Google Nixes Sitelinks Search box - Yet more Links Removed from Serps

[Brett_Tabke]

In yet another move to remove off site links from Serps, Google has announced they will remove "sitelinks search box" from Serps.

It's been over ten years since we initially announced the sitelinks search box in Google Search, and over time, we've noticed that usage has dropped. With that, and to help simplify the search results, we'll be removing this visual element starting on November 21, 2024.

[developers.google.com...]

SearchGPT [chatgpt.com]: What are Sitelinks:

Google sitelinks are hyperlinks to a website's subpages that appear under certain search results on Google. They are designed to help users navigate a site more efficiently by providing direct links to specific sections or pages within the website. These sitelinks are generated automatically by Google's algorithms when they determine that a site's structure and content are relevant and useful to the user's query
Google for Developers
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[edited by: Brett_Tabke at 12:54 pm (utc) on Oct 22, 2024]

developers.google.com Farewell, Sitelinks Search Box     Google Search Central Blog     Google for Developers

[aristotle]

For searches in which one or two big sites now dominate the top of the first page results, wouldn't this potentially free up a lot of space, making room for more smaller sites to be shown.

[rustybrick]

Not Sitelinks, but the Sitelinks Search Box, just to be clear. Sitelinks are not going away according to the post.

[aristotle]

I just searched by name for the websites of several big famous companies, and saw a lot of sitelinks but didn't see any "sitelinks search boxes". Evidently they're not common.

With so many sitelinks already being shown, there isn't much need to find more of them.

[lesseo]

Definitely the right move.

[Brett_Tabke]

>Evidently they're not common.

I see - and use - them all the time. There for awhile, it was the easiest way to search forums.

[engine]

Google says usage has dropped: Is it any wonder usage has dropped when there's so much clutter. The average user isn't interested in digging about.
Also, I've seen them less often.
Google doesn't want you digging about: Google wants to be an answer engine.

[keharis007]

Google Sitelinks Search Box Going Away Next Month - Please anyone explain this

[not2easy]

Hi keharis007 and welcome to WebmasterWorld [webmasterworld.com]

Google's explanation of it is linked in the first post in this thread. I'm sure there are many people speculating about "why", but speculation doesn't really explain much.