Have you noticed how recently your site has been doing so much better on Google? Those SEO efforts are really paying off, right?
Wrong! Google is showing you what you want to see.
Actually it’s been going on a long while. In April 2009 Goog introduced Personalized Search for everyone. Basically this means that your Google results are by default customised for you, based on your last 180 days’ search activity (your “Web History”), whether you are signed in to a Google account or not. So if you frequently check out your web pages’ SERPs for particular keyword searches, you’ll see those pages rise in the SERPs until, wonder of wonders, you’re top!
For the cold, hard truth you should turn off personalised search.
For an even clearer picture, logging out of Google entirely & appending a geolocation to your URL can also alter the results.
See the difference between:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&gl=uk&q=Binary+Law
and,
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&gl=us&q=Binary+Law
In America the SERPS can change while travelling from State to State. It’s a milder difference in Canada, but we still see some as you travel east-west. There isn’t always a tactical advantage to be had here, but there are times when building around regional markets, this can help filter the flow of traffic.
FWIW. :)
Another way to prevent the Google personalisation is to refuse cookies from them. This is a browser setting usually held under tools or options.
If you are aware of not getting objective search results and dislike it, then you are going to suffer in order to get them. By refusing cookies and signing out of Google you are closing yourself to things like easy logins and other useful things cookie also do.
Personally I think, Unless you are a SEO or otherwise involved in the SERPs tracking Game then you should be happy with the Personalised results, they are often more relevant and useful.