On October 21, 2024, Google announced that it will be officially deprecating the sitelinks search box feature. Originally launched over a decade ago, this feature allowed users to search within a specific website directly from the main Google search results page.
However, as Google shared, “usage has dropped” over the years, and as a result, the sitelinks search box will be retired globally on November 21, 2024. This change applies across all countries and languages, removing the familiar internal search functionality from the search results.
It’s important to note that this change does not affect regular sitelinks—those grouped links from the same domain displayed beneath a main search result. Only the sitelinks search box functionality is being removed at this time.
For many organizations that focused on enhancing internal site search, this change marks a notable shift. It’s particularly relevant for organizations that have invested in developing their on-site search functionality with the aim of attracting more direct engagement through Google’s sitelinks search box.
For Schema App’s customers, this update may bring mixed feelings, especially since some have found it to be a valuable asset in increasing site engagement and conversions.
Key Points From Google’s Announcement
Google’s deprecation of the sitelinks search box includes several notable details:
Global Removal: This change will affect all languages, countries, and regions.
No Ranking Impact: The sitelinks search box removal will not impact search rankings or other sitelinks in the search results.
Structured Data Still Appropriate: Although the sitelinks search box markup will no longer trigger a visual element in search results, Google confirmed that leaving unsupported markup will not result in errors in Search Console or affect site performance.
Impact on Search Console: After November 21, 2024, Google will remove the sitelinks search box report from Search Console and the markup highlight from its Rich Results Test tool.
What This Means for Your Website
This announcement may leave site owners wondering what steps to take. Should we remove the sitelinks search box markup, or leave it? Here’s what we recommend:
No Need to Rush Removal: Since Google clarified that leaving the sitelinks search box structured data won’t cause errors in Search Console, removing it isn’t an urgent requirement. Unsupported structured data will not trigger errors or warnings.
Consider Long-Term Structured Data Strategy: With the sitelinks search box gone, this is a good time to look at other structured data opportunities. Organizations can benefit from deploying comprehensive Schema Markup on their site to improve search visibility and highlight key information. Other structured data features, such as Product and Review snippets, remain supported and can help drive additional engagement.
Schema App’s Recommended Plan of Action
While Google’s use of Schema Markup to power specific features may change to better match user behavior and intent, maintaining accurate and high-quality Schema Markup remains essential. By implementing meaningful, semantic Schema Markup, you can continue to strengthen your Content Knowledge Graph, creating contextual connections between entities across your site. This enhances visibility beyond individual search features.
This strategy is reflective of the advice we offered after Google’s deprecation of FAQ rich results. Even when a specific rich result is removed, we encourage our customers to maintain structured data where it adds value, as it can support other search features or applications that leverage this data.
For instance, while sitelinks search box will soon be gone, Google is simultaneously introducing new Schema Types, like ShippingService for eCommerce sites, emphasizing that structured data remains integral to their ecosystem. By continuing to mark up your site’s content thoughtfully, you can stay agile as search evolves.
Schema App is Here to Help You Stay Agile as Search Evolves
As Google retires the sitelinks search box, it’s a reminder for all of us in digital marketing to remain agile. Schema App is here to help our Enterprise Customers continue leveraging structured data to support search engine understanding and visibility, regardless of which features Google chooses to keep, change, or remove.
Want to Discuss How This Impacts Your Site?
Our team at Schema App is here to guide you through any changes and keep you informed about the best Schema Markup strategies to use going forward.
To our valued customers, if you have any questions about how this change may affect your site, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Customer Success Manager. We’re here to help you navigate these updates and ensure your Schema Markup strategy continues to support your goals.
For those who aren’t yet customers but are interested in learning more about our end-to-end Schema Markup and Knowledge Graph solutions, we invite you to get in touch with us here. Let’s explore how Schema App can help you build a powerful, adaptable search presence.
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Andrea Badder
Andrea Badder is a Digital Marketing Specialist at Schema App. Schema App is an end-to-end Schema Markup solution that helps enterprise SEO teams create, deploy and manage Schema Markup to stand out in search.
