Google’s New Search Result Format Rewards Authority
A couple of weeks ago I noticed Google were testing an expanded search results for brand style searches. While I didn’t look at it in too much detail, Ryan Malone posted an excellent piece on this new search result display format.
At the time, Google were displaying the normal search result together with 12 additional site specific results, otherwise know as Sitelinks. It now appears they’ve decided to implement these changes permanently.
The extended results appear to now be showing up for author and brand type searches, effectively giving authority websites a more more significant presence above the fold.
This appears to be another step to reward authority and brand based sites. Google recently started recognising Authorship markup which means author profiles are now starting to be displayed in the search results.
The best way to control what appears in your Sitelink is to setup a Google Webmaster account and from the Sitelinks section, demote any pages you don’t want appearing in your Sitelinks.
For example, as you can see for the results for Boatsplus.com.au above, I really need to remore the Terms section as it provides no real value for visitors.
Great to see Google rewarding author and brand.
I agree it’s good to see, more of this sort of thing on the way I think