Pavel Shulga
Checking data in position verification services, you may find that they differ from the result you got when using the search. It may seem that the point is the inaccuracy of these tools. But, before complaining about service developers, let's look at the factors that influence the formation of searchable output.
Content:
- What is the personalization of the search and why is it needed
- Factors Affecting Personalized Extradition
- How to check searchable issuance without personalization
- Conclusions
What is the personalization of the search and why is it needed
Personalization is linking search output to each individual user taking into account the characteristics of his personal data, priorities, interests, etc. That is, a binding to a specific person.
Search engines, constantly improving, have long ceased to work "on the crowd. Now they are oriented towards each user, trying to be the most convenient solution for him. Search giants - Google and Yandex - have turned the desire to get more users into their piggy bank into a real battle of technology aimed at increasing the level of comfort. And this struggle is waged literally for every single person. And here you can’t do without a personal approach.
To tune in to the wave of each of us, search engine development teams implement various algorithms and services that collect data. The task is to create based on them for an individual user most comfortable internet environment, tuned exclusively to him. Only in this case will he not try to look for options better somewhere else.
Let's see how the personalized search is configured and how it affects the displays in the search output.
Factors Affecting Personalized Extradition
There are many different search engine algorithms that configured to collect and use user data. At the same time, each search engine operates with its own tools aimed at studying information about each of us. This is one of many reasons why, in response to a specific request in Google and Yandex, we see different extradition results.
At the same time, there are a number of general factors that are more or less clear and have understandable characteristics of data accounting when constructing personalized output. Let's take a look at some of them to imagine how the whole system works.
Individual settings
By registering an account and setting search parameters, we provide search engines with a lot of personal data about the location, age, interests, habits, preferences and other information that allows you to tune in to “our wave” as accurately as possible.
But you should not think that search engines know about us only from the data provided by us in registration forms and when choosing settings. There are many other tools through which the personal issuance of Google and Yandex is adjusted for each user.
User languages
About, information in which language may be of interest to the user, Search engines can learn by:
- registration data;
- geolocation;
- search settings;
- queries in the search bar;
- sites and materials studied on the Web.
After all, it may well be that, for example, a specialist from Italy is invited to work in Poland, while studying additional material for advanced training, he often turns to professional articles in English. This user will be interested in sites with content in Italian, Polish and English. A search engine will specifically select resources for him, given this feature.
In response to the same request, a colleague of our hero who does not speak English, but is often interested in content in German, will see a completely different result in the search issue: here on the top lines will be present German-language sites instead of English-language ones.
User location
Search engines have long learned to find their users. Even if during registration you do not provide information about which region you live in, Yandex and Google will find your location without any problems.
They take into account both language and features geo-dependent queries, that is, with the territory (for example, requests with the specification “buy in ...”), and data on the provider, and, of course, the IP address by which the Internet access device is “see”.
Geolocation significantly affects the results of issuance on commercial requests, users of which are primarily interested in goods and services located nearby. So, a resident of Kiev in the TOP will see Kiev dental clinics, and the search for the extradition of Kharkov citizen using the same request will show the sites of companies operating in Kharkov.
"Hide" from personalized extradition search engines, of course, can. Let's talk about this below. But, before you try to hide, think about whether you really need it. After all, each time you have to clarify the search area or spend a lot of time on your own screening of offers that are not relevant for you.
History of search queries and site visits
One of the most significant factors affecting the formation of personalized output in both Google and Yandex is related to the interests of each particular user. And these interests are expressed in the history of the interaction of an individual with a search engine and the Internet universe as a whole. And in this regard, two large areas for study can be distinguished.
Google and Yandex search personnel are tuned in by our search queries and previously visited resources. The system remembers what is interesting to us, and takes this information into account when forming a search issue.
The famous proverb can be rephrased - “Tell me which sites you spend more time on, and I will tell you who you are.”. In any case, for search engines this is so.
Our site visit history allows Yandex and Google to get to know us as best as possible and understand what resources we need to show first. Based on these data, a searchable output is formed that is unique to each user.
Social connections
Search engines have many different additional tools. Each of which, by providing data, collects information about our interests and preferences. This applies to absolutely all the tools offered by Yandex and Google: maps, navigation programs, mailboxes, chats, entertainment platforms, etc. We have long been accustomed to them by introducing into our lives and thus making the Internet space our own habitat.
Social signals are counted by search engines even at the level of our "friends. After all, often we are offered the resources used by users, with whom we most often communicate. It turns out that search engines are configured to “listen” to the information we transmit as a result of “communication” with both services and other users.
How to check searchable issuance without personalization
Sometimes a “clean” searchable output may be required that will not take into account your personal characteristics. For example, for competitor analysis in SEO. In this case, you must temporarily reset the information collected by the Google or Yandex search engine. And you can do this with a few options. Consider the simplest and most common.
Inkognito mode
All popular browsers have the ability to go to a mode that does not take into account your personal data, does not save passwords, does not remember the history of searching and visiting sites. To do this, while in Google Chrome or Opera, you must type the combination Ctrl + Shift + N on the keyboard (in MacBook OS - ⌘ + Shift + N). For the Mozilla Firefox browser - Ctrl + Shift + P.
Moreover, the Inkognito mode does not make you invisible. Using it, your location and “working” language will be known to the system, and, as we already know, these data also affect the results of the issue. Take this into account when checking.
Tor browser
There is a universal way hide your own IP address, do not take into account the history of search queries and search. It is enough to use as “doors” on the Internet software for anonymous Internet connection. For example, the Tor browser.
Clear History
Google allows erase collected “historical” data communication of the user with the search engine by deleting the cache and cookies, as well as the history of browsing sites. In order not to lose all the accumulated data, we recommend using the Incognito mode for checking data.
But if you still want to erase your data and disable the history record, go to the Google account settings, select the “Data and personalization” section - “Settlement of action tracking”.
We click "Management of History. In the window that opens, click “Delete actions for a certain period” and delete them for all time.
In Yandex, it’s not more difficult to clear the history of searching and visiting sites. Go down the search results page, go to the Settings.
Here we click on the “Clear Query History” button and uncheck the “Show Search History” and “Show Sites You Often Visit” items. Now everything is clean.
Hide location
Ways to hide from the search engine are available. They differ depending on who you are trying to hide from - Yandex or Google.
Yandex will stop looking for you, if you enter the appropriate settings on the location refinement page.
Here it is enough to uncheck the box “Define the city automatically”, enter the name of the region you are interested in and click on the “Save” button.
In addition, Yandex allows you to adjust the results of search output by changing the search parameters. The corresponding button appears next to the search bar after clarifying the request. By clicking on it, you can manually set the region or not indicate it at all.
Playing hide and seek with Google is not so easy. He will always track you down on IP and use this information for his own purposes. Although the function of manually setting up the region is available, it is rather conditional, so you should not count on it.
No matter how Google’s cunning is, and you can hide from his keen eyes. A simple way is to install the GeoClever extension. It will allow you to change the region directly on the search page.
Conclusions
Search engines in a attentive manner study absolutely every user action, collecting data for personalizing search output. Yandex and Google lead a search history in order to use it for their own purposes.
Such an in-depth analysis of user data is needed by search engines to take into account all possible options that may be of interest to a particular user when searching for any information. Of course, you can consider this surveillance as a confirmation of the ominous conspiracy theory. And you can enjoy the convenience of finding information and use user data for user systems for your own purposes: after all, your site will only benefit from the fact that it will be seen by the target audience, not random users.
What features of search engine algorithms with which search output is formed do you still know?
P.S. If you want to know more about the principles of the search engines, and how to promote your site in the results of the issue, register on full course Search Engine. In it, in practice, you can put your site in the TOP and scale the business as a whole. And with promo code "SEO-29-05" an additional bonus will be waiting for you.
