Did you know that Google search rankings can differ depending on whether or not you are logged into your Google account? Now you do. If you are a budding SEO type person then you probably check your key search phrase rankings in Google regularly. If you are logged into your Google account while searching then Google records your browsing history and uses this to make the results more relevant to you.

Google analyses your browsing history and promotes sites that you visit regularly up the rankings for different search queries. This is part of Google’s personalized search. If you are like me and you are constantly logged into your Google account all day then the results you view are most likely skewed. Your client will probably not be seeing the same results.

For example, at JumpStart we have just started working with a Dermatology Clinic in Los Angeles. One of their main search terms is ‘Dermatologist Los Angeles’. If I am logged into my Google account (usually my Gmail account), and I search for this term in Google.com, the website ranks in pos.2 (Click to Enlarge Picture)

When I log out of my Google account the search result changes. Skincareandlaser now ranks in pos. 10 for ‘Dermatologist Los Angeles’ (Click to Enlarge Picture)

This problem can often rear its head when dealing with clients. After the clients receive their ranking reports they check their rankings and they might notice discrepancies. Quite often this is the reason so it’s well worth being aware of!

As Google search becomes more and more personalised and localised this will have a knock on effects for SEO. It is important to be adaptable and to always keep up to date with what the hell Google are up to!!