Google says it will try to fix search results after outcry over new look
'We’ve heard your feedback'
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Your support makes all the difference.Google says it will try and fix a change to its search results that has angered many of its users.
In recent weeks, the company has been rolling out a new look that puts large icons next to its search results, changing how the page appears to anyone who searches on Google.
The company said the decision was made to mirror the look on mobile, and to give a more modern look.
But it prompted outcry among some users, who objected to the change for a variety of reasons. While some argued that it was simply ugly or harder to use, others suggested that it made it more difficult to distinguish between organic results and ads.
Now the company says it has "heard your feedback" and will be trying new ways to improve the search results.
It did not say explicitly that it would roll back the change. But it did say that it will be moving the logos of the pages on search results – known as favicons – in an attempt to make them more palatable to users.
"Last week we updated the look of Search on desktop to mirror what’s been on mobile for months," Google said in a post from one of its official search liaison accounts. "We’ve heard your feedback about the update. We always want to make Search better, so we’re going to experiment with new placements for favicons
"Our experimenting will begin today. Over the coming weeks, while we test, some might not see favicons while some might see them in different placements as we look to bring a modern look to desktop."
The change initially arrived on mobile, and the company claimed it had been "well received" by those users on smaller screens, "as it helps people more quickly see where information is coming from and they can see a prominent bolded ad label at the top".
It also said that "early tests" of the new design on desktop had been positive, but that it was "always incorporating feedback from users".
"We are experimenting with a change to the current desktop favicon, and will continue to iterate on the design over time," Google said.
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