Got a long, complex Internet search? Google says it can handle it

SAN FRANCISCO -- For those of you who routinely type long, complex questions into the Google search box, rather than just a few random keywords, this search engine update is for you.

Google revealed Thursday that it has quietly changed the formula that governs how its search engine delivers answers.

Amit Singhal, senior vice president of Google Search, said the update is called “Hummingbird.” Google rolled it out sometime in the last month.

Singhal said it was the most dramatic change to its search engine since “Caffeine” three years ago. He called it a “fundamental rethinking of the algorithm” to give better answers to those long-winded searches from users.

Google made the announcement in the Menlo Park garage where the company got its start 15 years ago.

Websites keep close tabs on how Google modifies its search engine because any change in search rankings can have a dramatic effect on how much traffic they receive.

To give you an idea, in the U.S., Google gets 2 out of every 3 search requests. Its share of searches is even higher in Europe.

But there have not been any complaints so far. In fact, Singhal chuckled that none of the media present had noticed that a change had taken place.

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