Google’s Best Practices for Read More Links
▼ Summary
– Google began displaying “read more” links in search result snippets in December and has now published official best practices for them.
– The new guidelines state that the linked content must be immediately visible to users and not hidden behind tabs or expandable sections.
– Websites should avoid using JavaScript to force a user’s scroll position on page load, such as automatically scrolling to the top.
– The practices also warn against removing URL hash fragments on load when using history API calls, as this breaks deep linking.
– These links are intended to be eye-catching and encourage more clicks from search results to the source websites.
Google has updated its official guidance for webmasters on how to properly implement read more links within search result snippets. This follows the initial rollout of the feature last December, which added an extra, clickable link to certain search listings. The new documentation, found in Google’s help center under the snippets section, outlines three core technical recommendations to ensure these links function correctly and provide a good user experience.
First, the content linked by the read more feature must be immediately visible to a human visitor upon page load. It should not be concealed within an expandable section, a tabbed interface, or any other element that requires an additional user action to reveal. Second, websites should avoid using JavaScript to manipulate a user’s scroll position when the page loads. For instance, you should not automatically force the visitor’s viewport to jump to the top of the page, as this can disrupt the intended navigation. Finally, if your page uses the History API or modifies the `window.location.hash` on load, ensure the URL’s hash fragment is not removed. Stripping this fragment can break deep linking behavior, preventing users from arriving at the exact relevant section of your content.
Adhering to these best practices is important because the read more link presents a valuable opportunity. It provides an additional, prominent entry point from the search results directly to a specific part of your webpage. When implemented correctly, this can effectively drive more organic clicks to your site by satisfying user intent more precisely. The goal for any site owner should be to make this journey as seamless as possible, encouraging engagement rather than creating friction. By reviewing and applying Google’s guidelines, you can help ensure your site fully benefits from this enhanced snippet feature.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
