Disable or Improve Google+ Integration - Google
Managing Google+ Integration in Search Results
Recent Google searches may have displayed results incorporating Google+ information. Fortunately, users have options to control this integration and tailor their search experience.
You can choose to disable the integration entirely, prioritize alternative social networking displays, or simply suppress Google+ notifications.
Understanding the Google+ Integration
The Google+ integration, previously referred to as "Search, plus Your World," manifests in several ways within Google's search results.
This feature doesn't solely deliver personalized content; it also showcases popular Google+ pages to all users, regardless of login status.
Forms of Integration
- Personalized Search Results: Google+ data influences the content you see.
- Google+ Page Displays: Popular pages from Google+ are presented directly in search results.
- Universal Visibility: These displays occur even when you are not signed into a Google account.
Controlling these aspects of the search experience allows for a more focused and customized browsing session.
By adjusting your settings, you can effectively manage how Google+ interacts with your search queries.
Deactivating Personalized Search Results
When conducting searches via Google, users frequently encounter content originating from Google+ within their results.
While the "Hide Personal Results" feature offers a temporary solution, personalized search results will continue to appear with each new browser session and subsequent Google search.
A permanent deactivation can be achieved through Google’s “Search Settings” interface.
Select the "Do Not Use Personal Results" option available on this page.
Confirm your preference by clicking the "Save" button. It’s important to note that if your web browser has cookies disabled, enabling them is necessary for Google to retain these settings.
Without enabled cookies, your chosen settings may not be remembered.
Prioritizing User Experience Over Platform Promotion
Even after disabling certain features, the "People and Pages on Google+" sidebar may still appear intermittently. This sidebar displays popular Google+ pages related to your search query. However, a critical question arises: is a Google+ page consistently the most relevant social networking resource?
The project, Focus on the User, challenges this assumption. Rather than limiting results to Google+ profiles, it aims to present users with the most pertinent social networking pages available, encompassing platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Initially, ensure your browser's bookmarks toolbar is visible. In Google Chrome, access the wrench menu, navigate to Bookmarks, and select "Show Bookmarks Bar." Firefox users can right-click on the toolbar and choose "Bookmarks Bar."
With the bookmarks bar displayed, click the "Try a More Relevant Google" link on the Focus on the User page. Subsequently, drag and drop the aptly named "don't be evil" link onto your bookmarks bar.
When Google+ results appear within Google's search results, simply click the "don't be evil" bookmarklet. This action prompts Google to display the highest-ranking social networking pages overall.
The functionality behind this tool is straightforward. The bookmarklet analyzes Google’s search results for the individual in question. It then identifies and presents the social networking page that ranks highest in standard search results.
Essentially, Google already possesses the data to determine the most relevant social networking pages; however, it prioritizes the promotion of its own Google+ platform.
Managing Google+ Notifications
Upon creating a Google+ profile, many users find that notifications from the platform appear across various Google services.
Currently, Google does not offer a native option to completely deactivate these notifications.
Utilizing Browser Extensions
However, a workaround exists through the implementation of browser extensions.
For Chrome users, the Hide Google+ Notification extension provides a solution.
Firefox users can employ the Google Plus Notification Hider add-on to achieve a similar result.
These extensions effectively conceal the notifications from view.
Once installed, these tools prevent disruptive notifications while you navigate Google’s other platforms.
Notifications will only be visible when you directly access the Google+ site itself.
This allows for focused use of other Google services without constant interruption.
Leveraging Google+ for Enhanced Search
A further strategy for refining Google's integration involves actively utilizing Google+ itself. This approach personalizes search results to a greater extent.
For instance, after adding How-To Geek to your Google+ circles, content shared by them will become visible within your search feed.
Whether favored or not, Google+ appears to be a persistent element of the Google ecosystem. Users will need to adapt to its presence, either by embracing it or finding ways to navigate its features.
Alternative search engines, such as Bing, remain available for those seeking a different experience.