Google's changes come amid growing complaints about the search engine's usefulness due to the prevalence of SEO-optimized, machine-written content. The company is also testing its own generative AI answer engine, Search Generative Experience, and an experiment that allows users to annotate web pages with notes. Google is updating its Search Console with new reporting to support site owners in implementing these changes and both features will also be available in the Rich Results Test for validation.
Key takeaways:
- Google has introduced new tools for website owners to better elevate their content in Google’s search results, including a new ProfilePage markup that allows sites to showcase creators' profiles directly in search results.
- The company is updating its ranking algorithm to push more firsthand perspectives higher in search results, making them easier to find.
- Google is also introducing the DiscussionForumPosting markup to better recognize and index conversations from online forums or discussion sites.
- Google is testing its own generative AI answer engine, Search Generative Experience, and an experiment that allows users to annotate web pages with notes.