Google Observation

[watto]

Has anyone else noticed this with their sites?

When I log into my google webmaster tools account, my position jumps up 2 places in the serps for my main phrase. When I log out it goes back down.

Weird!!

Regards

watto

[cw1865]

I'm not seeing the effect, but it sounds like you should just stay logged in?

Maybe being logged in makes google give you results from a different center?

[watto]

Maybe you are right...... It is really weird. Happens every single time. I'll take your advice and stay logged in...

cheers

watto

[inertia]

Its a personalisation issue. When you say "log into google webmaster tools" aren't you just logging into your general google account, where they know everything about yooooouuuu?*spooky*

[incrediblehelp]

Sure Google monitors websites that you visit often in personalized search, so they feel if you like a website because you visit often why not rank it higher.

[sofomor]

Hey, you may be experiencing this "benefit" due to same session. If you are using IE, start FF or any other and try searching for your keyword.

[craigmn3]

Yes.
Exactly the same I get all excited going from 3 to 1 and then remember that I am signed in. Makes me grumpy

[tbond]

I have seen the same thing for a long time now. I'll explore it and post what I find out.

[kevsta]

i always search using Joosts unpersonalised search plugins for firefox. anything else is deluding yourself :)

Google de-Personalized Search for Firefox and IE7 - Yoast - Tweaking Websites (http://yoast.com/google-de-personalized-search-for-firefox-and-ie7/)

[deepsand]

All you need do to get un-personalized results is to append &pws=0 to any search query URL.

[watto]

If Google monitors websites that I visit often in personalized search and these sites (being my site) rank higher, then why does it only happen when I am logged into google?

Watto

[deepsand]

If Google monitors websites that I visit often in personalized search and these sites (being my site) rank higher, then why does it only happen when I am logged into google?

Watto
Data that is collected while you are logged in can be ascribed to that particular accountholder, regardless of what machine in the world is being used, and can be stored on Google's servers.

Data collected when you are not logged in can, at best, be ascribed only to the particualr IP address being used, along with any data stored in local persistent cookies.

[inertia]

For SEOs like us this may be a pain but for the majority of people personalisation will improve their user experience and probably goes unnoticed.

Many people use google as a navigation bar so this is perfect for them - their favourite sites get priority. If your sites one of their favourites then its all good!

[ozzie_jim]

I did a search on our key phrase and had dropped from #1 to #3. After panicking for a couple of hours I noticed that I was logged into google. Apparently google thinks I prefer the competitions sites.

[Old Welsh Guy]

If Google monitors websites that I visit often in personalized search and these sites (being my site) rank higher, then why does it only happen when I am logged into google?

Watto

ERRMM. I think he clue is In the title of the product. 'Google Personalised Search' ;) Google personalise the SERP's for known preferences. The more you use it, the more accurate it becomes In theory.
Example, I like no ADORE rugby union. But there is also rugby league . By my visiting predominantly union sites, Google knows my preference is the union code, not the league code.

[watto]

That is strange! My main phrase is very competitive and my ranking continue to fluxuate from position 2 to 6 on a daily basis where I am logged into google or not.

Regards

watto

[Old Welsh Guy]

That is strange! My main phrase is very competitive and my ranking continue to fluxuate from position 2 to 6 on a daily basis where I am logged into google or not.

Regards

watto


hi Watto,

lighten up ;) I was teasing you. You stated that when you login, your ranking jumps. We replied that it is down to the peronalised search facility that kicks in when logged into a google account.

Your rankings bouncing around for competitive phrases is a separate issue. that is just down to the normal stuff of viewing different datcentres, where there are different backlinks, caches etc. That is par for the course.. :)

[watto]

Yes I do understand that my last post did referr to a separate issue. I was just making an observation of my fluxuations. After reading all of the replies to this thread, I now understand why my position increase when logged into google.

Thanks guys!!!

watto

[amar]

Google will display the sites which you visit more often in the top listings. You might have checked the option "save my web history" in your Google account.

[infrascape]

I don't think, this is right.

[powsurfer]

Google will display the sites which you visit more often in the top listings. You might have checked the option "save my web history" in your Google account.

I don't see any difference whether I am logged in or not, as Amar said you may chosen the option for G to save your web history. I have not.