Google is testing a new SERP feature that provides searchers with perspectives

Google has confirmed with Search Engine Land that it is testing a new search feature called Perspectives.

Google explained that this feature is an experiment to help searchers find the useful information they are looking for in new ways. However, Google declined to answer more specific questions about how to trigger this, when it might appear, and how publishers can display their content in this new search box.

What are search Perspectives? essentially, Perspectives appear to be several short featured snippets that offer searchers a wider and more diverse set of answers to their query. Again, Google wouldn’t give us any official definition, Google would just say that this is an experiment and Google is doing a lot of experiments.

How does it look. Here is a screenshot I was able to take imitating myself:

It looks like two separate bits of function in one called multi-layered clip artwhich we know Google does.

Brodie Clark posted another example here and also Brian Freiesleben warn these tests without Perspectives sticker on top.

Other tests. We’ve seen Google test these other featured snippet versions, such as from the web and different card based clip art featured. So Google is clearly accelerating the testing of new user interfaces and experiences for the featured snippets section of search results.

Why do we care? In terms of featured snippets, this is where most search engines would like to rank. At the same time, some complain that the CTR is not optimal for all queries when presented in this position. I would share the spot of the featured clip with this new one Perspectives does changing the interface result in more clicks or less? This is something to keep an eye on to see if Google rolls this out more widely and how searcher perspectives change regarding this feature.

About the author

Barry Schwartz, a contributing editor for Search Engine Land and a member of the programming team for SMX events. He is the owner RustyBrick, an online consulting firm based in New York. It also runs Round table of search engines, a popular search blog on highly advanced SEM topics. Barry can be tracked on Twitter here.