Posted by
Shay Harel
Welcome to an all-new year for the SERP News! To kick start 2019 Google gave us multiple changes to Featured Snippets while a bug has kicked AMP results off the mobile SERP! At the same time, we’ve added a new segment of local data to our SERP Feature Trackers that lets you see the scope of hotel Local Packs. Might I add that January also saw the first algorithm update of the year!
Let’s dig in, shall we?
AMP Pages Disappear from the SERP!
It seems a bug of sorts caused some AMP content to disappear off the face of the SERP. According to reports, some publishers and site managers saw their AMP content appear on the SERP only for it to suddenly disappear. We noted a steep decline in organic AMP on the SERP that correlates to the timing of these reports. According to our data, it seems the issue began on January 24th. Since then, organic AMP has seen a 10 percentage point decline in its SERP showing – a roughly 35% loss.
Organic AMP sees a steep decline as Google deals with a bug preventing AMP pages from appearing on the SERP
Google was quick to respond to the reports of AMP’s absence. Accordingly, the issue has been resolved and AMP has returned to its normal display level.
Featured Snippet Changes Abound as 2019 Comes Roaring In
It was an odd month on the SERP. Outside of the disappearing
Featured Snippet Content Highlights
Starting things off is a new ability Google gave AMP pages that show up in a Featured Snippet. Now when users click on a Featured Snippet URL that leads to an AMP page, Google will highlight the snippet’s content on the page itself. In other words, a user no longer would need to scour the page to see where the content used within the Featured Snippet is located. Instead, Google is highlighting said content (again, only for AMP pages).
Featured Snippet content highlighted on an AMP page (Image Source: SearchEngineLand)
If this is meant to somehow encourage AMP adoption, I fear it will have the opposite result. First off, as Barry Schwartz noted, by proceeding directly to the highlight users may be bypassing some critical call to actions or ads. Also, by giving users the ability to jump directly to the featured content there’s less of a chance that the user will skim, let alone read your page. That means there is less of a chance that users will come to think of you as an authority on the topic and a source of future content.
Proceeding directly to the snippet’s content (do not pass go, do not collect $200) is also a bit hard to understand from a user’s point of view. What new content are they getting? The only advantage I can see is that maybe some of the content placed near the highlight will be of relevance.
PDF URLs Found in Featured Snippets
Twitter was abuzz as Kevin Indig found a Featured Snippet with content coming from a PDF. The find opens all sorts of cans of worms
Google Is Asking for Featured Snippet Feedback
Since the start of the month users have spotted Google running a blue bar under some Featured Snippets asking if they found its content helpful. I’ve personally seen the bar appear pretty consistently over the past month or so. Though not present for all Featured Snippets, I’ve seen the bar often enough to consider it “prevalent.” It’s unclear if this is a temporary test or if Google is moving towards showing the bar instead of the usual feedback labeling (though, as of late their appearance seems to have tapered off).
The spreading of such an element makes perfect sense. Featured Snippets are the bread and butter of voice search and have been the source of controversy in the past. Of course, this “test” comes as Google seeks to bolster its public perception and aura of authority.
A bar asking if a Featured Snippet is helpful that was shown often during January
Mobile Knowledge Panels Are Starting To Look Strangely Similar to Featured Snippets
So technically this is not a change to Featured Snippets, but to mobile Knowledge Panels. Hair-splitting aside, some mobile Knowledge Panels are adopting a “Featured Snippet look.” In some cases, this means bolded content and a header (much the way many Featured Snippets are formatted).
Take the example I spotted below. Not only does this Knowledge Panel include bolded text it also includes a URL format that is alien to the Knowledge Panel but looks mighty like the format used in Featured Snippets. In this case, take note of the image format Google went with. Most mobile Knowledge Panels offer a plethora of images, here you have one lead image with the URL inside of it. This is exactly how images appear in many mobile Featured Snippets!
New Hotel Local Pack Data
Back in November, Google changed the format for hotel Local Packs. The new look on
Hotel Local Packs show on roughly 4.5% of desktop SERPs in the US
A first look at the data shows that hotel Local Packs show on roughly 4.5% of desktop SERPs (US) and on about 5% of mobile SERPs (US). That means that as of this writing hotel Local Packs are responsible for 9% of all desktop Local Packs and nearly 12% of all mobile Local Packs.
The First Algorithm Update of 2019!
According to our Rank Risk Index, Google pushed the button on yet another algorithm update on January 7th.
January presented a few mild increases in rank fluctuations throughout the month
Per the index, the update lasted for five consecutive days during which rank fluctuations levels teetered from being moderately high to just plain high. At the peak of the rollout, we recorded rank fluctuations being as high as 74/100 on the index.
Throughout the rest of the month, there were indications of smaller changes to the algorithm that were signified by short one or two day increases in rank fluctuations. In all such cases, only moderate increases in rank fluctuations were recorded.
Additional Changes to the Google SERP in January 2019
As I’ve mentioned, the January SERP and the changes made to it had a bit of a different feel or “vibe” to it. Aside for the lack of blockbuster changes to the results page, some of the changes/tests we saw in January weren’t your typical run of the mill updates to the Local Pack or Knowledge Panel.
That said, I like nostalgia, so let’s start with those updates that were made to the Local Pack and Knowledge Panel so as to breath the air of familiarity… and move on from there!
Video as the Lead Image in the Knowledge Panel
Towards the end of January, I noticed a peculiar Knowledge Panel on
A query for
In this case, a query for
The Messaging Button in the Local Panel Gets Bigger
For some time now, Google has offered businesses the opportunity to add a “Message” button to their business listing. However, just as the month rolled in Google began testing a far larger version of the ‘Message’ button.
A more noticeable ‘Message’ button being tested in the Local Panel (Image Source: SERoundtable.com)
Setting the feature up connects the Local Panel to your phone, as you’ll receive message notifications on your mobile device (though this may soon change). That’s important to note, as being timely in responding is important. Personally, I have not seen many businesses use the feature. I wonder how many users would use the feature as their “first contact” with a business, though I know some business are quite fond of the messaging element.
More Link Possibilities for Google Posts
Should you be the verified author of a Knowledge Panel Google is giving you the opportunity to insert links by using anchor text within Google Posts.
Google Posts showing anchor text links
The added ability is nice, however, at the time of this writing Google is still pushing Google Posts down within the mobile Knowledge Panel thereby limiting their exposure. I’m not sure Google can keep burning the candle at both ends, adding some great new features but still keeping Google Posts towards the bottom of the mobile panel.
Local Match Score in Local Packs for Culinary Happiness
Here’s a curious one, Google was spotted testing a “match score” within the Local Pack. Shown next to the reviews, the Local Pack match score told users how likely they are to enjoy a restaurant.
A test showing a match score indicating your propensity to enjoy a restaurant
I’m curious, should Google move ahead with the score, what will its impact on Local Pack ranking be? Will a restaurant that’s a bit further away but has a better match score rank higher in the Local Pack than a closer establishment with a lower score?
Streaming Options on the SERP
Google seems to be offering a more pronounced mobile element that shows you where a movie or TV show is available to be streamed. This is not a wide-spread change, though I have seen it here and there. What I do see far more often is a separate box at the top of the desktop SERP that indicates where a film or show is available to be streamed. This “Answer Box” is shown in conjunction with the entity’s Knowledge Panel.
A box showing streaming options that
Sparse SERPs for Europe
Here we move away from Local Packs and Knowledge Panels. More than that, we move away from images altogether! In response to the EU’s copyright directive, Google has been releasing bareboned SERPs throughout Europe. By the end of January, there
A European SERP showing with no images and a stripped down
Without getting into the nitty-gritty of Google’s EU predicament, the above SERP is obviously striking and drastic.
Google to Take on Sensationalist News Headlines?
Well, not exactly. What Google did say is that they are aware that sensationalist news headlines make their way into the News Box. It’s not clear what they plan on doing about it. Again, poor news results have been a problem for a bit of time now and there have been serious questions as to Google’s ability to prevent inaccurate news content from appearing on the SERP.
It’s interesting to note Google’s statement comes but a few weeks after they announced their new local news CMS and partnership with WordPress.
Rich Result Tool Updated
Rich results are certainly one of the *** topics within the SEO industry. Fittingly, on January 7th Google gave the Rich Results Test Tool a welcomed upgrade. Now webmasters can edit the code and see what effect those edits would have within the tool itself. Meaning, before implementing any changes you’ll have an idea of how those changes will affect your results on the SERP.
A New Special Sports SERP Feature
I consider my being a sports fan to be an asset to my SEO endeavors. Point in case, when searching for something related to the NBA (America’s most popular professional basketball league) I came across this:
This is not an organic “feature.” Rather, the NBA entered into a sponsored partnership with Google so as to allow users to vote for players to be selected to the all-star game via the SERP. The feature, in it of itself, is fascinating. That said, I wonder if this is the start of a new trend where Google will create SERP features for pay.
Activity Cards Now on the SERP
Last up, Activity Cards. As part of Google’s
Bigger Changes to Come?
Is this what we can expect from Google going forward? A series of changes to the SERP without any major bombshells? No way! January was an aberration. There will certainly be more high-profile changes to the SERP coming our way. Google’s John Mueller has already hinted that major changes are coming to image search. As for the January SERP and its less prominent changes, I would just chalk it up to it being the start of the year.
As always, if you see anything strange or new on the SERP, let me know!
Thanks for reading!
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