Google has started rolling out a new update for mobile search that makes “site names” more prominent in results to help users more easily identify websites.
Previously, Google would have shown the URL at the top of a snippet, with the full title tag underneath, which is the format still used for desktop SERPs.
Things are now changing for mobile results, where the site name is now shown at the top, with the site link underneath.
There will also be a slightly larger favicon aligned to the left of the site name and link.
Google has urged site owners to provide a favicon, which is a branded icon, that is at least 48 pixels in size, following the latest update.
It has also suggested using structured data to communicate to Google the correct “site name”.
The subtle tweaks to mobile results have been implemented to make listings easier to parse visually for users on smartphones.
Google says it will help users to identify a specific brand and website “associated with each result” with greater ease.
More specifically, Google believes it will make searchers “feel more confident” about clicking on links in SERPs.
The new feature is now going live for several languages, including English, French and Japanese, with more to be added in the coming months.
Google has also confirmed that the feature will be used for ads in search.
This means the site name, favicon and ad label will all get a boost in size and visibility so they are more prominent in mobile search.
