# Google search page drop-down query suggestion box



## reiyou (Oct 24, 2007)

Sometime in the last few days, I noticed that a dropdown box is showing up as soon as I start typing in a search term into the Google home page. It displays various suggestions.

When surfing, personally I find it very annoying, although I can see how some might like it. 

I use IE 6.0, and the autocomplete checkboxes are off. In the Google preferences, there is a radio button for turning ff query suggestions (towards the bottom). This stops the query suggestions, but at some point it starts again and loses the preference when I flush cookies.

The reason I'm posting it in the ecommerce forum is because I am working on my online store, and I am wondering what this drop down query suggestion box means when kit comes to Search Engine Optimization.

Yes, I could switch to another search engine when I personally surfing the web, but thousands of potential customers will continue to use Google.

Anyone have the inside scoop on this?

Anyone know how to permanently turn it off, including after clearing cookies? When surfing the web, I like using Google and would rather not switch because of this annoyance.

For those of you with SEO experience, are there any suggestions or additional information you can provide?

I feel like such a noob, and it is driving me crazy.

Thanks.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> I am wondering what this drop down query suggestion box means when kit comes to Search Engine Optimization.


I don't think it will effect it too much. It might decrease the frequency of the long search terms like: *hot dog vendor in long island with the best horseradish*, but overall, I don't think it will have a huge effect.



> Anyone have the inside scoop on this?


No inside scoop, but there's a good discussion going on about it at the WebmasterWorld forums:
"Google Suggest" becomes default search box behavior



> Anyone know how to permanently turn it off, including after clearing cookies?


I think the clearing cookies might be the problem. That probably erases all the preferences you have set.



> For those of you with SEO experience, are there any suggestions or additional information you can provide?


You could use it to see which spelling variances are more popular. tshirt vs t-shirt. You could use it to see which keywords are more popular for your niche by seeing which come up first in suggestions. dog t-shirt vs dog clothing. Things like that.


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

have you tried clearing your google tool bar search history? 

also, disable your custom search if it is ON? (frequent search terms etc.)



:


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## reiyou (Oct 24, 2007)

Thank you for the link to the webmasterworldforum site, Rodney. I learned a new term, "long tail."

I can see how it can be useful for researching spelling variances for keywords, as you said.

T-BOT, I don't have the Google toolbar installed.

I did find you can turn off the feature in Google preferences, but once you clear cookies, it comes back.

Thanks.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

One tip I read from the WW forum was that if your turn off javascript in your browser, it doesn't work.

So if you can turn of javascript for google.com only, it would probably stop the suggestions.

It also doesn't seem to happen (yet) on search results pages, so you could bookmark one of those pages I guess.


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## kevingoebel (Sep 25, 2008)

reiyou said:


> Sometime in the last few days, I noticed that a dropdown box is showing up as soon as I start typing in a search term into the Google home page. It displays various suggestions.
> 
> When surfing, personally I find it very annoying, although I can see how some might like it.
> 
> Anyone know how to permanently turn it off, including after clearing cookies? When surfing the web, I like using Google and would rather not switch because of this annoyance.


I also can't turn it permanantly off, but I (ironically) googled an alternative URL which I put in the properties of my Google bookmarks and favorites in the various browsers and computers I use, as well as on my vanity webpage link.

<http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=0&hl=en>

If you right-click most bookmarks or favorites in a PC browser (Firefox, Mozilla, Internet Explorer), there will be a Properties link to click. Copy and paste the URL above (without the <> brackets I added here to get the editor to show the text instead of a link) in place of the default address and save. Viola! No more auto-complete.

Kevin


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## reiyou (Oct 24, 2007)

Thank you Kevin. That works great!


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