Search Engine Optimisation Web Log (BLOG)
Editor: Matt Paines

| This News Blog is dedicated to bringing news, information and innovations targeting the Search Engine Optimisation industry.

Instant Preview will have impact on SEO

Website designers and SEO professionals will need to start thinking more visually with the launch of webpage previews by the world's largest search engine.

Although it is not a new invention, Google's launch of Instant Previews is likely to have a significant impact on the way that people choose which sites to visit after doing a search.

It presents screen shots of web pages in search results, which are viewed by hovering over the result with a magnifying glass icon.

Research suggests that, either consciously or unconsciously, people use the design of a web page to judge its quality and relevance. Instant Preview means that they will not need to leave the Google page when searching for results to check for the most relevant.

Traditionally, web users have needed to visit a site found by Google to judge its relevance before using the back button to return to the search results.

For web-owners, developers and SEO experts, this means that the visual impact of a miniaturised web page becomes increasingly important. If it looks good more people will visit their site - if not they will pass on to the next result.

Furthermore, Google believes that people who use instant preview are more likely to like the results they click on.

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