Google Now Drops A Site's Normal Snippet When Featured Snippet Is Displayed

Jan 23, 2020 - 7:21 am 19 by
Filed Under Google

Google Duplicate Key

In November 2019 we saw Google testing removing the normal snippet from the Google search results when Google shows a featured snippet for that site/URL. Well after numerous tests, Google has launched this yesterday and is no longer showing a featured snippet and at the same time the same URL in the main web search results.

Danny Sullivan from Google confirmed this on Twitter saying "If a web page listing is elevated into the featured snippet position, we no longer repeat the listing in the search results. This declutters the results & helps users locate relevant information more easily. Featured snippets count as one of the ten web page listings we show."

This was a response to this tweet:

This rolled out fully on Wednesday, January 22, 2020:

Like I said when Google was testing this in November, "I don't think the SEO community would be happy if Google did this. However, it might feel redundant to the searcher, so I can see why Google would do this."

Here is almost everything said about this change from Google:

If your image is displayed in the featured snippet, then this does not count. It is only if your content is displayed in the featured snippet. And no, this doesn't include people also ask or or related features:

Google now shows 10 results, well, Google always showed 10 results (sometimes they don't but you know). The featured snippet was position zero, not position one, so it is not part of the 10 results:

This is a deduplication effort - which is what I felt Google was testing months ago:

Mobile and desktop changes:

Related to the knowledge panel:

There should have been a bit of warning about this (but hey, we saw Google testing it):

Things may change again in the future:

Top stories are not dedupped:

SEOs are upset about this, as we expected. Google doesn't seem to understand why?

Also, some are saying you will get the normal snippet on page two, this is not the case according to Google:

Finally, if you do not like it, you can opt out of featured snippets for your site, if you want.

That is much, not all, of what Google communicated on this change.

Again, I am not surprised Google made this change. I am honestly surprised it took Google this long to do it. I do understand why SEOs are upset.

Forum discussion at Twitter.

Update: Here is now more from the official Google account on Twitter:

 

Popular Categories

The Pulse of the search community

Follow

Search Video Recaps

 
Google Core Update Rumbling, Manual Actions FAQs, Core Web Vitals Updates, AI, Bing, Ads & More - YouTube
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Google Updates

Google Urges Patience As The March 2024 Core Update Continues To Rollout

Mar 18, 2024 - 7:51 am
Google

Official: Google Replaces Perspective Filter With Forums Filter

Mar 18, 2024 - 7:41 am
Google Maps

Google Business Profiles Now Offers Additional Review After Appeal Is Denied

Mar 18, 2024 - 7:31 am
Google Maps

EU Searchers Complaining About Google Maps Features Changes Related To DMA

Mar 18, 2024 - 7:21 am
Google

Google Showing Fewer Sitelinks Within Search

Mar 18, 2024 - 7:11 am
Search Forum Recap

Daily Search Forum Recap: March 15, 2024

Mar 15, 2024 - 4:00 pm
Previous Story: Google's Gary Illyes Not Surprised When SEOs Complain When Low Quality Content Is Not Indexed