On Jan 10th 2012, Google launched a major update to the organic search results on Google.com. The update jolted the entire online marketing community and resulted in tens of thousands of online updates and discussions. Search Plus Your World (SPYW) was launched to bring human element to search by integrating Google+ social data on the search results pages. Google has been using limited Google+ data on search results page, but the Jan 10th update was pretty significant. Google's search results page before SPYW. (before Jan 10th 2012)

 

Google search results page before SPYW. (after Jan 10th 2012)

What news with SPYW? Besides excessive personalization of search here are some of the key changes to the search results page -
1. Google+ updates in search results - One of the most visible change on the search results page was the addition of Google+ updates. Any updates you or your circles may have posted on Google+ are now visible on search based on keywords. Traditional Google search results are overridden by Google+ updates to a greater degree. In some cases, the Google search page is completely filled with Google+ data instead of traditional results. This excessive personalization has resulted in huge debates on the topic of relevancy being overshadowed by personalization.
2. Personalized vs Non Personlized results - Users who are logged into their Google account can now choose from personalized vs non personalized search. Additionally, the personalized version is the default option for logged in users.

3. People & pages recommendation - Another big change on the search results page is the Google+ people and pages recommendations. The paid search results on the right hand have been pushed down due to the addition of the recommendation box. Google now provides suggestions to join authoritative people and pages for particular keyword. The recommendation box is also visible to logged out users for most keywords.

This is a phase I launch since most of the results do not have the algorithmic relevancy. Future updates of SPYW will certainly be geared towards relevancy. In any case, what we learn is Google SPYW could have a significant impact on search engine optimization and there is no excuse for not having a Google+ profile. Here are some initial thoughts on what you can do to prepare yourself and your business for this change.
1. Signup for Google+ account - Create a Google+ account for yourself and add pages for your business.
2. Participate in discussions - You can save Google+ searches and participate in topics of interest. Share latest product and service updates to engage your audience.

3. Produce Viral content - Google+ is a social network and like most social networks, ...