“The patent hints to use an expert ranking algorithm that determines a user’s domain or technical expertise through his browsing history for tailoring search results”
Mike is an executive chef with a high level of expertise in cooking. John is an accomplished astrophysics, but has little expertise in cooking. Likewise, Mike has only passing interest in astrophysics.
Both John and Mike use search engine, Google or Bing, every now and then, to find relevant materials of their respective field.
On a usual day, John uses search keywords like “Higgs mechanism” or “Quantum Gravity”. Mike, on the other hand, uses search keywords like “how cinnamon interacts with fish oil”.
Thus, their search strings also reflect their expertise in respective fields.
Now let me tell you a story where tables were turned to the full circles. One day Mike’s son, who is a 5th grade student, asked him about the planet Mars while John’s wife wants him to prepare delicious dinner.
Both John and Mike rushed to search engines for the help. John used a search string “how to cook Asparagus and Chicken Carbonara” while Mike used “Planet Mars Facts”.
So here, both John and Mike are having no expertise in cooking and astrophysics respectively. Like in former case, this is rather clear from their search strings again.
However, the question is – does the search engine understand their expertise of respective fields?
And the answer is – a big No.
As a result, both Mike and John may have to skip search results that are too general or are not par with their level of expertise.
As the search engine fails to recognize their interests and provides them search results that are of no use to them and they may have to skip more search engine pages.
Is there any solution?
Hell yeah!! A recent patent application by Microsoft on Bing hints to use expert ranking algorithm. The search engine algorithm will be determining level of expertise of a searcher for tailoring search results for him.
Now lets’s find out how the new expert rating algorithm of Bing will be determining the level of expertise of a user.
The ranking algorithm of search engine will be taking these parameters into account:
- The queries submitted by a user and the kind of websites visited by him;
- Browsing session and the session length – for how long a user is staying on a website;
- Branchiness of user’s browsing session. I’ve explained the meaning of branchiness later in the post.
- Access a database of Lexicon that contains lists of technical and non technical terms in ranked manner.
- Using all these parameters and tailoring search results for a user.
In general, an expert of a specific field performs search queries in different manners than non expert. His queries tend to be long and directed and have a more technical language.
He tends to visit technically oriented websites more often and performs searches with a greater number of branches. That is to say that an expert follows multiple links to compare or confirm one source against another. He follows a link and then retraces his steps and follows a different link. However, a non expert doesn’t do so.
Another thing that the algorithm takes into account is the browsing session. An expert tends to have longer browsing sessions as compared to a non expert.
A Quick Summary:
the algorithm use search keywords and browsing sessions of a user to tailor search result for him.
The keywords will be ranked and analyzed using database of Lexicon. The browsing session will be analyzed based on its length, branchiness and the type of websites visited.
Based on these parameters, the algorithm will estimate whether a user is an expert of non expert and will assign a rank for him.
For an expert, the search results will contain websites with more technical details that are also visited by other experts.
In case of a non-expert, the search results may contain summary or overview sites that have little technical jargon and detail.
Impacts of Bing’s Expert Ranking Algorithm:
This expert rating algorithm of Bing is, for sure, going to provide its user a unique power where they will be getting search results tailored only for them. Personalization always does wonder you know.
Apart from that, the expert rating algorithm may affect the way digital marketers, bloggers and SEO experts operate.
They may have to decide whom they want to target – an expert or a layman. Using few more sophisticated words may change the rating and their audience as well.
What do you think? Does this algorithm has potential to give Bing an edge over Google? Your opinions are important; do share in the comments.
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Bing seems to be enhancing its search capabilities with personalization. Probably that’s a good way to differentiate from Google. That they have upped their marketing efforts is very apparent. The question is what % of users would like the search engine to show personalized results. Many people may not like too.
Hi Somali,
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, you are right Bing is trying to improve its services and this algorithm is one among them. But you will be surprised to know that Google is already doing it for years. You may not know but if you have logged on to your Google account while using their search engines then they record your search pattern and modify the search results for you later. Google named it as “Google Bubble”.
Now what piques my interest in this patent is its impact. I want to know that whether it’s gonna become better than Google Bubble or gonna be just another algorithm.