Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google and Bing Test New Search Snippet Title Features
Google and Bing are actively testing new hover effects on search result titles, including title expansion and color changes. Google experiments with enlarging titles and altering title colors on mouse hover, while Bing tests orange hover colors and bolded URL segments in ad snippets. These updates aim to enhance user experience and improve search snippet visibility.
Optimixed’s Overview: Emerging Hover Interactions and Visual Tweaks in Search Result Snippets
Recent Developments in Search Result Snippet Design
Leading search engines, Google and Bing, are experimenting with various visual and interactive changes to their search result snippets to make them more engaging and user-friendly. These tests focus primarily on how the titles and URLs behave when users hover over them.
Key Hover Effects Being Tested
- Google’s Title Expansion on Hover: When users hover over a search result title, the text enlarges, making it more prominent and easier to read.
- Google’s Title Color Change: Both organic results and ads change their title color upon hover, enhancing visual feedback for users.
- Bing’s Orange Title Hover: Bing is testing an orange color shift for ad titles when hovered over, differentiating ads more clearly.
- Bing’s URL Formatting in Ads: Bing experiments with displaying ad URLs where the beginning is normal text and the middle portion is bolded, improving URL readability and emphasis.
Implications for Search Users and Marketers
These ongoing tests reflect a broader trend of dynamic and visually responsive search interfaces. By introducing hover-based effects, both search engines aim to:
- Increase clarity and focus on key elements like titles and URLs.
- Improve user interaction by providing immediate visual feedback.
- Enhance ad visibility without compromising organic result prominence.
Marketers and SEO professionals should monitor these changes closely as they might influence click-through rates and user engagement with search results in the near future.
