On September 11, 2024, Google announced its partnership with Internet Archive to provide access to previous versions of a website. Users can view this link by conducting a regular search and navigating About This Result in the search engine results page (SERP). This addition makes it easier for searchers and search engine optimization (SEO) specialists to find old or removed content on the web.
In this blog, we will examine this new feature and its impacts on SEO Philippines packages.
Google’s “About This Result” Feature
This image is taken from the Search Engine Roundtable.
The Search tool About This Result provides users with an option to gather more information about the page, topic, or image they’re about to open. With this background information, Google fosters trust in the consumption of information online.
For example, the About the Source could show reviews about the site and how other users or platforms rate the site’s user experience. These pieces of information can help users assess whether to trust the website as a source of information. With this feature, searchers can make an informed judgment before visiting the website.
Google’s About This Result may come in three forms:
- About the Source – provides details and context about the website. Information that may be found here includes:
- Description of the site from Google’s Knowledge Graph
- Date Google first crawled the site
- What other sources say about the website
- What the page represents
- About the Topic – contains top news and additional sources about the same story covered in the page. It may present news articles, shopping websites, and scientific studies, depending on the topic.
- About the Image – help users understand the context and credibility of the image. Some details it may offer include:
- Where the image first appeared
- Where it’s been seen online
- When Google first indexed the image
- Whether the image is AI-generated
Users can access About This Result by hovering and clicking on the three dots on the right side of the page’s title.
This image is taken from Digital Information World.
Feature Update: Archived Website Links
Google officially retired the cached link from the Featured Snippets in January 2024. Cached links allow users to access web pages even when the original website is no longer available. Many have been disappointed by this change since the cached link has been one of Google Search’s early features. However, Google is replacing this with archived website links.
This image is taken from SE Journal.
In partnership with Internet Archive, Google now allows searchers to view a page’s previous version. This is possible through the Wayback Machine, which is now accessible through the About This Result feature.
Archived website links make historical web content easier to access. Primarily, the link was added to foster the Internet Archive’s mission to make digital records accessible to the newer generations. The Wayback Machine is like a time capsule of the internet’s history. By adding it in Search, Google helps expand the reach of the Wayback Machine.
How to Use Internet Archive?
To check a web page’s previous version, a user has to click the three dots on the right side of the result. Upon the display of the About this Result, they can click on “more about this page,” and they will be directed to a new tab with more detailed information on the page or topic.
Just below the About This Source is the information about when the page was first indexed by Google and the link to the Internet Archive Machine. If they click on this link, users can explore a link archive displaying various versions of the site’s pages.
This image is taken from Google.
A website owner may choose not to have their website archived. The reason for this could be similar to how not all web pages should be indexed:
- Content is not relevant to the brand
- Pages are private or confidential
- Pages intended for administrators rather than the public audience
Moreover, archivists may restrict access to or remove that portion of their collections with or without notice if the web page violates content policy.
This image is taken from Sitechecker.
Impact on SEO: Why Is This Update Important?
The cached page link was a useful Search feature as it allowed users to view the page even when they were facing loading issues. It also benefits SEO in various ways, such as allowing specialists to keep track of competition and view which modifications contribute to improved site performance.
These were the reasons why many did not have a favorable take on the update. However, Google discerned that it was time to retire the feature. To replace the cached link, Google adds a link to the Internet Archive.
Because archived website links do not entirely replace the functionality of cached links, SEO specialists need to adapt their strategies relating to:
- monitoring the impact of page modifications, and
- gaining insights from a site’s historical content
SEO experts may need to rely more on live crawling tools and other monitoring platforms to keep up with site changes. The change also emphasizes the need for a broader toolkit when tracking performance. As the Internet Archive won’t always offer up-to-date insights necessary for ongoing SEO campaigns, specialists need to explore other resources to get these functions.
In hindsight, the integration of the Wayback Machine to Google Search highlights the importance of web archiving in SEO. For example, the archived links allow an SEO service provider Philippines to see how websites evolved over time. Through it, they can track changes to a website’s design, content, and technical structure. This historical view can be valuable for understanding the long-term strategies that have worked for competitors.
Additionally, SEO experts can analyze old versions of websites to identify previous backlink sources, including pages that no longer exist but once had strong domain authority. These insights can help identify opportunities to reclaim or build similar high-quality backlinks.
Conclusion
Search engine changes have a significant impact not only on user’s search behaviors but also on SEO strategies. The removal of the cached page links and the addition of the archived website links are great examples of this.
If you are one of the many website owners who used the cached page links for their SEO monitoring, the replacement of the Internet Archive links means shifting your strategies to maximize the update without negatively affecting your campaigns. Adapting to this change may leave you at a loss for where to go from here. You may need to consult with a professional SEO agency Philippines to help you with your dilemma.
Digital Marketing Philippines (DMP) can be your ally in keeping up with the industry trends and changes. Our SEO experts are updated with the latest developments in the digital marketing and SEO industry. Partnering with us will reinforce your brand with a sustainable SEO strategy that adapts to today’s fast-changing digital landscape.
Contact us today to consult with experienced and qualified SEO professionals in the Philippines.
References:
https://www.fonearena.com/blog/434980/google-search-wayback-machine-integration.html
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/11/24241841/google-search-results-internet-archive-wayback-machine-cached-results
Jomer B. Gregorio is a well-rounded expert when it comes digital marketing. Jomer is also known as a semantic SEO evangelist and practitioner. Check out our Digital Marketing Services today and let us help you in achieving positive and profitable results for your business.