A few weeks ago, I noticed a test in search results. Tests like these can reveal the directions Google aims for in a mobile-first world. It’s probably not a definitive look at the future of search but might highlight Google’s concerns about mobile-first search environments. This should interest anyone relying on Google.
What are Google’s Top Mobile Priorities?
What concerns lead to Google’s design decisions? While these screenshots might not appear on a SERP near you, the underlying concerns could manifest in other ways.
The above screenshot is from a test Google recently ran for a new SERP design. Though the test was displayed on a desktop, the design choices clearly showed a mobile-first focus, featuring links to Weather, Sports, Entertainment, and Eat & Drink.
Anticipating User Intent
Google’s mobile-first design decisions seem focused on predicting user intent. These four search query topics (weather, sports, etc.) represent Google’s efforts to anticipate user needs, making it easier to locate information without spelling out or speaking a search query.
Google has researched popular voice search queries, probably finding these four topics common in mobile searches. Google’s study titled "Google Search by Voice: A Case Study" made the following points:
"Voice searches are more likely to be about an ‘on-the-go’ topic: Mobile queries, and voice searches in particular, emphasize categories such as food and drink and local businesses.
Voice searches are less likely to be about sensitive subjects: Categories consisting of sensitive content (adult themes, social networking, and health) are relatively avoided by voice search users to preserve privacy in public settings.
Voice searches are less likely to require significant interaction: Voice searches rarely involve topics needing considerable interaction post-search, such as games and social networking."
Another study titled "Say What? Say Why Users Choose to Speak their Web Queries" found the leading search query topics to include Food & Drink, Local, Shopping, Travel, Sports, and Entertainment.
As shown, food and drink, on-the-go, and local queries are the most popular mobile queries. Although this study was conducted in 2009, similar research today might yield slightly different results, explaining the inclusion of the Weather topic in the SERPs test.
Takeaway on Mobile-First SERPs
Google has a design initiative called Material Design, aiming to unify user interface elements across all devices and Google apps. While the UI design elements conform to a unified design, choosing search query topics focuses on mobile needs. This search test indicates that mobile-first might involve more than just an attractive user interface.
The key insight is how much mobile-first user intent considerations influence the future of both mobile and desktop search. The prominent links to Weather, Sports, Entertainment, and Eat & Drink suggest that sites satisfying mobile user intent are gaining prominence. This search test reinforces a mobile-first design bias at Google, emphasizing not just a user interface but also a set of search results quickly guiding users to their intended sites.
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