As a part of its mobile-focused algorithm update scheduled for today, Google has said it will change the format of URLs seen on a search results, so users can more easily work out if the page is what they’re looking for.
The update will use the real-world name of a site instead of its domain name, to better reflect the name of the business.
It will also show the URL structure of a site in a breadcrumbs format, which shows the sections of the site a page has filtered down from (i.e. homepage/about us/meet the founder), to help a user understand and navigate the site’s hierarchy.
The changes are being rolled out gradually and will affect mobile results only.
The search giant also announced it will make it faster for people to quickly search everyday questions on their Google Chrome mobile browser.
Users will be able to pull down on any page to reload, open, or close tabs with one swipe. Suggested answers will also pop up if a user is searching in the address bar, such as weather, stocks, unit conversions and more, as well as any URLs copied to the clipboard.
Kirsten Robb is a former journalist at SmartCompany. Previously, she worked at News Corp as a property reporter for Leader Newspapers and the Herald Sun, and holds a Masters of Journalism at Melbourne University.
