Google Changes Presentation of Web Stories: What’s New?
Key Takeaways: Google has altered the way it exhibits Web Stories in search. No longer available in Google Images and Google Discover’s carousel view, Web Stories now appear in a carousel form in search results. Depending on region and language, Web Stories may appear as a single result or within a carousel on Google Search, and as a single card in the Google Discover feed.
Google has revamped the way Web Stories are presented in its search results. The tech giant announced that Web Stories will no longer be featured in Google Images and will also be absent from the split-screen view on Google Discover. Instead, they are now presented in a carousel view in search results. These alterations also come with a slew of other changes in the availability of Web Stories.
In a recent statement, Google explained these changes are aimed to make sure the company’s documentation aligns with how Web Stories appear in Google Search.
Google has also incorporated a new “Feature availability” section within the Web Stories region of Google’s documentation. As per the new section:
“Web Stories may show up as a single result or in carousel format on Google Search in any region and language where Google Search services are available. Moreover, they can appear as a single card on Google Discover — though this format is most likely seen in the United States, India, and Brazil.”
Moving forward, Web Stories won’t be included in:
- Google Image Search results
- Google Discover carousel view
- Grid view, which is transitioning to a carousel view in Google Search
A bit of history uncovers that Google launched “AMP Stories” in 2018, which were later rebranded as Web Stories. Google introduced Web Stories to Google Discover in 2020. Following this, Web Stories quickly gained popularity among publishers. However, Google rolled back a bit in 2021 and removed teaser-based Web Stories.
The changes are already prompting reactions:
It’s crucial to adapt your website’s SEO strategy if it heavily depends on Web Stories for traffic. It appears that Google may continue to trim down the visibility and availability of web stories in the near future.
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