Search Engine Optimization News Blog

When is something just a trend, and when is it a universal truth? That’s the question Marissa Mayer asked. She decided that her gut instincts were right.

She has been pushing for change in a few critical areas for some time, and finally has the rest of the design team on board. The most noticeable change that is now due to be released is the ability to keep the search options window permanently open, instead of having to manually toggle it each time. If the test which will affect 1-3% of Googlers)  proves successful, Google is expected to move to a three “pane” format used by competitors such as Ask.com.

Tis change will position search tools and options on the left, search results in the middle and ads as usual on the right.

Mayer said going left made sense, and that changing the design and having the tools on the left with a permanently open pane, is something she’s personally wanted for some time.

The rest of the Google design team was skeptical, but after 50 independent mockups showed a heavy trend towards Marissa’s preferred layout, objections subsided. A positive reaction during the test will be a final proof of how well Google’s audience likes the shift.

“While I wish we had gotten here sooner, Mayer said, “I’m excited to finally have it out.”

Former Ask CEO Jim Lanzone implemented a similar plan several years ago, and Bing and Yahoo followed suit, Mayer admits that she feels it is now the industry standard.

“Now you know why I’ve been searching for John Stuart Mill,” Mayer said, in reference to his book On Liberty and how it discussed that universal truths always come through.

“Is it the trend du jour or is that a universal truth? It  is a likely universal truth,” she concluded, when asked about the three pane design.