Google Adds Nine Options To Cure Search Overload
Search Options first debuted in May at the company's "Searchology" event, and features a side panel that generates different views of searches after the results have been filtered.
The additions to Search Options are returns from queries in the past hour; specific date range; more shopping sites; fewer shopping sites; pages that have already been visited; pages that have not been visited; books; blogs and news.
In July, Google added an expanded version of its search by graphics feature to Search Options that narrows down search results for specific images such as photos, clip art, line drawings or faces. Color searches can be winnowed down to images in all colors, specific hues or only in black and white. Queries by image size also were improved, letting users search by exact image size or random sizes that may feature 70 megapixels or more.
It looks as if Google is indirectly answering Bing's ads that ask, "What has search overload done to us?"
"As people get more sophisticated at search, they are coming to us to solve more complex problems," wrote Marissa Mayer, vice president of search products and user experience, and Jack Menzel, group product manager, in a company blog. "These [new] features really explore search from a broad and entirely new perspective. Because we realize that when you can't quickly find just the exact information or content you need or want, it's our problem, not yours. And it's a problem with plenty of room left for innovation."
Google is getting the last laugh, at least so far. According to new numbers released Thursday by Web research firm StatCounter, Bing, whose market share had been steadily climbing since its June debut, had 8.51 percent share of the market in September, down from 9.64 percent in August.
Meanwhile, Google, whose dominance in the search world has never been in jeopardy, saw an uptick in its market share to 80.8 percent in September, up from 77.83 percent in August.