Search Changes Coming Out Tomorrow

http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/01/08/search-changes-tomorrow/

Highlights are:

*We are removing classifieds from the main body of the Search All results.

* We fixed the Google pagination error which prevented some search results from navigating beyond the fifth page.

*We also fixed the disappearing/reappearing bug which caused certain places, groups and/or people to not appear in search if they were taken out then added back

*Holding lots of events at a place no longer increases the relevance of that place in Search All results.

And let the comments begin....

Well I'm very happy they fixed the Google pagination error. That the said they couldn't fix and would take months because they had to wait for Google to release an update or something like that.

The disappearing reappearing bug is another one I'm sure a lot of people are glad to see fixed. It's a bit daunting when you need to change your land parcels, and you're faced with the prospect that the automatically unchecked 'show in search' box will cost you up to a few weeks of business.

-Atashi

- Search results will go past 5 pages

Oh wait I don't see that.

"* We fixed the Google pagination error which prevented some search results from navigating beyond the fifth page. "

I already mentioned this in Cristalle's thread "would you pay more than 50L," but I am happy with the removal of classifieds from search all. This is what James Linden suggested around page 5 of that thread.

I know that not every shopper prefers search results in paid order, but dammit they had better appear that way if LL is going to make the classifieds a paid system. This way at least we know that shoppers can only get a classified search in one place, in one way. It's a little clearer what we are paying for as advertisers.

No they get them in two places now. The new funky search all where the classified is squeezed and less likely to be found or the classified search.

i have never once shopped from classifieds, but use "places" and "all" and "people" and "groups". i hope your paid classified names will also show up on 'all' and 'places'.... or are those features extinct in the new viewer search?

they are removing classifieds from the body of the search all

"
Highlights are:

*We are removing classifieds from the main body of the Search All results."


does this mean it will still show on the side bar classifieds in the search all

I presume so, but will that eventually be the only method of advertising? If that's the case I'll stop paying because that little side bar is worthless. I'm holding back from whining and complaining too much until we see what happens but I am nervous.

Ciaran,

If I understand it correctly, they are removing classifieds out of the dropdown menu in search all. The user will have to go to the old classified tab to do a classified search. I don't know whether classified results will return in a "search all" (besides the sidebar ads). This is almost exactly how the classified worked before the new search.

So you are right, the user might get classified results in 2 places, but they will only be able to selectively search for them in one.

The classifieds will still appear in the sidebar yes, but not the main body and the sidebar is less visible and contains less information.

The old search all happily returns classifieds.

I would like to see classifieds be gone completely (hard to compete with folks who can plop a few RL grand into a classified)

but what are the alternatives

Ah well

The way I read it is:

The classifieds tab remains; the right side classifieds in the new All remains; the classifieds drop down option in the new All remains; classifieds will no longer be included in any other type of results in the new All.

It could also mean that the drop down option will be removed.

If you are currently paying for a classified ad, and if the ad works ok for you, don't remove it.

I sure hope so.

Removing classifieds from the right hand side of ALL search - that's NOT good for businesses who place classified ads.

To me and i'm sure many many others, the word 'classified' suggests people selling used items - so newer SL users will tend NOT to look under the classified tab for things like clubs, resorts or most things in fact. It's the word 'classified' - it just doesn't suggest 'this is where to look for stuff' - it suggests 'this is where people are selling stuff they no longer want'.

this is a good point.

also traditionally classified ads are all (nearly) the same size.

Too bad their isn't a commercial ad and a classified ad tab.

Since a commercial Tab would Be where even the total novice would assume promotions for clubs and stores were.

Classifieds are not being removed rom the right side of the All search.

I would never have thought that anyone would interpret Classifieds as meaning used items. It certainly doesn't imply that in the UK.

So it`s not really "Search All" is it...

Bradley stated what he copied as being "highlights". Here's the official blog extract, which is there for all to see

That was an important sentence that I shouldn't have left off. Oops.

"Search all" might still return classifed results like the old search all did; I don't think we know that yet.

I believe the "classified" choice is going to be removed from the dropdown menu, so that shoppers won't be led to believe that's the way to find classifieds. That's what was pissing so many of us off: we paid our money, and got nothing for it in return whenever someone used that search.

It doesn't imply that to me either, in the USA.

It does imply to me, "ads that any ol' person can place," so maybe I can see the stretch to "people's old junk."

It seems to lead shoppers in SL to apartments and rental homes just fine, so I don't have a problem with the term.

Phil, it appears that you were right: the classified dropdown remained.

I cannot tell whether my classified is money well spent. If users are clicking on my ad because it's one of the top 8 in the sidebar, then it definitely is. If they are clicking on it because I learned to place the word "apartments" in the title and 8 times in the ad text, then that was a lot of money wasted. If they are using the old classified tab, then it's money well spent.

So I suppose I should make a separate cheap ad with appropriate key words spammed, that routes users to a different location, to see whether key word relevance makes more of a difference than money paid. Now that the reported teleports are allegedly fixed, at least that should give a little clearer picture of which ad works better.

I would imagine that anyone who paid more than 50L for an ad but doesn't appear in the top 8, and only appears in a classified search because of relevant key words spammed, should feel defrauded by paying extra for a classified ad. Paid classifieds may be a crummy system, but if they are going to have it, they need to deliver on the promise of prominence based on money paid; otherwise it's a fraud.

I do not see any evidence so far that this has been fixed.

I think it very much depends upon your market but yes, the new search all has the potential to make a lot of classifieds pretty much redundant. Personally I think classifieds should appear in the main body and general search results in the smaller side bar.