Google has announced the retirement of the sitelinks search box feature.
This change, set to take effect on November 21, marks the end of a tool that has been part of Google Search for over a decade.
We're saying bye to the sitelinks search box in Google Search results starting Nov 21, 2024, as usage has dropped. This doesn't affect rankings or other sitelinks. The corresponding markup doesn't need to be removed, but won't be used by Google.https://t.co/RocxcjyXi4 pic.twitter.com/sJO3stqdKJ
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) October 21, 2024
The sitelinks search box, introduced in 2014, allowed users to perform site-specific searches directly from Google’s search results page.
It appeared above the sitelinks for certain websites, usually when searching for a company by name.
Declining Usage
Google cites declining usage as the reason for this decision, stating:
“Over time, we’ve noticed that usage has dropped.”
Potential Impact
Google affirms that removing the sitelinks search box won’t affect search rankings or the display of other sitelinks.
This change is purely visual and doesn’t impact a site’s position in search results.
Implementation
This update will be rolled out globally, affecting search results in all languages and countries.
Google has confirmed that the change won’t be listed in the Search status dashboard, indicating that it’s not considered a significant algorithmic update.
Search Console & Rich Results Test
Following the removal of the sitelinks search box, Google plans to update the following tools:
- The Search Console rich results report for sitelinks search box will be removed.
- The Rich Results Test will no longer highlight the related markup.
Structured Data Considerations
While you can remove the sitelinks search box structured data from their sites, Google says that’s unnecessary.
Unsupported structured data won’t cause issues in Search or trigger errors in Search Console reports.
It’s worth noting that the ‘WebSite’ structured data, also used for site names, continues to be supported.
Historical Context
The sitelinks search box was initially announced in September 2014 as an improvement to help users find specific website content more easily.
It supported features like autocomplete and allowed websites to implement schema markup for better integration with their own search pages.
Looking Ahead
Website owners and SEO professionals should take note of this update, though no immediate action is required.
Featured Image: MrB11/Shutterstock
