MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Google has (once again) changed the way it features sponsored ads and search result links when you create a new search.
The recent move is nothing new to Google. The company has been changing the way sponsored search results are displayed for nearly the last ten years. For the last several days, more and more users are noticing the change now that the rollout has made its way to desktop devices.
What does this mean for you? It means it is harder to tell which posts show up organically and which ones were sponsored, or ‘boosted,’ to show up at the top of your search.
What does that mean for advertisers? Well, it’s a good thing for them. Now, since it’s more difficult to determine which ones are ads and which ones are not, it’s less likely you’ll be deterred from clicking. Ultimately, it means more money for advertisers.
Next time you Google search on your phone, you will notice a small image known as a favicon. It is featured to the left of all search results indicating which site is which on mobile devices and desktop.
For years, Google’s evolution of changing ad appearances has gained attention of users.
Color fade: A history of Google ad labeling in search results https://t.co/guo3jc4kwz pic.twitter.com/LMYqhmgfyE
— Ginny Marvin (@GinnyMarvin) July 25, 2016
Google responded in a series of tweets on Friday about the rollout and is going to begin revisiting its appearance.
Last week we updated the look of Search on desktop to mirror what’s been on mobile for months. We’ve heard your feedback about the update. We always want to make Search better, so we’re going to experiment with new placements for favicons….
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) January 24, 2020
