Google is testing a new design of the sitelinks that appear below ads in the Google mobile search results. Unlike the standard look, in the testing block each link takes a separate line with a dark vertical margin on the left. In addition, the text color is black, so all links are more prominent.
Search Engine Land has reported on Google’s test, which first saw the light on the blog of the digital marketing expert Brodie Clark, who discovered the change in Google’s mobile search results. A seemingly minor change to the layout of sitelinks, which is unlikely to affect user experience much, does not have a comment from Google. However, as noted by Search Engine Land, all links in the ad take up space, so any changes to their design and placement can be significant for advertisers.
What the Test Looks Like
Search engine land described the design as more structured and list-like; individual sitelinks appear on separate lines rather than in a single aggregated block. The snippet includes a vertical margin treatment on the left side of the result block, giving it a more separated and clean appearance than the previous design.
There are two changes that identify the test.
- Line-by-line display: links appear individually in a line under the ad.
- Darker text: The links have a darker text than the standard presentation, making them more prominent.
Search engine land observed that it is another design for mobile ad sitelinks, suggesting that Google has been experimenting with the appearance of these links. The report does not include information on the previous designs, making it difficult to evaluate how different the new design is from the previous ones.
A Quick Refresher on Sitelinks
Sitelinks are additional links that may appear below the ad. Google Ads calls them sitelink assets. Advertisers choose texts and URLs that appear in these links.
Google’s help documentation contains guidelines influencing the display of sitelinks. Firstly, an ad must have at least two sitelinks on mobile devices. Moreover, a maximum of eight links can appear in a single mobile ad. Links can appear vertically one after another or in two rows horizontally. Secondly, Google does not display similar or identical texts of sitelinks. Thirdly, when creating links at a higher level in the account, Google can also show these links together with lower-level ones if the algorithm predicts that they will perform better. Note that this trick will influence the appearance of your links. It will not affect which sitelinks Google selects.
Who Spotted It
Brodie Clark made the test available to the world after finding it in Google’s mobile search results. He called it a new mobile sitelink display for text based ads and highlighted the darker text and the additional margin on the left as the main differences.
The fact that a search marketer caught the test in the first place is an interesting point. Minor layout tests like this may only be caught by someone who actually sees one. Search Engine Land’s report on the test does not include any statements from Google about it.
Why a Small Change Matters
Sitelinks can claim valuable real estate below a search ad. They give users multiple entry points into an advertiser’s site. Search Engine Land’s point is that a minor visual change could change the impression of a sitelink’s prominence, and impact the overall attractiveness of an ad to draw clicks from specific links.
That’s understandable. A phone screen has limited room, so lines of an ad have to fight for the limited space. Links that are darker and stacked with clear breaks between them may be easier to read at a glance. Links that are indistinct with the ad text may be overlooked by those who are scanning quickly.
The impact could be positive or negative to a particular advertiser. If a single sitelink is far more attractive than the rest, a layout that puts each link on its own line could drive more people to that particular page. If an advertiser relies on multiple links to be seen together, a stacked format could change the way they’re read. Neither outcome is certain. Those are the types of shifts a design like this could generate. Clark described the test as being conducted on text based ads, so it may not have much to say about the appearance of other ad formats.
A Test Is Not a Rollout
Remember that it’s not always as simple as it seems. Google tests a lot of different ad formats and placements for both paid and organic search results, and Search Engine Land is quick to note that just because you spot a test doesn’t mean it’s going to be something big that everyone will see.
It’s possible that Google is only showing the new format to a small percentage of users or for certain queries, and they may well abandon the idea or tweak it before committing to it. Until Google announces their plans, advertisers really shouldn’t assume that they need to make any major changes to their campaigns based on what they see.
Ad Presentation Isn’t Fixed
Still the test serves as a good reminder. Search Engine Land notes that presentation of ads is not set in stone. Google can update and alter ad presentation of existing assets.
While this has a tangible benefit for advertisers that take care to build descriptive sitelink text and point the links to relevant pages, it could mean that their ads may look significantly different on a mobile device this week versus next week or even day.
For advertisers that track click through performance on a regular basis, it serves as a good reminder to review trends and understand that changes in presentation could be a factor in changes in performance, even if the advertiser did not make any changes to their account or assets.
What Advertisers Can Do Now
There isn’t much you can do as a reaction to a test, but a few practices have a good chance of working regardless of what Google wants to see.
Using clearly different link text for each is one of them, as Google’s own advice says that they’ll remove any similar sitelinks and going line by line would emphasize each’s wording even more than before. If they’re all nearly the same, one may just appear and nothing else.
It also matters that each sitelink leads somewhere well on mobile, as the increased focus on the links would mean that any subpar page is a wasted click.
And finally, there’s the possibility that advertisers take note of the sitelink performance specifically on mobile instead of as a whole, and if something like this layout proves to get more users to the pages, they’re where a change should be made first.
What Isn’t Known Yet
Quite a lot is still open. Search Engine Land’s post doesn’t include figures on how many users are being exposed to the test, or whether it would be rolled out to all advertisers or just a small set. It doesn’t say if the same layout would be used across other ad formats, or how it’d treat extended sitelinks which include description lines.
There’s also no performance figures, with no one showing data on whether the change would impact click rates or have any positive or negative impact on individual links. Without this research, all we can do is state what Google is apparently testing, not if it’d be effective.
The Bottom Line
Google appears to be testing if a cleaner, more separated out sitelink layout makes mobile search ads easier to scan over, and helps those secondary links stand out. That’s the implication of the test Search Engine Land uncovered, and it fits with the evidence.
It’s a design experiment that appears in the wild right now, and may never graduate to wider release. But it’s still a valuable signpost. How an ad looks is up to Google to decide, and advertisers who are watching the space will be the first to know if it changes.
FAQs
Q1: What is Google testing with mobile ad sitelinks?
Google is experimenting with a new format for mobile sitelinks. The new format displays the sitelinks as a vertical list with space along the left hand side of the ad and the links written on top of each other.
Q2: Who spotted the test?
It was shared by digital marketer Brodie Clark after noticing it on Google’s mobile search results. He said it was a new mobile sitelink display for text based adverts.
Q3: What are sitelinks?
Sitelinks are additional links that can appear below a search ad and lead users to additional pages within a website. Within Google Ads they are currently labelled sitelink assets; advertisers may choose link text and URLs.
Q4: Will this design roll out to everyone?
Not necessarily. Google frequently tests different ad and organic result visual styles, and an experience test does not imply a broader implementation of that design.
Q5: Why could a small design change matter to advertisers?
Sitelinks take up valuable space under an ad and give users several routes into a site. A visual change could affect how noticeable those links are and which parts of an ad attract clicks.
Q6: Do advertisers need to change their sitelinks?
There’s no need to redesign your campaigns around the test. It remains advisable to use transparent, descriptive link text, and ensure that each link points to a mobile experience that is valuable to the user.
Q7: Can Google change how ads look without advertisers doing anything?
Yes. Search Engine Land notes that Google can change how existing assets are surfaced without advertisers changing the assets themselves.
Q8: How many sitelinks can show on a mobile ad?
According to Google’s help documentation, a mobile ad needs at least two sitelinks to show them and can display up to eight.
Q9: Has Google commented on the test?
Search Engine Land’s report doesn’t include a statement from Google. There’s also no published data on how the layout affects clicks.
