Google has introduced a preview of three new features focused on search results for Q&A, FAQ, and how-to content.
These upcoming features were unveiled by Google’s Gary Illyes during the Google Dance event in Singapore.
An SEO expert, Akhil Agarwal, shared the news with us on Twitter.
From the information provided in a photo, it appears that Google plans to highlight Q&A, FAQ, and how-to content with specially customized rich results.
The rich results will reportedly be displayed at the top of the page, similar to featured snippets.
These result types seem to take up a significant portion of the screen. With each type containing drop-down menus, they could potentially span across multiple screens when expanded.
A major question remains unanswered: Will Google generate these rich results independently, or will they depend on the site owner’s implementation of structured data markup?
Recently, Google launched a new type of structured data for tables, suggesting the possibility of more markup types being introduced in the future.
Another concern is the impact on publishers. As more content is shown in search results, there may be less need for users to click through to the actual web page.
Considering this, if the new result types rely on structured data, is it worthwhile for publishers to implement them?
If these results are automatically generated, will publishers have the option to opt out?
These are questions that will need addressing once these rich results become officially available in Google search results.
