2 or 3 Huge Google Changes You Need to Know About!
I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that we all use Google services numerous times per day. Perhaps you look for images, or technical support or even potential clients. No matter, the display of google.com results is changing and you need to be aware of those changes.
Why your Google search results look different
Have you been on Google lately? If so, do not adjust your set — nothing is wrong with the website. Google is unrolling a brand new look for its search engine results, and not everyone was prepared for the change.
This isn’t the first time Google has deployed a major change to the way it serves up results to visitors. Recently, the company integrated a state-of-the-art AI called BERT with its search engine to understand natural speech and writing even better. Tap or click here to learn more about these changes.
But this time around, Google’s new changes aren’t just going on behind the scenes. Users will see visible, graphical tweaks next to their search engine results — and Google thinks it might help combat misinformation from spreading on its platforms. Here’s what you need to look out for next time you search on Google.
Google adds website icons to its search results. Every single one.
If you attempt to look up something on Google today, you may be surprised to see changes to the way your results look. Starting this week for desktop users, every result will include a small icon indicating the source website. Ads will feature bolded text and an “Ad” icon to stand out from ordinary results.
This follows search engine changes for mobile users, who began seeing similar icons next to search results as recently as last year.
As an example for our readers, if you looked up The Kim Komando Show on Google, it would previously show results in the traditional, list-like fashion Google became famous for.
But now, as you can see, each result comes with a small icon that shows the branding of its source. The Komando.com results feature our website’s icon, while the YouTube channel and Wikipedia page for Kim feature their website’s respective symbols.
But why the sudden change?
Google actually has reasons for making this move. According to the company, this is a direct effort to combat misinformation spreading around the web, and will help searchers make better decisions about the sites they visit.
The implications for this are huge — and potentially helpful in terms of cybersecurity. Fraudulent websites and shady sources will stick out like sore thumbs compared to their mainstream counterparts, which will help users avoid the pitfalls of malicious websites and fake news.
That is, of course, until the scammers behind these sites figure out the power of graphic design. And decent spelling, for that matter. Tap or click here to see a perfect example of a shoddy scam site that won’t pass the smell test.
Of course, there is a chance this change could backfire on Google. The company has already been criticized for playing favorites with search results, and fledgling websites that don’t have adequate graphics or resources may suffer as a result of these changes. Tap or click here to see some of the accusations.
Ultimately, this may prove to be a benefit to Google users, but it’ll be a while before we know whether the changes were worth it. In the meantime, make sure to scan your search results carefully. Fake and malicious sites will be easier to spot now, more than ever.
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Thanks to Kim Komando f0r a great article!
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