Google Made Big Change to Its Images Search

Google.com changed its Images Search again today. In the past, if you search a keyword for pictures, in the past, you will get an images list, a page displaying 20 images (5 x 4) .Now it turns into a much more different page.

The changes include

1. There are 6 or 7 pictures in one row, and the image will self-adjust its size to fit the page.

2. All pictures displaying in one page, when you search a keyword, for example, accessories, you will go to a page, the images on the first fold of the page are already downloaded and displaying, instead of turning to the next page for more pictures in the past, you can scroll down the page, while you checking the pictures on the first fold, the rest of the pages are downloading.

3. Number of results do not change much, in the past, each page contains 20 pictures, and 50 pages in total, so there were almost 1000 pictures in the result for one single search; now Google Images only displays around 30 pages, each containing, 30 to 40 pages. However, you will find there is some change in your indexed image number.

4. Google Images use JavaScript to display its images, the images file name and source are not displayed unless you put the mouse over the image, then the image will pop up, showing the image name, size and source.

5. The file name now will display on the result, in the past, the file name did not show on the page.

6. When you click on image, you will go to the image source page; there is also a Google frame there like the past, except some change in appearance.

7. When you do the instructor search, for example, “site: www.virtualvillage.com”, the result page is still the old one.

8. This change only happens to google.com, other Google websites don’t have the change.

The significance of the change:

A. The ranking Algorithm could have some change, since the file names display, I think Google images will consider more about this factor;

B. You will need more neat and attractive file name for the image file, for both Google image bot and human readers;

C. The number of images indexed change.

The Chinese search engine Baidu used to have similar images search change before, but now it changes back, maybe because its users boycott the change, or confrontation a technical difficulty, not sure if Google will keep the change in the future, or it is just a testing for its users reaction.