Google: Search Activity Rising Following Revamp via the Wall Street Journal has Google's head of search, Amit Singhal saying searches are up since releasing the knowledge graph.
It makes sense, the knowledge graph loads a huge side panel with data and then tons and tons of links to additional searches you can do. It basically shows hyperlinks to more searches, which leads to more searches.
But some people feel that if people are doing more searches after their initial search query that relevancy is down.
It does make logical sense. You search for widget and then you decide you need to search for something else, that means you were not satisfied with the initial search result set. But with the knowledge graph, I don't think that logic applies. If anything, someone searches for something, maybe a person, learns about the person in the side panel and then clicks deeper to learn more about related topics.
In short, I think clicks on more search queries within the knowledge panel means people like the knowledge panel and it is useful. If more searches are done in the search box and not by clicking on the knowledge panel link, then something is wrong.
Of course, more search queries means more money - although the ads are not always easy to find when the knowledge panel comes up - at least not now.
A WebmasterWorld thread says:
The fact that Google is, according to Singhal, getting more queries indicates that users may not be getting the answers they want and have to resort to more queries.
Do you agree.
Forum discussion at Google+ and WebmasterWorld.
Image credit to ShutterStock for up/down arrows
