 "Google makes URLs more compact for mobile search results: What changes")
Google has announced that it is changing how a URL appears on Search for mobile devices. The company said that users will soon see a cleaner, more streamlined look for URLs in search results. Mobile search results will show simplified URLs, only bearing the domain.
In an update to the Google Search Central blog page, Google said that the "breadcrumb element" in URLs are not as useful to users who search on mobile devices, as it gets cut off on smaller screens. Thus, Google is rolling out a change which will no longer show breadcrumbs on mobile search results in all languages on Google Search. While Search results on desktops will continue to show URLs with domain and breadcrumbs, results on mobile devices will only have the former visible.
The breadcrumb element was introduced in 2009 as part of the "site hierarchy" feature, and is represented using ">" in URLs. Breadcrumb provides links back to each previous page the user navigated through to get to the current page.
Google said that the change is expected to make it easier for mobile users to find what they are looking for, and will likely simplify the link-sharing process.
Google is also reportedly working on making Google Search on mobile devices more intuitive using artificial intelligence. Last month, 9To5Google reported that Google is working on a new "AI Mode" for the Google app on Android, which will allow users to search the web using natural language queries via voice. While Google already supports voice-based searches, the new AI Mode is expected to provide improved contextual understanding. The report also stated that users will be able to ask follow-up questions and interrupt Google in the middle of a response, suggesting a user experience similar to the Gemini Live feature.