In a bid to enhance user experience and visibility for publishers, Google has revealed additional details regarding the implementation of its Digital Markets Act (DMA) preparations in European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The tech giant is set to introduce new search result features, offering users in the EEA an enriched and entity-focused search experience.
Visual and Entity Focused Results
Users conducting searches such as “hotels near me” in EEA countries are expected to encounter more visual and entity-focused results. The primary objectives of these new experiences are to provide users with comprehensive and relevant information tailored to their queries and to elevate the visibility of ecosystem participants, including aggregators, suppliers, and businesses, on the search results page.
Carousel Rich Result for Travel, Local, and Shopping Queries
A significant highlight is the introduction of a new carousel rich result for travel, local, and shopping queries. Structured data markup on web pages will enable the display of graphical elements and interactive experiences, including details such as price, rating, and images for entities on the page. The carousel allows users to horizontally scroll through various entities from a given site. For pages lacking structured data markup, standard text results will be displayed. The carousel rich result for shopping queries is currently undergoing testing in Germany, France, Czechia, and the UK.
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Dedicated Aggregator Units and Refinement Chips
Google is rolling out dedicated aggregator units that feature links to aggregator sites from across the web. Users can easily access top aggregator results for their queries and explore additional relevant aggregator sites by clicking “More sites.” The types of units available include Places sites, Jobs sites, Flight sites, and Product sites (being tested first in Germany, France, Czechia, and the UK). Refinement chips, such as “Places sites,” assist users in focusing the Search page on aggregator text results, which can be activated at the top of the Search results page or by clicking “More sites” on the new aggregator units. Publishers are not required to add any markup to be eligible for aggregator units or refinement chips.
New Experience for Flights Queries
In addition to carousel rich results and aggregator units, Google is introducing a specialized experience for flight queries. This includes a new unit dedicated to airline websites.
How to Learn More and Express Interest
These new search experiences are currently accessible to users in the EEA only. Businesses based in the EEA or those serving users in the region can learn more and express interest by filling out the applicable form, with a specific form available for flights queries.
Google’s ongoing efforts under the DMA signify a commitment to refining search experiences and fostering enhanced visibility for publishers and businesses in the evolving digital landscape of the EEA.
