It appears Google is at it once again and is launching a new Google design layout for its Google News section on desktop, but why? Why would they do this to its desktop news search layout which is eerily similar to its mobile counterpart when they’ve been relentlessly chanting “mobile! mobile! mobile!” like a bunch of banshees for what seems like a millennium in the digital realm?
We’re of the mindset that Google is doing this to form consistency across all devices, but we’re also of the mindset that Google isn’t filled with a bunch of morons not concerned about increasing profitability. After all, they have investors to appease.
Not long ago, they made some changes to their mobile layout which seriously blurred the lines of individuals being able to distinguish between Google Ads vs. organic listings by starting to incorporate favicons into their mobile search results. We can’t imagine why. Whoops. Yes, we can. They want people to click on ads so they can ding those advertisers credit cards more frequently at those lovely $500 increments. How silly of us to think otherwise.
So, the question becomes why desktop? Why now? Why News? Well, if you omit the fact people are still using desktop, you’re not only missing consistency between all devices, but you’re also missing the ability to train people properly for when they’re using mobile which year after year continues to gobble up the desktop dynasty in terms of eyeballs and advertising opportunities.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if they started doing ads in its news section? We don’t doubt for one millisecond there’s a deficit of news organizations and advertisers in general who would utilize Google Ads in the news tab quicker than a starving cheetah chasing down a wounded gazelle on the Serengeti plains, but we’ve seen changes before and its news section has never been subjected to its revenue model. However, if it does come to that, you heard it here first. ;)
All metaphors and tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theories aside, it’s nice to see they aren’t completely leaving desktop users in its mobile wake by ONLY being focused on mobile.