Tim Howell’s Weblog

Google has once again innovated, this time quietly introducing Google Suggest. The key innovation is adding the ability for the search query box to “guess” what your search is likely to be and provides suggestions to help you complete the search - kind of like Microsoft’s auto complete feature, but for the web. In addition to being a nice piece of coding, the tool does have its merits and aids with both query entry, and giving an indication of the number of results a particular search may result in.

What is also interesting is how Google positions the Suggest version against normal Google: “By suggesting more refined searches up front, Google Suggest can make your searches more convenient and efficient by keeping you from having to reformulate your query. Google Suggest might offer suggestions that you will find novel or intriguing.”

By assisting their audience with searches, Google could drive better results for its users, therefore increasing usage and driving ad revenues. From a usability perspective, looking further forward, this type of feature could greatly aid mobile entry, albeit in a smaller form factor. This is a classic example of something simple on the surface masking complexity behind the scenes, while also potentially driving significant benefit in the longer term.