Mobile hand

New mobile search refinement being tested by Google

Mobile hand

New mobile search refinement being tested by Google

Last week, a user posted a video on Twitter highlighting a new search refinement option for mobile users.

Currently, when someone searches for something using their mobile, Google provides them with options it feels are related to their search. Some of them can be pretty random, such as ‘how to make a nether portal’ when you start typing ‘how to make a n…’ – I only wanted to know how to make a nut roast!

While some suggestions can be amusing, most of the time the feature is distracting and time consuming. As per this tweet, however, the new search refinement option is a lot simpler and quicker. There is no pesky autofill, but if you were looking for suggestions, they are available – you would need to make a search, then scroll down into the results before scrolling back up again. On your return to the top, a neat row of suggestions appears underneath the search bar. The tweet describes the new feature as ‘pretty cool’ and ‘tidy looking’.

Another change that Google appears to be trialling is the replacement of the magnifying glass search icon with a ‘G’ logo.

To see this new feature in action, watch the featured video below:

Arooj Ahmed, of Digital Information World, said about the potential benefits of Google’s new search refinement feature:

“It will not only make the search more efficient, but it will also make it more effective because all the related searches will appear at the top. This will give the users a quick means to refine their search and look for what they were searching for almost instantly.”

As of yet, the feature appears to just be in testing. It’s unknown whether the test will be a success and, if it is, when we would see this feature rolled out across all mobile devices. Regardless, it does indicate that Google is constantly looking at ways to improve and enhance its search experience for users, and website owners should follow suit and continually work at enhancing their own users’ experience.

If you’re interested in optimising user experience on your website and would like the help of experts in the industry, contact the team here at Engage Web today.

Emily Jones

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