Improving EEA Search Experiences: Introducing Rich Results, Aggregator Units & Refinement Chips
Update on February 15, 2024, by Google Search Central
In our latest update concerning the Digital Markets Act (DMA) preparations, we are excited to unveil the forthcoming enhancements to search results in European Economic Area (EEA) countries. Here’s a closer look at what publishers can anticipate and how they can engage with these new search experiences.
Empowering Users with Rich and Entity-Focused Results
Users in EEA countries exploring queries like “hotels near me” will encounter more visually appealing and entity-centric results. These enhancements aim to:
- Provide users with rich and pertinent information tailored to their searches.
- Enhance the visibility of ecosystem participants, including aggregators, suppliers, and businesses, on the search results page.
Introducing the Carousel Rich Result for Aggregators and Suppliers
Structured data markup plays a pivotal role in showcasing graphical elements or interactive experiences on web pages. Today, we introduce a new carousel rich result designed for local, travel, and shopping queries. Each tile within these carousels may display pricing details, ratings, and images for entities. Users can horizontally scroll to explore additional entities from a particular site. In cases where a web page lacks structured data markup, the standard text result will be displayed.
The carousel rich result is currently available for travel, local, and shopping queries, with the shopping variant being tested initially in Germany, France, Czechia, and the UK.
Introducing Aggregator Units and Refinement Chips
Dedicated aggregator units are now being introduced, providing links to aggregator sites across the web. These units enable users to easily access top aggregator results for their respective queries. Users can click “More sites” to explore additional relevant aggregator sites. Various types of units are available, including:
- Places sites,
- Jobs sites
- Flight sites
- Product sites (with the latter being tested first in selected countries)
Refinement chips like “Places sites” aid users in focusing the search results page on aggregator text results. These chips 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 qualify for aggregator units or refinement chips.
Introducing New Flight Query Experiences
In addition to carousel rich results, aggregator units, and refinement chips, a new experience for flights queries is being introduced, featuring a dedicated unit for airline websites.
Express Interest and Learn More
These new experiences are currently available to users in EEA countries. If your business is based in or serves users in the EEA and you wish to learn more or express interest in these new experiences, you can start by completing the applicable interest form.
This represents an exciting evolution in search experiences within the EEA, empowering users with richer, more relevant results and providing publishers with new avenues for engagement and visibility.
FAQ
Aggregator units are dedicated sections in search results that provide links to aggregator sites across the web. They allow users to easily access top aggregator results for their queries, with options to explore additional relevant aggregator sites by clicking “More sites.”
There are several types of aggregator units, including Places sites, Jobs sites, Flight sites, and Product sites (currently being tested in specific countries like Germany, France, Czechia, and the UK). These units aim to streamline the search process and enhance user experience.
Refinement chips, such as “Places sites,” help users focus on aggregator text results by refining the search page. Users can activate these chips at the top of the search results page or by selecting “More sites” on the new aggregator units. No additional markup is required for publishers to qualify for aggregator units or refinement chips.
No, publishers do not need to add any markup to be eligible for aggregator units or refinement chips. These features are automatically included in search results to improve the user experience and provide relevant information.
Yes, we’re introducing a new experience for flights queries, which includes a dedicated unit for airline websites. Users can explore more about this enhanced experience for flights queries and discover relevant information quickly and efficiently.
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