Google Nerfs HowTo and FAQ Rich Results

Google Nerfs HowTo and FAQ Rich Results

Google has recently announced that it will be reducing the prominence of two types of rich results: HowTo content and Frequently Asked Questions. The updated search interface is meant to be more streamlined and consistent for users. This article will discuss the implications of these shifts for website publishers and offer suggestions for how they can adjust to keep their content accessible to users.

Google Rich Results are an advanced search feature that improves website listings and gives users more context. Images, carousels, and enhanced listings are common features, and they can drive a lot more people to a website. However, publishers must make additional efforts to make their content eligible for these rich results because they rely on structured data to trigger them.

HowTo rich results are a subset of structured data that features illustrated guides with clear, actionable steps. They shine when used to walk people through specific procedures and processes.

Google has announced that it will be limiting the display of frequently asked questions (FAQ) rich results to only well-established, credible government and health sites. We will no longer routinely display FAQ-rich results for any other sites. The goal of this update is to improve users’ access to trustworthy information. It’s possible that publishers will view this as a setback if they’ve put in time and energy to develop FAQ content and related structured data.

It is not necessary to proactively remove the structured data associated with frequently asked questions just because Google is reducing the visibility of these results. Unused structured data is simply disregarded by Google and does not impact search performance. Therefore, if it is not too much of an inconvenience, publishers can opt to keep the structured data in place. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that other search engines may still make use of structured data.

HowTo rich results will be preserved while FAQ rich results will be filtered out. Instead, Google will stop showing them on mobile devices and only show them on desktop computers. This adjustment is in line with Google’s mobile indexing, which uses a website’s mobile version as its primary index. The mobile version of a website needs to have the proper markup in order to have HowTo rich results displayed on desktop.

Those who have built their websites around a wealth of frequently asked questions and how-to’s may want to rethink their content strategy to ensure their content is still accessible to their audience. Some options to think about are as follows.

Because rich results for frequently asked questions and how-tos are being demoted, it is more important than ever to stand out with exceptional content. This includes giving them access to complete and correct information that answers all their questions.

HowTo rich results will only appear on desktop devices, so mobile optimization is critical. This includes adding the structured data for HowTo rich results to be displayed on desktop devices to the mobile version of your website.

Even if the rich results for frequently asked questions and how-tos are demoted, there are still ways to increase your site’s exposure. If you want to showcase your content in a way that attracts users, you should look into structured data types like recipe cards and carousels.

Watch how these alterations to the rich result visibility affect your website’s organic traffic. Examine metrics like user engagement, search engine rankings, and user behavior to fine-tune your content strategy.

The rules and regulations that govern Google’s search algorithms are always being updated. Keep up with any changes that could affect your website’s search engine rankings and visibility. To stay in compliance and improve your content’s search engine optimization, you should regularly review Google’s documentation and best practices.

In summary, there may be repercussions for website publishers who have relied on HowTo and FAQ rich results to boost their search presence as a result of Google’s decision to reduce the visibility of these types of results. In spite of these changes, publishers can still provide useful content to users and remain visible in search results by adjusting their content strategy, optimizing for mobile, utilizing other rich results, and keeping up to date with Google’s guidelines. To succeed in organic search rankings over the long term, it is important to be flexible and adapt to the ever-changing nature of search engine algorithms.

See first source: Search Engine Journal

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are Google Rich Results?

Google Rich Results are advanced search features that enhance website listings by providing users with more context, such as images, carousels, and enhanced listings.

2. What types of rich results is Google reducing the prominence of?

Google is reducing the prominence of HowTo content and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) rich results.

3. How do publishers make their content eligible for rich results?

Publishers need to implement structured data on their website to trigger rich results.

4. What are HowTo rich results and when are they useful?

HowTo rich results are illustrated guides with clear, actionable steps, useful for walking users through specific procedures and processes.

5. Why is Google reducing the visibility of FAQ rich results?

Google aims to improve users’ access to trustworthy information by limiting FAQ-rich results to well-established government and health sites.

6. Should publishers remove structured data for FAQ content?

It’s not necessary to remove structured data; unused data is ignored by Google. However, publishers can keep the data if it’s not inconvenient.

7. How will HowTo rich results be affected by the changes?

HowTo rich results will continue to be displayed on desktop devices but not on mobile devices.

8. How can publishers adjust their content strategy due to these changes?

Publishers should focus on providing exceptional and complete content, optimize for mobile, explore other structured data types, and monitor the impact of changes on organic traffic.

9. What should publishers do to stay up-to-date with Google’s changes?

Publishers should regularly review Google’s documentation and best practices to comply with evolving search algorithms.

10. What can publishers do to succeed in organic search rankings?

Publishers should remain flexible, adapt to algorithm changes, and continue providing useful content to users while exploring different strategies to maintain visibility in search results.

Featured Image Credit: Towfiqu barbhuiya; Unsplash; Thank you!