Google SearchWiki Allows Users to Personalize Search

The next time that you return to Google, you may notice something new. It is called SearchWiki, a new tool that enables you to personalize your search results by reorganizing them and writing notes.

When you use SearchWiki to edit your search results, they are saved so that the next time your return to Google, your customized search experience is still there.

The SearchWiki tool is particularly useful for users that perform a lot of web searches. It enables quick access to ‘favorite’ results and even enables you to eliminate some useless items from your results pages. Additionally, there is also an option to share your notes with other users by making them public. And if you want to see all of your favorite search items at once, just go to Google Notebook.

Seen This Before?

This feature has been in beta and development for some time. However, there has been some outside criticism that Google has copied these features from other search engines, namely Wikia Search, which is based entirely on this feature. However, Matt Cutts of Google maintains that Google had pioneered this concept long before it showed up elsewhere. And this latest release is not a copycat, but the eventual release of a long-developed product.

Any Other Benefits?

For those of you who think that this is finally your way to climb the ranks of Google, you’re out of luck. According to Google, any changes you make to the search results only affect your search experience, which is why you have to be logged in to your account to use it. The SearchWiki product page says:

Your rankings and comments are associated with your Google Account, so they affect only your search result rankings.

For more information, see the Official Google Blog’s article, SearchWiki: Make Search Your Own.