RSS readers can teach us a good thing or two
Google is good at making sure its search results are helpful and up-to-date, which is why we use it so often. But how often do you look up what should be a simple question, only to find yourself clicking link after link as you try to find more information? Google is testing a new label to help you find shorter reading material. It’s easy to get caught up in longer, more detailed search results than we have time to read.
Google’s new Quick Read label (sometimes called “5 Min Read”) shows shorter articles on its results page. The label shows up right below the SEO description of a search result. If you’re short on time and only have a few minutes to find the information you need, this tip could be very helpful.
SEO consultant Brody Clark has seen a few different kinds of the new labels, such as one that says “Quick Read” and has a blue clock icon and black text on mobile and desktop, or one that has capitalised text, a grey icon, and grey text. “5 Min Read” displays in grey and blue on desktop, totaling six colours. Google may use label colours to reflect expected reading time.
Apps like Pocket and Feedly can show how long something will take to read. Even Slack links are tagged. If Google tests it on different Search sites, it could signal a larger rollout, even if they don’t say so.
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