The New Google SERP Provides a Better Sense of Sources

People have been dunking on this Google layout change (announced below by @searchliaison), but for the record I think it will be good for helping people spot sources and sponsored content. And that’s far more important than all the concerns of layout purists.

“Last year, our search results on mobile gained a new look. That’s now rolling out to desktop results this week, presenting site domain names and brand icons prominently, along with a bolded “Ad” label for ads. Here’s a mockup”

This is the OLD layout below. What I’ve noticed with students is they do not see the URL or ad designation at all. It’s hidden under a massive page title, and the green text is almost designed to go unnoticed

Screenshot of old SERP

Additionally, you might think that the little word “Ad” in the rounded rectangle would pop, but somehow the fact it’s not text also makes the user skip over it.

Here’s the new version. I haven’t used this with students or faculty yet, but to my eyes the “Ad” pops and the URL is far more prominent. Part of that is just a novelty effect, but I think part of that is superior layout.

Screenshot of new SERP

The “Why this ad?” popup is under the down arrow, which isn’t new but is newly noticeable.

Finally, sincere thanks to the search team for resisting the scourge of making text in search snippets non-selectable, a madness that is slowly taking over the web at large. You can still select here, and that’s good for quick verification techniques and more broadly democracy.

(I’m serious about this, I teach the Google SERP b/c that’s where people are, but the minute snippet text becomes unselectable we’ll have to consider going elsewhere. Newer unselectable text designs just mess too many important techniques up — selectable text and context menus are the core of quick verification methods).