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New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

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Re: New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

#21

Post by Matt_Cutts »

jmillikin wrote: post #12

1. Does this remove results from each page, or from the resultset? In other words, if 7 of the first-page results are blocked, will I see only 3 results on that page? 2. Any plans for a Firefox extension? I'm willing to install Chrome just for running Google searches, but would rather add it to my main browser. e: After a month or so, I would absolutely love to see the top 10 or so blocked domains. It's OK if you can…

Right now, you'll see only three results. We'll look at refreshing, but in answer to #2, we're also looking at putting this more directly into Google's search results.

I think having block options directly on Google's search results is the right long-term answer. But this extension lets people clean up their personal results while sending block data to Google that we might be able to use as a signal to improve overall search quality.

Thanks to everyone at HN who poked us by asking for this, by the way.

Re: New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

#24

Post by Matt_Cutts »

macrael wrote: post #18

Why make this a Chrome extension rather than a google labs type feature?

The Chrome extension was faster to roll out and lets us iterate faster as well because it's outside of front-end pushes. We're looking at offering block links in the search results too, but that code takes longer to write, test, and launch.

Re: New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

#25

Post by stanleydrew »

zitterbewegung wrote: post #2

Although this is Chrome only this is a great extension that I believe a few people on this site wanted. I remember other people made a mashup but this looks like a slightly better solution. I wonder why they don't want to do this server side though?

I imagine releasing server-side changes to Google's core search functionality is quite a bit harder than releasing an extension. If nothing else, there are tons of tests that need to pass and there's probably constraints on speed regressions and such. This is a much quicker way to get the same data so that they can determine whether the data is actually useful as a ranking signal.

Re: New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

#26

Post by Matt_Cutts »

Kylekramer wrote: post #3

Good work, squeaky wheels. So: will this eventually be a search settings option once it is less beta or permanently an extension thing?

We'll look at offering this as a more direct option over time, depending on how popular the extension is and whether the data from it looks good.

Re: New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

#27

Post by Matt_Cutts »

raintrees wrote: post #10

I was just griping about this to my wife yesterday. The noise is drowning out the signal in my recent searches...

Please install the extension and let us know what sites are annoying you. You're exactly the sort of person we want that feedback from. In the process, you'll keep them from showing up for you again.

Re: New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

#29

Post by Matt_Cutts »

arnemart wrote: post #7

The website used as an example in the first screenshot ( http://thecontentfarm.tumblr.com/ ) just made my day.

I made the screenshots this weekend, so I threw that in there. http://thecontentfarm.tumblr.com/ is pretty funny.

Re: New Chrome extension: block sites from Google’s web search results

#30

Post by jmillikin »

Matt_Cutts wrote: post #21
jmillikin wrote: post #12

1. Does this remove results from each page, or from the resultset? In other words, if 7 of the first-page results are blocked, will I see only 3 results on that page? 2. Any plans for a Firefox extension? I'm willing to install Chrome just for running Google searches, but would rather add it to my main browser. e: After a month or so, I would absolutely love to see the top 10 or so blocked domains. It's OK if you can…

Right now, you'll see only three results. We'll look at refreshing, but in answer to #2, we're also looking at putting this more directly into Google's search results. I think having block options directly on Google's search results is the right long-term answer. But this extension lets people clean up their personal results while sending block data to Google that we might be able to use as a signal to improve overal…

> We'll look at refreshing, but in answer to #2, we're also looking at putting this more directly into Google's search results.

Don't worry about refreshing -- I'd much rather see three good results than 7 bad ones. The idea of being able to block content farms entirely is literally making me giggle at my desk. Focus on that!

Thank you, thank you, thank you x1000 for this.

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