Most of us generally like to feel that we are original, perhaps unique. Different at least, in our little ways to other people. Indulging in this flaw in our ego (no, I’m not talking about the farmer/panda update…again) Google has allowed even our search results to be sculpted to our web browsing lifestyle.

With ‘custom’ search results we know that the mighty G is actually trying to filter the results to show the most relevant ones possible for that particular user. Given our location and search history, we should see results that surprise us with their accuracy and personal relevance. Although some people may be put off by ‘smug search engines who think they can guess me…’, or perhaps more strongly, worry in a Karl Pilkington-like way ‘will I be thinking for myself in the future or will Google? will be doing it for me, so will it be me or a Google version of me?’

However, in the word of search marketing, we don’t mind these personalized results, in fact, they can just be very annoying! While it’s heartwarming to see a website I’ve been working on come up on page 1 for a certain keyword phrase, I need completely unbiased search results to help me understand rankings and competitors etc. Receiving an email in the afternoon clapping for ‘position number 1’ for a key phrase when you know it’s actually position 17 simply means waiting for the second email the morning after of ‘I just checked home and we’re not on the first page!’

However, there is something that can be done and, in fact, it is very simple. You will be surprised to read that this solution does not come from Google (very surprised?). Not that they don’t offer a way out, of course, however, it’s a bit complicated for such a simple wish, and you lose all your web browsing history…

However, the simple method is to add &pws=0 to the end of the search query string in the address bar. For example, a search for SEO Agency:

Pre-depersonalization
.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=SEO+Agency&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=

No custom search string
co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=SEO+Agency&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=&pws=0

It really is that simple, however you have to remember to do this every time you do a search.

However, Chrome users have a nice extension option that offers an on/off option. Just ‘manage extensions’ and then search to install ‘SEO Site Tools’ (a handy tool to have anyway) which will give you the on/off options when you search for:

While there may not be many groups of people who don’t want personalized results (other than those who want to be “off the grid” of course, using the internet probably won’t help this lifestyle though…) Within a search marketing agency, every colleague once yelled at their screen because they forgot to turn it off. So let us all rejoice at the non-personal touch…