Google May Sticky Search Box, Navigation Bar

A Google design tweak being tested would see the bar at the top of Google.com, as well as the left panel with the search options remain in place as the user scrolls through search results.

Alex Chitu at the Google Operating System blog has shared a video from Alon Laudon of what it looks like:

It’s a subtle, but helpful change in my opinion, and I would not be surprised to see this one become an actual feature. It would also help keep Google+ on the screen at all times (the notifications and share box). This would make it easy to share content at any time while on Google.

This kind of interface already exists on Google Image Search, as Chitu points out, and that comes with infinite scrolling. One has to wonder if this would open the door to infinite scrolling on regular search results as well. If so, that ought to be good for boosting those first page rankings. In all honesty, I can actually see this benefiting pages that would rank on the second or third page of results, because users wouldn’t be required to click through to another page to see them. It’s much easier to keep scrolling down.

I really can’t see much negative about the fixed navigation or the possibility of infinite scrolling in search results. How about you?

There are 8 Comments. Add Yours.

high replica
July 19, 2011 at 2:43 am

Some items changed, I still don’t know what is the good. Hope we will get it after use for some time.
lego toys
July 19, 2011 at 3:35 am

That sounds good. The fixed navigation may help searchers to go to the search options without crawling through the entire page.
Caleb
July 19, 2011 at 3:55 pm

These fixated top bars r starting to show up on a many sites nowadays. Being that Goog is using it means it has to b a great tool for further engaging ur audience..
Fergus
July 19, 2011 at 4:29 pm

Sticky search bar is fine but the infinitely scrolling results idea is a huge issue if some sort of elegant solution for ad de-pagination doesn’t come along with the result de-pagination.
alexander
July 20, 2011 at 2:22 am

I think that would be a nice features to have.
Doc Sheldon
July 21, 2011 at 3:55 pm

I agree, Chris – looks like a feature that could come in handy on occasion. And it seems to be the sort of thing that Google is pursuing with G+, a sort of omnipresence.
Doc Sheldon
July 21, 2011 at 3:58 pm

The infinite scroll, though, is just going to make it harder to identify the page/position number of a client. Good luck trying to explain to them that until they’re in the top end of page one, it really doesn’t matter much. They just think you’re hiding something.

Hey, Larry… how about having your team add position numbers to the SERPs so we don’t have to count?
Mark Demers
July 22, 2011 at 11:11 am

These are great features for anyone that isn`t on the first page of Google search results , like you say if you`re on the second or third page you would be more visible and there`s a better chance your site would get clicked on.
The sticky search bar is also an excellent feature they should definitely make permanent. It makes time on search shorter by not having to scroll to find the search bar when looking for multiple things.