Google Search is a quarter of a century old now, and its search results have become the most familiar part of our online lives. When we need advice, directions or the latest breaking news, we turn to Search to get vetted and trustworthy information quickly. But with the proliferation of unsourced content on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, it can be difficult to find a helpful answer.
The idea behind Perspectives is to give searchers a more lived experience to their search queries, explains Liz Reid, Google’s VP of Search. For example, if someone searches for “how to make friends in a new city,” the Perspectives filter will populate with results that offer personal stories and tips from people who have done it before. This content will be displayed within a carousel that appears alongside standard search results.
In order to be featured in Perspectives, a person or business will need to create content that demonstrates E-A-T (expertise, authority and trustworthiness). Google says it prioritizes answers with strong value propositions, benefits and unique perspectives. It also looks for content that’s well-researched and sourced from a variety of high quality sources. And of course, it must be accurate. Google isn’t putting a cap on how many times a person can be featured in Perspectives, but it will take a while to see the full potential of the feature, according to Google.
The company will use its RankBrain machine learning system to identify the most helpful content. It will then highlight those responses in the results and on the carousel. Perspectives is a great opportunity for creators to expand their audience, but it’s important to remember that this is an additional channel they need to manage and optimize.
Alongside Perspectives, Google is introducing an updated Helpful content system that will better understand when content comes from a first-hand or expert perspective. This will ensure that the best content is rewarded in search, while weeding out toxic comments and reviews.
These updates are a clear sign that Google is shifting its focus from generating purely generative AI answers to helping people find the best, most accurate content out there. That means it’s time for brands to step up their content creation game. And if your business isn’t creating the right content, it will be left behind as other, more innovative businesses take center stage in search results and on the Perspectives carousel.