4 ms·

I don’t know if it’s “e-commerce” specifically, or just a more general fact that Google own a search engine, and want to surface URLs from their index as answer

by derefr 5y ago

I don’t know if it’s “e-commerce” specifically, or just a more general fact that Google own a search engine, and want to surface URLs from their index as answers to questions, when appropriate. And, when you think about it, why would you be linking to a page — rather than giving a straightforward answer — unless you’re linking to a product page / review / other page that offers you a direct means of solving a problem that goes beyond a conversational answer?

floatrock 5y ago
> unless you’re linking to a product page / review / other page that offers you a direct means of solving a problem Embedded in this answer seems to be the mindset that only buying things will solve problems. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not a consumerist luddite, I use my credit card points like any good and proper citizen -- but when your mindset is "all problems can be solved by buying more shit", well, that's a pretty lonely existence. Google's gotta make money, and helping people buy useful shit is a fine way of doing it, but just don't fall into the mindset trap that everything solution in life is just a Google Pay away.
- derefr 5y ago
  No, let me rephrase: often, problems can be solved with words. In those cases, the conversational agent wouldn't link to anything. It would just solve your problem. But if a problem being solved necessitates linking to something, then what kind of problem is that likely to be? Usually one where you need to stare at something, mull over a bunch of details, and make a decision. What kinds of webpages are those? Usually — for public clients — those are product pages. (Another potential use-case is that a conversational agent could help people configure to software/services by deep-linking to configuration screens — but that's not really a thing Google Search could integrate with.)

by derefr 5y ago

floatrock 5y ago

> unless you’re linking to a product page / review / other page that offers you a direct means of solving a problem Embedded in this answer seems to be the mindset that only buying things will solve problems. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not a consumerist luddite, I use my credit card points like any good and proper citizen -- but when your mindset is "all problems can be solved by buying more shit", well, that's a pretty lonely existence. Google's gotta make money, and helping people buy useful shit is a fine way of doing it, but just don't fall into the mindset trap that everything solution in life is just a Google Pay away.

derefr 5y ago
No, let me rephrase: often, problems can be solved with words. In those cases, the conversational agent wouldn't link to anything. It would just solve your problem. But if a problem being solved necessitates linking to something, then what kind of problem is that likely to be? Usually one where you need to stare at something, mull over a bunch of details, and make a decision. What kinds of webpages are those? Usually — for public clients — those are product pages. (Another potential use-case is that a conversational agent could help people configure to software/services by deep-linking to configuration screens — but that's not really a thing Google Search could integrate with.)