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Here is my theory. Google instant does an even better job of getting the user to use their predetermined search query rather than continuing to type out the us

Here is my theory. Google instant does an even better job of getting the user to use their predetermined search query rather than continuing to type out the users longer tail search query. By funneling search traffic into these head terms, Google is concentrating traffic around the terms with higher AdWords CPCs. And as more and more users are funneled into these terms it will increase the level of competition bidding on these terms, further driving up the CPC to appear of the first page. Seems the most plausible to me!

il 16y ago
You're absolutely right. I'm already seeing traffic shift away from (cheaper) long-tail keywords in my campaigns.
Andrew_Quentin 16y ago
Until you ask, well why do people use long tail search terms? Might it be because the "head terms" do not offer them what they wanted. Unless, long tail search terms really are something of a waste of time for the user and the head term can offer them just what they wanted anyway, but the user was ignorant of that.
- noelchurchill 16y ago
  Scenario: A user began typing what would have been a long-tail query, but realizes the results have satisfied their query without typing the full thing. I'm not saying long-tail is going to disappear, because it's not, at least not for now. But I'm sure a significant portion of would-be long-tail queries are going to be rerouted into short tail queries.
noodle 16y ago
seems that the switch allows them to funnel people into the head terms, away from the long tail, which would improve their cache performance, saving money (which was briefly mentioned in the article, too).
- noelchurchill 16y ago
  Organic results are cached, but adwords ads are calculated in real time.
baskinghobo 16y ago
My theory is Google is trying to make their search engine as fast as possible and by not clicking the enter button it reduces 1 second and also appear to be faster.

il 16y ago

You're absolutely right. I'm already seeing traffic shift away from (cheaper) long-tail keywords in my campaigns.

Andrew_Quentin 16y ago

Until you ask, well why do people use long tail search terms? Might it be because the "head terms" do not offer them what they wanted. Unless, long tail search terms really are something of a waste of time for the user and the head term can offer them just what they wanted anyway, but the user was ignorant of that.

noelchurchill 16y ago
Scenario: A user began typing what would have been a long-tail query, but realizes the results have satisfied their query without typing the full thing. I'm not saying long-tail is going to disappear, because it's not, at least not for now. But I'm sure a significant portion of would-be long-tail queries are going to be rerouted into short tail queries.

noodle 16y ago

seems that the switch allows them to funnel people into the head terms, away from the long tail, which would improve their cache performance, saving money (which was briefly mentioned in the article, too).

noelchurchill 16y ago
Organic results are cached, but adwords ads are calculated in real time.

baskinghobo 16y ago

My theory is Google is trying to make their search engine as fast as possible and by not clicking the enter button it reduces 1 second and also appear to be faster.