Google Helps You Validate Sources Directly in Search Results

Updates to Google Search will help you determine if a website is a trustworthy source of information before clicking a link in search results.

Announced today at Google’s annual SearchOn event, the company is introducing new ways to provide context about the information people find on the web

In addition, Google is rolling out more information literacy features, based on research and best practices from experts.

Here’s more about what Google is doing to add context to SERPs, and what this means for the search experience and your website.

Expanding ‘About This Result’ Cards

Google is expanding the recently introduced ‘about this result’ cards to help searchers learn more about sources and topics in search results.

When you tap the three dots on any search result, you can bring up an ‘about this result’ card.

These cards were introduced as a beta test in February 2021 as a way to give searchers basic information about domains.

At launch, the ‘about this result’ cards included the following details:

• Description of the domain
• Whether the domain is secure
• The full URL of the search result
• Whether the result is organic or an advertisement

The cards received a substantial update in July 2021 when Google added information about why a particular result is ranked in search.

After utilizing the ‘about this result’ cards to answer the “who” and the “why?” of a particular page, Google is now answering “what?”

As in – what is this topic about?

A new “About the topic” section shows information such as top news coverage, or results about the same topic from other sources.

Screenshot from blog.google.com, September 2021.

In addition, the cards are getting even more information about a source.

Along with a description from Wikipedia, the ‘about this result’ card will display what a site says about itself in its own words (when that information is available.)

Screenshot from blog.google.com, September 2021.

Lastly, you can use the ‘about this result’ card to find out what others on the web have said about a site:

Screenshot from blog.google.com, September 2021.

Reading what others on the web have written about a site can help you make better assessments of sources.

“People don’t just come to Google looking for quick facts. They often really want to explore the information that’s out there, and learn about where it’s coming from — especially in situations where there’s a source they may not be familiar with.

We want to make it easier to evaluate information with this update to About This Result, which will be rolling out in the coming weeks in English in the United States. And we’re working to bring About This Result to more countries around the world.”

More Context About Rapidly Changing Events

Google is now going to provide more context in search results about rapidly changing events.

Specifically, when an event is evolving so quickly that it may be tough to discern fact from fiction, Google will display an alert that reads:

“It looks like these results are changing quickly.

If this topic is new it can sometimes take time for results to be added by reliable sources.”

Screenshot from blog.google.com, September 2021.

When that notice is displayed searchers will know to be extra cautious in verifying the information they’re about to read.

Source: blog.google.com

Featured Image: Screenshot from blog.google.com, September 2021.