Search Engine Recap - Week 15 (2024)

Welcome to this week’s recap, where we cover improvements to Google’s INP, updates to 'Carousels', structured data, and insights into the future from Google’s CEO. Here’s an overview.

Google Enhances INP for Domains with CMPs

Google has enhanced its Interaction to Next Paint (INP) Core Web Vital, which measures web page responsiveness and user experiences, by partnering with leading Consent Management Platforms (CMPs).

This involves systems like OneTrust, Complianz, and Axeptio. The partnership has led to optimized CMP behavior, especially when users accept cookies, enabling websites to display content faster and thus improving INP scores.

INP, which has replaced First Input Delay (FID) in Core Web Vitals, measures the time from a user interaction to when the browser updates the screen. As a Core Web Vital, INP impacts both search results and human user experiences.

Developers can use tools like PageSpeed Insights and the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) to assess and enhance INP performance.

Google Updates Documentation for its Structured Data Carousels (Beta)

Google has recently updated its documentation for structured data carousels (beta), adding clarity and key geographical details previously omitted.

The new guidelines now clearly state that ‘carousels structured data’ should be implemented on a summary page, which then links to detailed pages, rather than requiring each ‘detail’ page to have structured data.

The change aims to streamline the presentation of lists such as local businesses, products, and events displayed in a horizontal scrolling carousel in search results.

Moreover, the updated documentation includes an important note: this feature is currently limited to the European Economic Area (EEA). This is crucial information for publishers and website owners focusing on improving visibility in Google’s rich results through structured data.

Google’s CEO Provides Insights into the Future

Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, recently outlined the future of search in an interview. He emphasized the integration of AI while preserving the core function that the internet serves.

Since 2016, Google has been a front-runner in AI development, enhancing search features, including featured snippets, without replacing traditional search mechanisms.

Pichai assured that Search Generative Experience (SGE) enhances rather than replaces the capacity for search, with a focus on improving how information is processed and displayed. He stressed that AI complements the extensive and varied content available online.

The goal is for Google’s search engine to remain a reliable and diverse resource for information, with technology being the only difference in the future.

You can watch the interview from 1 hour and 17 minutes in.

Takeaways and Recommendations

Since INP was introduced as a Core Web Vital in March, there has been a significant focus from Google on how businesses can best optimize for this. This is supported by the recommendation of various CMPs that can boost performance.

Therefore, it is clearly advisable for businesses to get on top of this as soon as possible to benefit search results and user experiences.

Moreover, we have once again seen updates to structured data - an evergreen topic that is naturally important to stay current with.

Finally, it is interesting to hear from Google’s own CEO, Sundar Pichai, on future thoughts for search - especially in a time of more development than ever.

The takeaway in many ways is that AI should be seen as part of the enhanced experience on Google, and otherwise, it is technology that will dictate changes in the future.

If you need assistance working with the above updates and SEO in general, feel free to reach out to Bonzer. As a specialized SEO agency, we work daily with ambitious businesses to help them achieve their goals through the search engine.