Google is testing a new feature, if it can be called like that, of using a web site’s favicon next to the link of the search result and also changing the way paid results will appear by altering the “AD” wording before the title of the result. You can see the difference in the image below which I may or may not have copied from Google’s blog:
Many SEOs are not liking this, and they have a valid reason. Their argument against the above change is that it will not be as obvious anymore which is the organic and which is the paid result, even though as of now the paid results are always on the top. But it might be confusing to spot how many are paid. Sometimes we have 2-3 links that are paid on top so it might be easy to miss the word Ad and confuse it with a favicon.
But why would it matter you say? They are all results after all. That’s true.
However, for the sake of transparency, we the consumers and the digital marketers alike, like to know what’s what. We don’t like it when Google is always working (conspiracy theory ahead) slowly-slowly towards hiding things from us and blurring the lines between paid and organic results.
However, from my own SEO perspective, I don’t feel worried. I have faith in us that we will be able to identify without a problem what is paid and what is organic.
-Edit-
It’s confusing, I almost got tricked myself so I hope it’s a matter of getting used to it
-End of edit-
We always fear change and we always think of the worse and that is something that applies everywhere. But in this case, I believe it will be fine.
If not, I will come back and admit my mistake.
What do you think? Is the new favicon and the new design of Ad going to be a problem?
