Why it matters: No matter how specific a question is, Google says, someone somewhere in the world can provide the answer. Google has two new features for its search engine that give people intuitive ways to find information on the web. One is a topic tracker, already on the way, and the other provides insights on content provided by other users.
Google is updating its search engine to give users a new "tailored" experience when looking for something online. The service has always been about connecting the "vastness of human curiosity" with the human wisdom available on the web, and the November 2023 update will try to promote an easier way to arrange those connections.
Google says search will never be a "solved problem" but will continue to evolve and improve. The latest advancements are primarily focused on two new features: Follow and Notes.
The Follow feature allows users to keep up with their interests thanks to a new button next to search queries. From favorite sports teams to something more specific like vegan cooking, Follow will provide more relevant search results on Discover, the Google mobile app's homepage. If users enable notifications, Google can also send an alert when something particularly "timely" or important about a followed search query appears in the company's web indexes.
Google promises to bring the most helpful, relevant, and "reliable" information possible to users following a topic. Factors deciding the quality of that information include expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. For example, TechSpot readers could use Follow to track specific topics on hardware, computing, and other subjects discussed in our forums.
Google's other new search feature, Notes, is still experimental. It's designed to help people learn from the experiences of others on the web. Knowledgeable users can now share tips, advice, and comments about web content right on the Search results page.
Mountain View says that its research shows that people frequently seek peer validation and like to see what others say about a given web page. Notes can provide a new "helpful layer" of human insights on each Search result, turning existing web content into a more helpful source of knowledge and amusement.
Google started a gradual rollout of the feature on the Google app, Chrome, and Safari for the US mobile market, which should conclude in a few weeks. Users can register with the Search Lab platform to try the new Notes feature, which may or may not make it to the public.
Image credit: Nenad Stojkovic
