Google Now Allows Search Result Previews

Google pushes the boundaries in search even further by creating a speedier and more useful user experience with its new feature, Instant Previews

Launched early this week, Google Instant Previews gives users the ability to see a website without leaving the Google search results page. Google does this by taking a screenshot of every webpage in its index and giving users access to it via a magnifying glass icon that sits to the right of every search result.
When a user clicks or hovers over the magnifying glass, a screenshot of the chosen webpage will appear on the right side of the search results page. It’s an at-a-glance view of the website’s content without actually having to visit the webpage.

The key element to Instant Previews though is that Google highlights the section of the page where the search term occurs. Imagine you’re trying to find information on a specific person on a page that lists dozens or hundreds of people. Instead of having to scroll through the entire page to find the person, you can just look at the Instant Preview and see where they are on the page.

Google says that there are a few specific use cases where Instant Previews are especially useful. For example, when users are looking for specific charts, graphs or pictures, Instant Previews will show them where the search term occurs and they’ll quickly see whether the graph is appropriate to their search or not. Another is people search; by using Instant Preview, a user can quickly scan the page and find out if the page is about the person they’re looking for.
This feature is also helpful if people are searching for a resort they want to book for their holidays.  They can easily preview the resort’s website and quickly decide if they want to pursue the booking based on what they have seen.

Are you thrilled about Google Instant Previews?  Will this have an impact on your website traffic?