Google tests a new design for search result feedback

Google is testing a new feature that enables users to provide feedback on search results. The feature appears directly under a snippet and prompts users with the question, “Was this result helpful?” accompanied by green thumbs-up and red thumbs-down icons for feedback.

Google using users as quality raters? ?@rustybrick pic.twitter.com/cPE58U0uss

— Sergey Alakov (@sergey_alakov) October 26, 2023

Google has a history of experimenting with various designs and methods to engage users in providing feedback. From what I can remember, back in 2012, users were sporadically prompted to participate in surveys, asking them to rate search results or express preferences.

While in 2014, I believe it was one of the first times Google asked mobile users for their reviews. Before this, web search users were used to taking surveys occasionally, but mobile users seemed left out of this process. However, those observations revealed that Google has also started asking for feedback from mobile searchers.

The latest design iteration includes a survey prompt placed directly below a search snippet, asking, “Was this result helpful?” Users can express their opinions with a green thumbs-up icon and a red thumbs-down icon.

This could lead to more relevant and valuable search results for everyone. It is still too early to say whether or not this new design will be successful, but it is an interesting experiment nonetheless.