Same for me. We had a post on here about three months ago about how to set a cookie so that you saw the new design. I like the new design way better than the old one.
Does it really make that much difference? I type my queries into the search bar, and when I get the results, that's all I see. I don't notice the design at all unless it gets in my way.
I really hope they don't default the web search to "show more options". What I LOVE about Google is that I can start scanning down from top-left. Now I'd have a whole bar on the left I'd ignore 90% of the time. I know these bars help refine search for most people but it just doesn't feel comfortable to me.
Since I have seen it as a trial feature, I haven't liked it, and I commented to Google to that effect. I'd like to disable it entirely, or I will be driven to doing other kinds of searching more often.
After edit: for the rest of you who have seen this feature of the left side tools, have any of you been served up an option to turn it off?
Position of result clicked (including ads)
Number of result clicks per session (including ads)
% of sessions with 0 results
% of sessions with no click-through
etc.
Obviously, that's what they are interested in, in the long run-- but to test design changes, they need a more specific (and easily measurable) metric. And, no doubt, they have one. I just don't know what it might be.
To answer your question, if I was to pick up only one, the first that came to my mind was "pageviews". So, everything that increases pageviews is good. Well, not quite, because so is CTR, and in fact doubling CTR allows you to halve pageviews.
Anyway, whatever they think of, the ultimate step is money earned. No single path leads to this, but several, like pageviews, CTR, click value, searches per day, other services integration, etc...
Edited: You're thinking about A/B testing but I don't know if you're aware there's also multivariate testing, which Google does use (its optimizer easily creates A/B and multivariate).
This is the thought process and slippery slope that leads to sites like experts-exchange - with a large userbase, it's easy to create and demonstrate changes that result in bags of money in the medium term, yet destroy the long-term value and usage of your site.
I can't help but thinking that these changes seem fairly trivial. The article seems eager to claim that these are big deals. "The logo looks more modern"... Says who? The new-style buttons "[provide] more consistency between different browsers and operating systems". And less consistency between web pages on the same browser/system.
Anyway, it's confusing that the very first image, directly below the title, shows a search box that is tilted wrt its background. Now that would be innovate design... :-)
Well, some weeks ago Bing was claiming a profit of millions because they changed the hue of blue of their links.
All this "looks more modern", "provides more consistency" claims are subjective, sure, but if enough people think like this it's already a win for Google.
They've been trialling this for a while I think; my home computer has the new interface and has done for at least a week.
First impressions: "nicer" to look at for the most part - but no more or less functional (fresh is, I think, the best word for it). The sidebar is initially disconcerting/nasty but it's growing on me quickly.
The most significant change to me is the expanding of the "More Options" on the search results page by default. This page is critical for Google's ad revenue, so I assume they are measuring any reduction in adwords CTR and comparing that with the additional traffic being directed via the more options links.
I've not used this yet, but based from the screenshot it's a shame the time sorting/filtering options don't seem to be available or quickly accessible. I guess this is under 'more search tools'. I probably use this feature the most of those on the left panel.
I have never been good in the "Find the difference between two images", but I'm sure this guy is a pro. For instance, the blue border between the suggestion box..
I only visit the Google front page when articles like this one remind me to. I'd have though most of HN searched directly in the address/search bars like me...
