Google's New Side-By-Side SERP Feature: What You Need to Know

A Few Thoughts on Google's New Side-By-Side SERP Feature

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Google is constantly experimenting with different search results to see which will have the greatest impact on user behavior. Search has become so much more than 10 blue links on a page, and users demand more from their search engine as a result. Google’s side-by-side feature is just another example of how they continue to innovate even in this space.

Google’s new side-by-side experiment attacks a problem that many potential customers face when researching products online:

How do you know which product is the best choice for you?

There are so many options out there that it can be confusing to decide what’s best. This is where Google’s side-by-side search feature comes into play. Let’s take a look at what it is, how it works, and why Google added this new feature to its search engine.

What is Google’s Side-By-Side SERP Feature?

Google’s side-by-side feature is a way to display different products next to each other on the SERP and allow users to easily compare results. Most commonly, you’ll see this feature when looking at products in the Shopping section, like some of these examples below: This is a great tool for users that want to easily compare products and make informed buying decisions. It’s also helpful for eCommerce sites that want to get more traffic and increase their sales. You’ll see this feature when looking at product-related SERPs, but it will only show up for those who are signed into their Google account. This is because Google wants to make sure that users are seeing results that are personalized to them.

How Does Google’s Side-by-Side Search Feature Work?

When signed into your Google account and searching for a product, the search engine will display side-by-side results. You’ll see a “View more Side-by-Side results” link at the bottom of the first page of results. Clicking that link will show you the option to compare up to three products at a time. If you decide to compare products, you’ll see something like this: You can select different products to compare and easily see the main differences between them. You can also click the “X” at the top right of the box to close out of the side-by-side feature and return to the standard SERP.

Why is Google Doing This?

As we mentioned, users are demanding more from their online search experience. The side-by-side feature is just one example of how Google is trying to meet those demands. The new feature makes it much easier to compare items and make informed buying decisions. The more informed users are, the more likely they are to buy from your site.

Where Will You See This New Feature?

This feature is currently only available for product-related searches. You’ll likely see it when searching for things like appliances, clothing, and other items for purchase. This feature could also expand to include more categories, which would be helpful for researching products in general.

Is Google Testifying a Brand New Search Experience?

The side-by-side feature definitely looks interesting, but it might be too soon to say that we’re seeing the start of a brand new search experience. At this point, it’s unclear if this is just an experiment or if Google will keep this feature permanently. It’s also unclear if Google will expand the feature to more than just product-related searches.

Bottom Line

The Side-By-Side SERP Feature is a great tool to allow users to easily compare products and make informed buying decisions. It’s also helpful for eCommerce sites that want to get more traffic and increase their sales. While this is an interesting new search feature, it’s too soon to tell if it’s a sign of things to come. If you sell on the Google Shopping platform, make sure you’re keeping an eye on this new feature to see if it’s having any impact on your sales or ranking position.