le has introduced new site names, favicon, and sponsored labels for desktop search //
After launching the mobile search last Oct, Google has now launched the site names, updated fonts, and sponsored labels for desktop search. The desktop version has been in beta testing since last December. It is now officially available for both desktop and mobile searches.
This is what it looks like. Here’s a screenshot of the updated Sitename and favicon for desktop search. Note that the old interface only had the URL and not the site name or favicon.
This is the “sponsored” tag that replaces “ad”
Site names can be controlled. Google explained in October that Google Search uses several methods to identify the site name used for search results. Google can also use structured data from your homepage to tell Google the name of your site. Google provides detailed documentation about this new Site Name structured data over here.
Changing the favicon. Google recommended that you review the favicons documentation to ensure that you are using the most current best practices. Google now recommends that you create an icon of at least 48 pixels in size and follow the favicon guidelines.
Ads. This feature is also available for Google search ads on desktop. The site name, favicons and ad label will all be larger in mobile search. Google has officially replaced the Ads label with the “Sponsored” label on mobile search in October last year and today on desktop.
The reason for the change. Google stated last October that the difference was to provide more information on the sites you see, so you can feel more confident about the websites you visit.
Why we care. Searchers might click differently if Google Search or the design of search results changes. You can monitor your click through rate in Google Search Console to determine if your site name or favicon needs to be changed to improve your click-through rates from Google Search.
Although this change was made mobile several months ago, it is possible that it could have an impact on desktop search.
The post Google rolls out new site names and favicons for desktop search was first published on Search Engine land.