The illustration below features a typical Google search results page. In this case, we performed a search for “Dublin Solicitors”. (For anyone outside Ireland or the UK, that is what we call our lawyers here).
(A) Google Adwords
At the top of the results page, the first three results (A) are drawn from Google Adwords. These listings are statistically the most likely to be clicked on with the first entry getting a much higher proportion of the clicks. The user is charged every time that their ad is clicked. The order of these results is determined by a Google Algorithm which uses a combination of a Quality Score and the Price that the advertiser is prepared to pay. The Quality Score is determined by past behaviour of other searchers. Basically, it is a measure that Google employs to ensure that the most relevant ads appear at the top of the page and it also ensures that the ads which make Google the most money appear first.
(B) Natural Search Results
Google Natural Search results include the majority of the results shown on Google. The order in which these appear is intended to rank the results in order of relevance. This is what most people would regard as being Google’s normal results. The algorithm used to determine ranking is a complicated one with over 200 factors taken into account. Basically it is down to the use of the phrase being searched for, the links within and to the website and the importance of the sites that are linking in.
(C) Google Places
This section normally only appears when the phrase being searched for includes a “Place” name – Dublin, in this case. This section is particularly important for businesses tageting a local market where location & proximity to the customer is critical. For local businesses, it is also an idea opportunity to get a second bite of the cherry in that it is possible to rank both in the Natural Listings and the Google Places. The ranking in this case is determined by distance from location, relevance of search and importance of the page / websites featured.
(D) Natural Search Results …continued
(E) Google Maps
As in the case of the Google Places , the Map section only appears if there is a place name in the search and also if there are a number of local businesses being returned from Google Places. Basically this is a map of the area searched for which indicates the locations of the companies shown from Google Places with each location indicated with a letter.
(F) Google Adwords ….continued.
The column on the right side of the page is a continuation of Google Adwords.
