I wish I could get a screen capture of this but I think Google just added a new little feature to the AdSense for Search search field that I’m using here on ProBlogger in my sidebar.
Here’s what happened:
- I was searching for something on ProBlogger and as I type in my search request a little popup appeared over the search field.
- I don’t remember the exact wording of the the popup but it asked me if I wanted to add the ability to search ProBlogger to my Google toolbar
- I was given the option to say yes, no and to say that I never wanted to be asked that again
- I selected yes (I’m a curious fellow) and now when I hit the ‘search’ tab in my Google toolbar I see this (look for third from the bottom)
I can’t replicate this on any of my other sites at this point so it could just be a test that they are throwing at random users – but it could be a feature that publishers can offer their readers to help them search for content on their blogs a little easier.
Perhaps this has been available for a while – but it’s the first time I’ve seen it and I use my own search function daily.
Do you think it’s a useful feature?
‘m also interested to see if others see the pop up when they use my search field? (I’m presuming it’ll only work with Google Toolbar users).
Nope doesn’t work for me but if it did I would be ANGRY cos I hate pop ups! haha!
I’ve noticed it the past few days. I think it has popped up for me on Wikipedia, Facebook, and even a certain torrent site… (arrrr)
I had this happen to be twice either yesterday or the day before at istockphoto — I thought it might be a new feature that could be autodiscovered by toolbar. I did think the popup was a little bit annoying, and it kept reoccurring. I’m wondering if it only offers it up if buttons already exist in Google’s button gallery. Looking forward to finding out what’s cooking with this one.
I think thats a feature of the web-history-feature of google. You get in every search field a popup, that asks you, if you want to save this search to your history. Its only available with the latest toolbar-plugin and you can switch it off (as I did, so I cannot provide a screenshot). Try a search anywhere with switched on webhistory and the popup will come again.
If you click on the “Add Search Type…” link at the bottom of the dropdown it takes you to a site where you can find a lot of buttons for specific sites. I did a search for the word blog and found one for freshblogger.com and pureblogging.com and a lot of others, but not problogger.net. You might write to them and find out how to get listed.
I think it would indeed be a useful thing to add, possibly bringing visitors back to you site more often.
Update: I just read a post on the front of pureblogging.com that tells how to create your own google toolbar button. Check it out.
I could see it as a useful feature. However, since I do not use the Google tool bar, I wouldn’t be able to use it. I like Google and use it extensively. I just don’t want too many extra tool bars.
Could not replicate it either, were you searching using the toolbar or your custom search box for google?
Actually if you right-click (or ctrl-click in Mac) any search box of any webpage, you can “Generate a Custom Search”, the same way as if the pop-up had appeared. What I don’t know is when or where does the pop-up appear…
Off course it is useful, for you as a blogger :), as you will be on every google bar of those who decided to add it.
I wonder if you are going to get paid for the searches they made on their google bar! using your site’s option :)
I noticed this last month — was completely surprised. I have a screen shot in that article, is that the one you saw too?
It can be useful to some, sure, but I think it is more creative than it is useful. Most people resort to quicksearch; having another pop-up…I don’t know. The icons on the pop-up are pretty cool though.
This happened to me the other day with my film blog, it would get annoying if it happened on every site, but I think it’s just sites it recognises you search allot. In my case the other site that did it was imdb.com which I do indeed use allot.
Haven’t seen it, either, but don’t have the toolbar.. Hadn’t installed it for the very reason that I just imagined things would slow down that much more..
A definite nix on popups, any popups, from here, too, for accessibility reasons with initial concerns, as always, being disabilities related to manual dexterity..
Would be more supportive of a campaign where they publicly offered publishers related text and image links to place on their own works..
You know, coming to mind is that it takes the power of the original publisher knowing who’s searching what on their site(s) out of that same publisher’s hands……….
Well, like that doesn’t already happen..
But still… Just sayin’.. ;)
I’ve never encountered this before and I use your google search several times a day, as well as on my own site.
Eric, thanks for the tip re: how to create your own google toolbar!
That’s also a good question from Linux OS whether or not you get paid if a user searches your site using your button on their toolbar…
Yes, I noticed this yesterday but didn’t set it up.
All I want to know is: Does this count towards our Google Search earnings?
Think I’d better investigate further…
A pop-up within a toolbar…come to think of it, it seems too helpful, like it’s almost unnecessary. However, it could come in handy one day. They should add a feature where you get to choose to switch it on or off. It would be helpful if it wasn’t so, what’s the term, touch-and-go.
Or you can just use this: Google site search bookmarklet.
It’s adds one-click ability to Google search for any website you’re currently on.
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