Google experiments with new desktop SERP layout
Yesterday, whereas indulging in my every day spot of ego-browsing essential analysis, I was stunned to seek out Google providing me a totally new format.
It appears Google is as soon as once more experimenting with a card-based mostly SERP for desktop, the place every result’s positioned in its personal separated field such as you would usually see on a cellular search.
This is the seek for an album assessment I lately revealed…
These playing cards seem all the best way down the web page…
Assuming this may increasingly simply be a one-off, or particular to ‘evaluations’, I then looked for my very favorite question…
All the outcomes are ‘carded’ as soon as once more, with News outcomes given their very own particular space.
I additionally tried an area seek for ‘london steak eating places’…
Not solely are the leads to card-type, however Google is displaying an area three-pack right here, somewhat than the 2-pack its been experimenting with lately.
There are a couple of fascinating issues to notice on this experiment…
- The variety of outcomes (eleven plus News outcomes) on the brand new format is strictly the identical because the ’commonplace’ format.
- The snippet width is considerably longer on the cardboard-based mostly SERP. There are roughly 20 additional characters right here than on the usual width.
- On cellular there’s gray shading between the playing cards so as to add additional delineation, that is lacking on the desktop model.
- After a flurry of searches, I am not being served the brand new look SERP 🙁
The timing is fascinating…
Just a couple of days in the past, Google’s core algorithm skilled vital turbulence, which led many specialists to consider a change is coming.
Google has additionally lately been testing one other desktop UI variation, by growing the spacing between outcomes. According to The SEM Post the check provides a a lot cleaner look with extra white area, nevertheless it additionally signifies that outcomes get pushed additional down the web page.
However it ought to be famous that Google has experimented with this card-based mostly format earlier than. Way again in 2013 it underwent testing, however shortly disappeared quickly after. It then appeared once more earlier this yr in May.
Although neither check led to a roll-out, there’s clearly a cause why it retains coming again. It does make for a cleaner SERP, with outcomes feeling neater and higher organised. And maybe Google persists with the check as a result of it will make its desktop and cellular UI constant.
Maybe in a yr’s time we’ll know the winner within the battle of ’more room’ vs. ‘playing cards’. Or perhaps we’ll be gazing one thing utterly totally different…
Personally my fingers are crossed for outcomes showing one-at-a-time on display by way of more and more elaborate star-wipes.