In line with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Google is rolling out a series of new search enhancements tailored specifically for users in the European Economic Area (EEA). These updates are designed to comply with regulations, while enhancing the search experience for individuals across the region.
What is the Digital Markets Act?
The DMA introduces a set of regulations aimed at fostering fair competition and improving consumer choice within the digital market. Key implications of the DMA include:
- Greater user autonomy over default apps and services, prohibiting self-preferencing and mandating options for alternative services.
- Introduction of alternative app stores and interoperability between messaging services.
- Requirement for explicit user consent for targeted advertising and increased transparency regarding advertising data.
- Promotion of fair competition by preventing platforms from unfairly ranking their services above competitors.
The new search features, which will be only available to users in the EEA, are expected to herald a shift towards a more transparent, competitive, and user-centric digital ecosystem, in accordance with the DMA. Let’s take a closer look at what these changes entail and their potential impact.
Carousel-Style Rich Results for Travel Queries
Users searching for travel-related information, such as “hotels near me” will now encounter a visually engaging carousel-style rich result. This format presents search results in a horizontal carousel, making it easier for users to find relevant information at a glance. The introduction of carousel-style rich results is poised to significantly impact search visibility and user engagement.
By presenting search results in a visually appealing and interactive format, Google aims to enhance user engagement through interactive elements such as prices, ratings, and images. This will likely lead to an increase in search visibility for web pages that implement the appropriate structured data markup.
Aggregator Units and Refinement Chips
Google will introduce aggregator units, which showcase links to major aggregator websites relevant to the user’s search query. This feature aims to provide users with a comprehensive view of available options and facilitate informed decision-making. To enable users to filter search results more precisely, Google will also introduce refinement chips. These chips allow users to narrow down their search results based on specific criteria, enhancing search relevance and usability.
Improved Visibility for Airline Websites
Features will be implemented to enhance the visibility of airline websites for flight-related queries. This will make it easier for users to access relevant information directly from airline providers.
