed-In without knowing what computer or browser they have used. User can able to see the records of all pages they viewed more frequently at any point of time and selectively delete the record. If user wants, they can able to delete everything. Google keeps forever, or until user deletes it.Recently Google introduced new feature for search engine users. Google now providing personalized search results for everyone who uses Google search engine, without considering they have opted for it or not in the previously available personalized feature. Searchers now have now the options to select or completely opt-out to get personalized search results. Google designed various protections to safeguard searchers privacy. It will raise some concerns when users opt-in instead of opt-out this feature. Below is the deeper look on the new feature.
How it works?
Google keeps the track of what you are watching from search results and favor that particular sites in future search results. For example, if someone often searches and click on the links of specific website from Google's results, over time, Google thinks that you really like that specific site. From this Google give that specific site a ranking boost, means you will get more listings from that website, perhaps for the searches where it wasn't shown before.
Each individual have their own custom tailor-made results. It means by each individual like different website as per their individual preference, Google thinks that the person likes that particular website and start showing more of the website listings.
In most of the cases searchers clicks on variety of websites from search results in such case Google will not show favorite website but it will show everything. Google still considers other ranking factors. Personalization feature does not help you the best way in cases like if you are searching for certain keyword and its not there in your favorite site. But in some other case personalization may help to put the website on the first page of results. Also, personalization may position various websites into top results for various search queries.
Privacy Issues
Google have to record what you are searching to give personalize results - that raises the concern of individual's privacy. Users are more concerned about can people able to see what you have looked for? How long the information kept? Can user turn it off?
The answers for above questions are yes you can turn it off. The history is kept for 6 months (180 days). History can't be viewed whether you have deleted history or not at anytime.
There are two type of personalized search or "Web History" - official Google name - available. Its Signed-In and Signed-Out Web History.
In Signed-Out Web History, Google learns if someone used a particular browser and seen it in past. Behind the curtains, Google tracks all the searches done by that browser and also records all the information that have been clicked on Google search results, when used that browser. You can able to see the customized search results but not able to see that information at anywhere. Google not record your name it only remembers the information for 180 days, older than this all information is forgotten. You may not able to see past history if you use different browser as the history is not recorded by Google for this particular browser.
In Signed-In Web History, Google learns that Google is used by particular Google user. Behind the curtains, Google keep the record of what you click on in search results and pages you visit, if Google Toolbar tracking feature is specifically enabled. Google records all the activity of the user has done during Signed-In without knowing what computer or browser they have used. User can able to see the records of all pages they viewed more frequently at any point of time and selectively delete the record. If user wants, they can able to delete everything. Google keeps forever, or until user deletes it.
Can anyone see the History?
Google understand the importance aspect of privacy for searchers and that's why if someone uses signed-out version of web-history, no one can see what has been searched or clicked on in the past.
Google gives the searchers more controls in depth compare to last year. Google now notifies searchers if changes done in search terms, clicking on the notification it shows previous query. It may worsen if you leave you computer and someone sit on your PC is able to see it. To stop it happening, Google made the information available for last 30 minutes. Actually, Google stores the information much more than the last half hour of previous history though it is not being shown.
Things to keep in mind
If you don't want to your searches get recorded even not logged in, you have to keep few things in mind:
• Google use the recorded data to refine your search results unlike to use it to show ads which other major search engines do.
• The search records are stored in browser itself. Most of the time people fails to clear browser histories.
• You are not bound to use it.
You have the choice to opt-out as per your personalization purposes. If you change your mind anytime you can change the settings.
Google values diversity and gives the search results accordingly. Google considers variety of sources and options for search results. Google like to provide personalized feature to help its user to give user friendly experience but it doesn't mean rest of the web is unavailable for them.