Google is introducing some noticeable changes to how it displays mobile search results, meant to better highlight the source behind each link. Mobile search results will soon display a website’s icon and name above the title of the specific page being surfaced.
Until now, Google has somewhat downplayed the source of search results, displaying a website’s name in a smaller font beneath each link.
The design will begin rolling out in the “next few days.” Google says the design is “coming first to mobile,” which a spokesperson clarified includes both web searches and the Google app.
With the updated design, Google’s mobile search starts to look a lot more like a news feed, filled with posts from various publishers on a specific subject. Emphasizing the source of information makes a lot of sense, particularly as concerns about fake news sources continue.
Websites have complete control over their name and icon, but the change could at least help, say, a New York Times link stand out over a link from a disreputable content farm, should Google happen to surface both on the same page.
Google also suggests this design change is something of a stepping stone to creating richer (and busier) search result pages.
More and more images and highlighted pieces of information have been appearing directly on the search page, and Google says this new design “allows us to add more action buttons and helpful previews.”
It sounds as though search results, which are each displayed as individual cards, are going to become increasingly interactive, letting you do and see more without actually visiting another page.
