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Google recently launched its new and improved image search. Prior to the new image search, the user would need to click on the photo’s thumbnail and redirect to the site where the image came from in order to see the larger image. Now instead of clicking on the photo and visiting its website, users can select the image from the thumbnails and it will bring up the larger version of the image automatically without the need to travel to the source.

Google’s new image search makes it easier to quickly search through multiple images, however the change has publishers worried; will this mean fewer website visits? Google announced that it added a new button to visit the page the image is hosted on and the domain name is now clickable. This means there are four clickable links to the source page instead of just two. Google also went on to say that in tests, they have seen an increase in the average click-through rate to the hosting websites.

Check out what the new image search looks like here:

Yesterday, Facebook introduced Graph Search, an upgrade to its search tool. Graph Search will search the entire social network in order to answer more refined questions, like “photos of people who live in my area,” or “people who like cycling and are from my hometown.”

Up until yesterday, people using Facebook search really only had the ability to search for people and businesses. Now using Graph Search, users can search for people, photos, places and interests. According to Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, more features will be added as Graph Search is developed further.

As of yesterday, Graph Search is officially launched in beta, however users will need to get on a waitlist in order to gain access.

How do you think Graph Search will change the way you search on the Web?

According to TorrentFreak.com, Google has removed over 50 million URLs from the search results in 2012. It was expected that the number would rise due to Google’s Pirate update in August 2012, which involves the removal of sites that have a large number of legitimate DMCA takedown requests filed against them. The most “takedown” requests came from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). Check out the graph below that shows the dramatic increase in takedown requests that starts in August when the Pirate update was introduced.

Numbers are expected to keep rising in 2013. Unfamiliar with the Pirate Policy? Read this article from Search Engine Land that covers the update.

Google Improves Image Search

Google’s Site Takedowns Spiked in 2012, Expected to Keep Increasing in 2013