Search results pages in Google have recently started displaying a new format for site links featuring short descriptions and URL snippets, as well as taking up almost all of the much coveted above the fold space.
Site links are Google’s attempts at finding shortcuts for users. They analyse a site’s structure and help users navigate to your site and find the information they're looking for. There has been a slow roll-out of these jumbo site links for some months but it seems the new structure can now be seen on navigational searches for most users.
An additional four site links are included in this new structure, displaying twelve over the eight we’re used to seeing.
A search for Receptional yields these mighty site links:
When compared with the old layout, or more generic searches without site links, the difference is remarkable - the new format takes the space of up to seven results.
It’s difficult at this stage to report whether the new layout will increase traffic for webmasters. Indeed, it can only be good news for brand owners, but first place results already see a very large percentage of clicks in navigational searches. Some commentators have remarked that the large size takes up too much search real estate on Google’s SERPs and makes it harder to rank and compete for a brand name.
Are you seeing these new site links displayed? Let us know what you think of the updated format below.
Comments
More power to the brand!
More power to the brand! Very nice... expect that the link building pages are stuffed in the bottom left :(
Google webmaster tools updated also
To coincide with this new feature, Google Webmaster Tools (GWT) has also had an update to its sitelinks section (navigate to "Site Configuration > Sitelinks"). Historically a webmaster had a fair degree of control over the sitelinks, with an easy ability to "block" those links which the webmaster considered low quality for the SERPs or if it was taking up real estate for a better sitelink to be displayed. Now however, Google have complicated matters considerably more by not even displaying your sitelinks in GWT. Google has also changed the way they describe the removal of sitelinks from "block" to "demote".
Overall, this change in GWT will present many webmasters with less control over their websites in Google and will likely create confusion for amateur webmasters with limited knowledge of GWT options. Personally I prefered the old format however with the current frequency of changes to Google sitelinks and SERPs display I'm sure it won't be long until we're all familiarising ourselves with the next iteration!
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