Google's 'Answer Highlighting' and 'Rich Snippets' for Events

[DaThing]

Google announced today in the Official Google Blog that they are adding two new features in the serps: Answer highlightning (using the snippet to show what they think it is the answer to the search term) and Rich snippets for events (showing extended information of events in the snippets).

From my point of view it looks like Google is trying to bring all the information straight in the serps, eliminating the need to open the page were the information is published. So, maybe, it will reduce visits to our websites.

Are we working for Google now (with no benefit)?

[tedster]

Here's a link to the blog post:
[googleblog.blogspot.com...]

I'd say it certainly does give the searcher less reason to click on the link -- but the link is still there. If they have any curiosity beyond the mere facts in the SERP, they will still visit.

And if they don't care, then their one page bounce may not be what the website really wants to spend the bandwidth on, unless they are monetized solely by ad impressions. In that case, the website may well see a hit to their income.

[DaThing]

Tedster, thanks for the link, I wasn't sure if WebmasterWorld terms allow me to post it.

From Google's perspective ( and even for the searcher ) it is a cool feature, you are right. But let's think from the webmaster point of view.

Sometimes I do a research and collect information about an event, so later I can publish it in my website, surrounded by ads selling tickets for it, so I get a reward for my job. Now here it comes Google, scraps my hard work and presents it surrounded by their adwords. Is it fair?

[tedster]

We now have another thread about this new addition - and from the posts in there, you'll see that many webmasters are unhappy about the development.

[webmasterworld.com...]

(I'm locking this thread so we don't end up with parallel discussions.)