Google has introduced a new tab in search results called “Web” worldwide. This is a new search filter that only displays text links in the results.
Launched last Tuesday at Google’s I/O developer conference, it has been available in the United States since that day and, as Cuernosoft has confirmed, is now available in other countries as of today.
This is an additional filter that allows you to “refine” search results, working similarly to other tabs currently present, such as Images (which only shows image results), News (with results from online media), Videos, etc.
However, in the new “Web” tab, only text links to web pages are shown. That is, no rich content is displayed (such as content boxes that may appear on the side of the results page), nor images, nor videos, nor links to social networks… in what could be considered a return to classic search results, although, as we’ll see, it has other implications.
The new “Web” tab, depending on the search performed, may appear in the top navigation bar as another tab, or you may need to click the “More” button to access it.
According to Danny Sullivan, Google’s Head of Public Relations, in a post published on X (formerly Twitter), this new feature is designed to meet the needs of users who only want to see links to web pages in search results, whether they are looking for long-form text, documents, or are using a device with limited internet access.
Incorporation of AI into Search Results
However, the launch of this new web tab has more implications than simply meeting the needs of those who only want to see text links.
Google also announced at the Google I/O developer conference the launch of AI Overviews in search results pages.
Already available in the United States, they will roll out worldwide in the coming weeks. These are texts generated by Artificial Intelligence that will answer users’ searches, showing them text, video, photos, and contextual information.
In other words, it will be as if the user, when searching on Google, receives a direct answer—similar to using ChatGPT—right at the top. Therefore, by meeting their need, they may no longer have to click on search results and go to other websites for information.
Is This the End of SEO as We Know It?
This has many implications because, if generalized for all searches, it will mean a considerable decrease in the traffic that Google drives to other websites. Many SEO experts point out that it could be the end of SEO, at least as we know it today, and it could also be a lethal blow for many digital media and websites whose traffic mainly comes from search engines.
In fact, there are fears that Google will end up relegating links to other websites to this new “Web” tab that has been launched, which would mean hiding links to other sites, especially if the “Web” tab does not appear in the top search bar and you have to click the “More” button to access it.
Many users will not make that extra click and will settle for the information provided by Google’s AI, which, moreover, will often have been extracted from those very web pages that are being “hidden.” We’ll have to keep an eye on the rollout of the Web tab and AI overviews in Google searches in the coming months and analyze the impact they will have on SEO and the traffic Google redirects to other websites.
