"Mini" Sitelinks on Google - 4 horizontal links below snippet

[aakk9999]

Has anyone noticed "mini" sitelinks on Google SERPS?

I have noticed this on google.co.uk

They appear as a three or four sitelinks in one horisontal line, just above the green URL. Interestingly, they do not necessary appear for listing in position #1, I have seen a site on a position #3 with these, whereas the first two positions in SERPS had none.

[tedster]

I heard about these links from others - also on google.co.uk - but haven't seen them myself so far. Interesting test - especially if it's not always in position #1.

[aakk9999]

In fact, there can be more than one site listed on SERPS having them.

However, if there is a site with "proper" site links, then so far I haven't seen any other SERPS listing with mini links on the same page, so it appears they are only there when there are no listing with "proper" sitelinks

[rustybrick]

Yea, I have heard of these myself but did not see them myself.

[aakk9999]

I am wondering if it is something to do with caching because I went to Chrome and did the same search and the mini site links were not there, however they were shown in Firefox for the same search.

Then I cleared cache in Firefox and mini site links disappeared and now whatever I do, I cannot get them back.

So in a way they may be "personalised".

[Robert Charlton]

As I understand from what I read or heard... and I'm not sure where that was... Google had announced that they were going to be testing these inline Sitelinks.

It's therefore likely that they may appear and disappear in the course of the testing period, as Google evaluates user satisfaction.

If you mouse over any Sitelink, you'll see a fairly elaborate set of tracking parameters, and obviously Google is paying attention to how searchers use these.

[angiolo]

I noted it on Google.com, but only using Firefox.
From the same computer, using IExplorer they don't show.

[pastypossie]

Here is a screenshot of the 'mini' sitelinks that were reported on Search Engine Land showing up in the UK.

[search-engine-war.co.uk...]

< Note: For this screenshot, we are making an exception to the Charter [webmasterworld.com]policy about links >

[edited by: tedster at 2:13 am (utc) on Mar. 7, 2009]

[maximillianos]

Looks like a good move for Google. Listing them horizontally frees up more of their ever-shrinking above the fold real-estate.

[lexipixel]

Where do the links take people? Are they paid (Adword) links ?

[tedster]

No, they're not paid links. Just a few sitelinks that go to prominent pages within the site, similar to the sitelinks we see for some #1 results.

[dengshaowei]

I still don't understand the meaning of mini

[tedster]

These sitelinks take up less space than the usual sitelinks - there are also fewer of them. So they are smaller in two two ways - hence "mini". It's an unofficial name that the opening post chose for a quick but descriptive name, but Google may call it something else if they decide to go into full production with this feature.

[tangor]

These appear to be related interior pages to the same site. Condenses the listing, allows more listings above the fold. However, it is not OBVIOUS that is what the row of links displays. Appears to replace the indented more pages/same site layout they've used for a few years.

[ponyboy96]

These remind me of the Yahoo paid inclusion links. Makes me wonder if they are testing a similar product on Google.

[editsha]

Hi Guys

I see a change in the way the SERP result are displayed for some sits for all keywords in Google Japan-

Example:
Page title
meta description
url1- url2- url3- url4
www.example.jp

any idea how this change might have triggered

[edited by: tedster at 1:47 pm (utc) on April 2, 2009]
[edit reason] moved from another location [/edit]

[Anish]

Just saw today for the first time. Google's search result page is showing inside page links along with the main search result, for first two ranked listings. This happens only on search queries where the results do not give anchor positions.

[edited by: tedster at 2:02 pm (utc) on April 2, 2009]
[edit reason] moved from another location [/edit]

[tedster]

I'm seeing this in the regular SERPs for the first time today. Still trying to get a handle on when these "horizontal sitelinks" appear and when they don't.

This happens only on search queries where the results do not give anchor positions.

Can you explain what you mean by "anchor positions"?

[suzukik]

I saw it on google.co.jp.
You don't have to be show at #1 position. It will appear even at #2 and #3 with normal sitelinks

[Anish]

they take you to that particular inside page of the requisite site. No they are not adwords.

Maximillianos - agreed it is a good move but it is good for a webmaster as well.

[sem4u]

I started seeing these yesterday on Google UK. They look quite useful and unobtrusive to me.

[johnnie]

Seeing them widespread in google.NL searches.

[atlrus]

I see them a lot in the dot com Google. It seems they are limited to just 4 and the difference between them and the "sitelinks" is that you don't have to come at the #1 spot for the mini sitelinks to show.
It looks like they are "given" to the website and will show every time the website shows in the SERPs regardless of position. And it does look like a nice touch.

[affiliation]

I have these everytime my home page is displayed, and no matter what position I am.

From this happened my search engine results have been cut by up 35%. I am thinking there is something to do with these mini links. I have seen A total wash out of my home page for my main keyword and some internal pages, although I still have may #1 positions of internal pages.

[brinked]

atlrus,

I dont think thats completely accurate. Comparing 2 search terms "widgets" and "free widgets" there are two sites that rank top ten for both of these terms.

They both show mini sitelinks for "free widgets" but only one shows mini sitelinks for "widgets"

Interesting. How is google deciding who to give minilinks to and how to determine for what search terms? One of my sites has mini links on it and its on the 2nd page...none from the top 10 have it...strange

[atlrus]

Maybe this whole mini-sitelinks thing has not yet fully propagated all over. In my area every site who was given mini-sitelinks shows them no matter the search and position.

Or: it could be just a trial of some sort. I have not seen the big "hooray" Goolge usually makes with something like this. Remember the big PR campaign they pulled out when the original sitelinks were implemented? I am yet to see Google mentioning this at all.

[brinked]

Strange, one of my websites who ranks on the 2nd page for a very competitive search term has these mini sitelinks for this search term, yet no other websites on the first or second page have them

[conor]

Showing all over .es serps since April 1

[wheel]

I see this on my site for some searches. A couple of notes:
- I checked four searches. On two I had mini sitelinks and was not in first spot. On one search I had full sitelinks and was in number one spot. On the last search I had neither mini or regular sitelinks and was in the number one spot.

I'm not seeing this on any other sites in my locale in my niche. If I had to guess, I'd say it's somehow quality based; I'd like to think my backlinks are quality and most of my competitors get their backlinks from directory quality sites. I expect that makes sense though.

[jhnrang]

-------->I am wondering if it is something to do with caching because I went to Chrome and did the same search and the mini site links were not there, however they were shown in Firefox for the same search.

Then I cleared cache in Firefox and mini site links disappeared and now whatever I do, I cannot get them back.<----------

Can we than say that these are signs of what many are talking about "behavioral search" which is gaining momentum and seems Google going that way?