Have you noticed Google Instant when you are searching on Google?  It's default for a search query, so unless you've turned it off or have a real slow connection (it self-deactivates for slow connections) you've seen Google Instant.

When you type in a search query, Google Instant "auto-completes" suggestions so you don't need to even finish typing what you're searching for!

Says Google,"...people type slowly, but read quickly... Google Instant means that you can scan a results page, while you type." To do this, Google has to make predictions about what you are about to type - it tries to figure out what's in your head.  Yet another secret google algorithm.  

I'm guessing it "auto-completes" based on what you are most likely to type, in other words, popularity of request.   

You could be thinking one thing, but Google offers a completely different direction.  You are presented with the boredom of continuing to type, or just taking the easy route - something on the drop down list.

I don't normally think of myself as lazy, but even I typically pick something from instant's drop-down!

What are the implications for Search Engine Optimization?  To me the biggest change will be the death of "long-tail" keywords.  If you really wanted "pizza with white cheese and organic crust"  - lots of words for a nice "long-tail" keyword, which normally I would love to put in as a keyword on a page, and drive lots of targeted eyeballs to that page - YOU'D NEVER FINISH TYPING IT!  Google Instant would suggest something and you'd just stop typing.

"Long-tail" keywords would enable a website to have lots of keywords that the site was built around.  

Call them "umbrella" websites, if you will; If you had a restaurant site, you could drive people to your site who were looking for chocolate soufflé with raspberries, or pizza with white cheese and organic crust. Now it won't happen.  You need separate complete websites for each keyword type or you'll never get placement. At the very least you need separate pages within your site for a specific keyword.   

Or..well, pay for Google Adwords, or the latest, Google Boost (see my previous blog).

(They killed Tags, by the way, $25/month for a yellow tag isn't going to drive Google's top line hard enough.)

WITH GOOGLE INSTANT, SEARCH GOT EASIER FOR CONSUMERS, AND HARDER FOR MARKETERS.