14 DAY TRIAL // After announcing that it will introduce app results to search queries, Google has just added another tweak to its mobile search results.
The changes, which apply only to users in the United States for the time being, will improve the presentation of URLs in the search results.
So from now on, when you search for a term, instead of being presented with a domain name, the results will show an actual site name, plus the URL structure of the site in what’s being touted as “breadcrumbs-like format.”
Google's mobile search changes are pretty subtle
Basically, instead of seeing in green en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google when looking up the Wikipedia page for Google, you will see Wikipedia > wiki > Google instead.
The second change adds a set of links with the purpose of providing an easier trail to a webpage. Google’s own example of breadcrumb includes Books > Authors > Stephen King or Books > Fiction > Horror.
There’s also a new integration for search, which includes support for schema.org structured data for websites to signal to Google’s algorithms:
- The website name to be used instead of the domain name;
- The URL structure of the URL as breadcrumbs.
If you’re an interested developer, you can go check out the documentation which will provide you with code examples following this link.
“Well-structured URLs offers users a quick hint about the page topic and how the page fits within the website. To help mobile searchers understand your websites better when we show in the mobile search results, today we’re updating the algorithms that display URLs in the search results to better reflect the names of websites, using the real-world name of the site instead of the domain name plus the URL structure of sites in a breadcrumbs-like format,” says Google.
Not all users can spot the changes
The changes being made by Google to the mobile search results are rolling out slowly, so don’t expect to see the replacement of the domain names if you’re not located into the US. At least, not just yet. Moreover, breadcrumbs are rolling out gradually.
However, it shouldn't be long before we see the changes become available for everyone.