There have been some recent changes leaving people wondering why Google looks different. Yesterday, Google posted an article introducing updates to the Google app (and announced future changes to Google.com). In particular, there are some major improvements to the news feed, making it feel more like a Social Media platform instead of a traditional search engine. This Google news feed update allows users to discover the things most important to them, “even when [they] don’t have a query in mind.” You can read more from Google’s article, “Feed Your Need to Know” if you want, but here is a quick breakdown of the new-and-improved Google App news feed:
A Smart Feed That Changes With You
Google’s algorithm has always been changing and improving. Now, it’s better than ever, with the advertised ability to anticipate what’s interesting and important to users. This will be shown in the form of “cards”, that will carry:
- Sports highlights
- Top news
- Engaging videos
- New music
- Interesting stories
- More
The best part? The more you use Google, the more tailored it becomes to you. So, if you are obsessed with something (like Stranger Things, for example), there will be a heavier focus of articles, videos and updates having to do with that. If you accidentally clicked on an article you didn’t want to learn about, don’t worry! With the click of a button, you can easily unfollow topics.
Follow Your Favorites
Not only is Google’s algorithm great at learning your search history and figuring out who you are, but it now gives you the option of following what you’re interested in with an actual “Follow” button. You can follow:
- Movies
- Sports teams
- Bands and music artists
- Influential people
- More!
A quick follow and you’ll start receiving updates and stories revolving around those topics. And, as shown in the image above, Google will offer follow suggestions based on where you live, current interests, etc.
Broader Context and Deeper Exploration
This update seems to be Google’s pursuit of providing search results that aren’t cookie-cutter, in the fact that everyone gets the same thing regardless of what people want to see, or even should see. The current app will have a diversified portfolio of information for users.
- Articles With Multiple Viewpoints – Rather than showing the most popular stories, news stories will have different points of view from multiple sources (and will even show additional information and articles related to a news topic).
- Fact Checking – Fact checking is a big introduction in this update. News, in general, has received a lot of negative press for being one-sided. It seems like this is an attempt to overcome that dilemma. In the updated Google App, you’ll be able to check other relevant information related to your topic of interest to gain a broader view of the whole.
- Dive Deep Into the Topics in Your Feed – With a simple tap, you can easily search a topic you see in your feed and get all the information you need.
Get More of the Stuff You Care About
Put simply, this is Google’s way of customizing its experience to each individual user. With these updates, you’ll receive a feed of everything that’s important to you (stated or observed by Google), making it easier than ever to discover the things you are actually passionate about.
As always, Google continues to work hard to be innovative and change to the needs of its consumers. With a focus on the individual user experience, making the app feel like a Social Media platform, it will be easier to access the information you want! It is unclear, at this point, if business advertising will be a part of these new changes. We wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case, though.
Stay Tuned For More
As Google continues to innovate, we will continue to update this article. So, keep coming back for more!
There have been some recent changes leaving people wondering why Google looks different. Yesterday, Google posted an article introducing updates to the Google app (and announced future changes to Google.com). In particular, there are some major improvements to the news feed, making it feel more like a Social Media platform instead of a traditional search engine. This Google news feed update allows users to discover the things most important to them, “even when [they] don’t have a query in mind.” You can read more from Google’s article, “Feed Your Need to Know” if you want, but here is a quick breakdown of the new-and-improved Google App news feed:
A Smart Feed That Changes With You
Google’s algorithm has always been changing and improving. Now, it’s better than ever, with the advertised ability to anticipate what’s interesting and important to users. This will be shown in the form of “cards”, that will carry:
- Sports highlights
- Top news
- Engaging videos
- New music
- Interesting stories
- More
The best part? The more you use Google, the more tailored it becomes to you. So, if you are obsessed with something (like Stranger Things, for example), there will be a heavier focus of articles, videos and updates having to do with that. If you accidentally clicked on an article you didn’t want to learn about, don’t worry! With the click of a button, you can easily unfollow topics.
Follow Your Favorites
Not only is Google’s algorithm great at learning your search history and figuring out who you are, but it now gives you the option of following what you’re interested in with an actual “Follow” button. You can follow:
- Movies
- Sports teams
- Bands and music artists
- Influential people
- More!
A quick follow and you’ll start receiving updates and stories revolving around those topics. And, as shown in the image above, Google will offer follow suggestions based on where you live, current interests, etc.
Broader Context and Deeper Exploration
This update seems to be Google’s pursuit of providing search results that aren’t cookie-cutter, in the fact that everyone gets the same thing regardless of what people want to see, or even should see. The current app will have a diversified portfolio of information for users.
- Articles With Multiple Viewpoints – Rather than showing the most popular stories, news stories will have different points of view from multiple sources (and will even show additional information and articles related to a news topic).
- Fact Checking – Fact checking is a big introduction in this update. News, in general, has received a lot of negative press for being one-sided. It seems like this is an attempt to overcome that dilemma. In the updated Google App, you’ll be able to check other relevant information related to your topic of interest to gain a broader view of the whole.
- Dive Deep Into the Topics in Your Feed – With a simple tap, you can easily search a topic you see in your feed and get all the information you need.
Get More of the Stuff You Care About
Put simply, this is Google’s way of customizing its experience to each individual user. With these updates, you’ll receive a feed of everything that’s important to you (stated or observed by Google), making it easier than ever to discover the things you are actually passionate about.
As always, Google continues to work hard to be innovative and change to the needs of its consumers. With a focus on the individual user experience, making the app feel like a Social Media platform, it will be easier to access the information you want! It is unclear, at this point, if business advertising will be a part of these new changes. We wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case, though.
Stay Tuned For More
As Google continues to innovate, we will continue to update this article. So, keep coming back for more!