Google Search API Results Completely Different from Google.com Results

Question

Below is one Json item returned from this query and this is the query:

https://www.googleapis.com/customsearch/v1?key={key}&cx={key}&q=Action+Motivation%2c+Inc.&alt=json

The "dc.type" in the Json is "Patent" and this is obviously patent data BUT I didn't specify that search engine. I've googled this to death but can't find anything re why patent data would be returned from a simple query like this. If Google "Action Motivation, Inc." on the regular google.com page, I get completely different (normal) results. Has anyone had this problem?

"items": [   
  {
   "kind": "customsearch#result",
   "title": "Patent US5622527 - Independent action stepper - Google Patents",
   "htmlTitle": "Patent US5622527 - Independent \u003cb\u003eaction\u003c/b\u003e stepper - Google Patents",
   "link": "https://www.google.com/patents/US5622527",
   "displayLink": "www.google.com",
   "snippet": "Apr 22, 1997 ... Original Assignee, Icon Health & Fitness, Inc., Proform Fitness ....",
   "htmlSnippet": "Apr 22, 1997 \u003cb\u003e...\u003c/b\u003e Original Assignee, Icon Health &amp; Fitness..."
   "formattedUrl": "https://www.google.com/patents/US5622527",
   "htmlFormattedUrl": "https://www.google.com/patents/US5622527",
   "pagemap": {
    "book": [
     {
      "description": "A motivational exercise stepping machine has a pair of independently operable pivoting treadles for operation..."
      "url": "https://www.google.com/patents/US5622527?utm_source=gb-gplus-share",
      "name": "Patent US5622527 - Independent action stepper",
      "image": "https://www.google.com/patents?id=&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1"
     }
    ],
    "metatags": [
     {
      ***"dc.type": "Patent"***,
      "dc.title": "Independent action stepper",
      "dc.contributor": "William T. Dalebout",
      "dc.date": "1994-3-23",
      "dc.description": "A motivational exercise stepping machine has a pair of independently operable pivoting treadles for operation by a user's feet. Each treadle..."
      "dc.relation": "JP:S5110842"
     }
    ]
   }
  },
  {

Is it possible, then, that the API searches a different data set than www.google.com does? — Tim Bostwick, Apr 25 '14 at 20:28
Look at my older answer here: http://stackoverflow.com/a/22703153/1190665 Google has no interest in you having accurate results. Their main business is advertisements regarding to ranking, they consider their organic results (that's how you call their ranking) to be their proprietary data. The API is only useful for some purposes of lower activity and if you do not care about the real results a human would see. You can get around it anyway but don't expect their support :) — John, Dec 04 '14 at 02:18

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 31 '15 at 09:03

When using their API, you can issue around 40 requests per hour. The results you see on the API is not what the real user sees. You are limited to what they give you, it's not really useful if you want to track ranking positions or what a real user would see. That's something you are not allowed to gather.

If you want a higher amount of API requests you need to pay. 60 requests per hour cost 2000 USD per year, more queries require a custom deal.

Google Search API Results Completely Different from Google.com Results

1 Answers1

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