Google has announced its latest update to Search, designed to make finding diverse perspectives and helpful information easier than ever.
With so much information available on the web, the search engine giant has turned to generative AI to help users navigate this sea of data and find the best of the web.
Perspectives Filter: Finding Useful Information from People
As part of this update, Google has added a new Perspectives filter that will appear at the top of search results when users search for something that could benefit from the experiences of others.
When users tap on this filter, they will only see posts that include long- and short-form videos, images, and written content that have been shared on discussion boards, Q&A sites, and social media platforms.
In the coming weeks, when you search for something that might benefit from the experiences of others, you may see a Perspectives filter appear at the top of search results. Tap the filter, and you’ll exclusively see long- and short-form videos, images and written posts that…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 10, 2023
For example, let’s say you’ve just adopted a new puppy and you’re feeling a little overwhelmed with all the new responsibilities.
You search for “how to train a puppy” and tap the Perspectives filter, which shows you a page of results with advice from other people who have trained puppies before.
You can watch video tutorials from experienced dog trainers, read personal stories from first-time puppy owners, and view responses in a Q&A forum related to puppy training.
Google will also show more details about the creators of this content, such as their name, profile photo, or information about the popularity of their content.
Expertise Ranking: Finding the Expertise You Need
Google is enhancing its Search ranking algorithm to prioritize content containing unique experience and expertise, making it simpler for users to discover genuine opinions.
Last year, Google launched the helpful content system which prioritizes showing content for people’s benefit rather than content merely intended to draw clicks.
In the coming months, Google plans to release an update to its system that will better understand content created from a personal or expert perspective.
We're also improving how we rank results in Search overall. Helpful information can often live in unexpected or hard-to-find places: a comment in a forum thread, a post on a little-known blog, or an article with unique expertise on a topic. Our helpful content ranking system will…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) May 10, 2023
Helpful information can sometimes be located in difficult-to-find sources; such as a forum thread comment, a blog post with low readership, or an article that provides specialized knowledge on a particular topic.
Google’s content ranking system will display more “hidden gems” on Search if it deems them beneficial to the results.
Google is also improving how it ranks review content on Search, placing greater emphasis on the quality and originality of the information.
Information Quality: Relying on the Information You Find
Google is placing great emphasis on the importance of “experience” in creating helpful content, while still prioritizing quality information and key traits such as authority, expertise, and trustworthiness.
Take a look at Google’s quality rater guidelines to understand how experience plays a role in content ranking by Google.
