Google is rolling out an updated look for paid and organic search results on desktop, bringing it more inline with the look of mobile search results.
The updated design includes a more prominent “Ad” label for paid results, at least in Google’s estimation, as well as favicons next to organic results.
Here’s a mockup shared by Google:
Last year, our search results on mobile gained a new look. That’s now rolling out to desktop results this week, presenting site domain names and brand icons prominently, along with a bolded “Ad” label for ads. Here’s a mockup: pic.twitter.com/aM9UAbSKtv
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) January 13, 2020
Changes to Paid Search Results
Google’s search ads on desktop now have a bolded “Ad” label in black text. Google says the label is more prominent, but early feedback suggests users are finding the paid results harder to identify.
Here’s what paid results used to look like on desktop, with the word “Ad” in green and contained in a green box:
In the new design, Google has moved the URL above the headline text and also styled it in black. Paid results now look virtually identical to organic results, as the new “Ad” label could pass as a favicon if you’re not looking close enough.
Changes to Organic Search Results
Like paid results, Google has moved the URL in organic snippets above the page title and changed it from green to black.
The more prominent change is the inclusion of favicons, which now gives site owners one more thing to optimize when it comes to desktop search.
If the new design looks similar it’s because Google brought these same design changes to mobile search results last year. The changes to desktop search results are said to be rolling out over the coming week.
