Google personalises web search

Search engine Google is testing new services that provide web users with personalised search results based on their own preferences.

Google Personalised Web Search and Google Web Alerts let surfers define what interests them so they can receive customised results based on those interests.

To use the Personalised Search service users have to create a profile choosing what they like such as music, sport, arts/cinemas and regions. When searching you can control the degree of personalisation in your search results using a slider.

Google Web Alerts are automatic email updates on the topics you have chosen. You can receive daily or weekly emails with links to new web page results as well as top stories from Google News.

Larry Page, co-founder and president at Google products, said: “Today, Google takes the first step in providing personal search based on users’ preferences. We can deliver search results tailored to your interests or promptly email you new information on any topic.”

Google search results pages also feature a new simple look with links across the top of the search box directing users to other Google services.