Google has been working tirelessly to make its search results richer and more detailed because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up giving users all of their desired info without them needing to exit the SERP. What seemed like on odd April Fool’s prank given the timing turned out to be a serious test by Google, namely the scrollable right hand panel that some users could see if clicked on a specific image.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the initial tests that showed related images in the side panel might have only been the first step. This information is coming in as several users took to Twitter after spotting expanded side panels that also included feature snippets and knowledge panels. That suggests that Google is attempting to create a mini SERP of sorts in the scrollable side panel.
Google is clearly attempting to expand its search capacity with respect to images that users might search for, and this will fundamentally change how they interact with the search engine with all things having been considered and taken into account.
The pop up feeds that users can open up by clicking on images can be useful for image searches and can allow users to find relevant search results without having to include any new search queries. Users that are interested in finding related and relevant queries that can expand their search options are also well served by this potential update, although it remains to be seen if Google plans on giving it a wider rollout.
In spite of the fact that this is the case, Google’s emphasis on eCommerce makes this scrollable sidebar a viable future feature that we might see in an upcoming update. This test included shopping links in the sidebar which can be useful for users who are searching for products to buy, and it will be interesting to see if this strengthens Google’s position in the ecommerce sector by allowing it to drive more sales.
Read next: Google Zeroes In on Ecommerce With AdSense Shopping Links and Search Filters Among Other Updates
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the initial tests that showed related images in the side panel might have only been the first step. This information is coming in as several users took to Twitter after spotting expanded side panels that also included feature snippets and knowledge panels. That suggests that Google is attempting to create a mini SERP of sorts in the scrollable side panel.
Google is clearly attempting to expand its search capacity with respect to images that users might search for, and this will fundamentally change how they interact with the search engine with all things having been considered and taken into account.
The pop up feeds that users can open up by clicking on images can be useful for image searches and can allow users to find relevant search results without having to include any new search queries. Users that are interested in finding related and relevant queries that can expand their search options are also well served by this potential update, although it remains to be seen if Google plans on giving it a wider rollout.
This is how new test of Images preview works on google desktop SERP you can see Related images while scroll down.
— Khushal Bherwani (@b4k_khushal) June 15, 2022
here is the video in action -
cc - @rustybrick #SEO pic.twitter.com/vbDMwVVILg
Big changes could be coming to how images are viewed in Search. We've seen it for free product listings, Google Lens and image packs. Scrollable popup feeds are now being tested for images in Featured Snippets & Knowledge Panels. More info + examples: https://t.co/j6IUtkSa1z pic.twitter.com/qnAx9lY1ax
— Brodie Clark (@brodieseo) June 15, 2022
In spite of the fact that this is the case, Google’s emphasis on eCommerce makes this scrollable sidebar a viable future feature that we might see in an upcoming update. This test included shopping links in the sidebar which can be useful for users who are searching for products to buy, and it will be interesting to see if this strengthens Google’s position in the ecommerce sector by allowing it to drive more sales.
Read next: Google Zeroes In on Ecommerce With AdSense Shopping Links and Search Filters Among Other Updates
