Google alters the presentation of search results for news stories on the desktop by grouping together multiple results for the same story.
This update is now live, and it aligns news results on desktop with how they appear in Google Search on mobile devices.
According to a tweet from the official @GoogleNews account:
“Now, when there are multiple stories related to your search, we’ll organize results by story so it’s easier to understand what’s most relevant and you can make a more informed decision on which specific articles to explore.”
What Has Changed, Exactly?
Previously, Google Search’s top stories section on the desktop was presented in a carousel format.
The carousel was such a fixture of news results that you could say “Top Stories carousel” and everyone would know what you meant.
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Because the carousel is now more of a box with stories displayed as different tiles, the search community may need to come up with a new term.
Google’s tweet, for example, links to search results for the keyword “covid.”
Here’s how it appears:
Why Has Google Changed Its Desktop News Results?
On Twitter, Google provides the following explanation for changing the layout of news results:
“This new structure will make more room for quality content–beyond just the most recent coverage–as well as a range of sources to bring more context and perspective to the day’s news.”
Furthermore, the changes make desktop news results more similar to what people are used to seeing in mobile searches.
“We initially rolled out this new way of viewing news on Google Search in 2019 on mobile. Now people who search on desktop globally will get this new experience.”
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