Hajra Naz
It appears that Google is experimenting with a new feature where the title, link, and domain in search result snippets become underlined when hovered over with a mouse. Typically, only the title link (commonly displayed in blue) is highlighted with an underline. However, in this test, the entire snippet, including the domain and link, is underlined.
This subtle change has sparked curiosity within the search community. Over the years, Google has made similar adjustments to its interface. For instance, display URLs in Google Ads have been underlined in the past, and there was a time when all links in search results were underlined by default, reflecting a design choice reminiscent of the earlier Internet era.
The experiment was first noticed by Sachin Patel, who shared screenshots and a GIF on X (formerly Twitter). His post highlights how this change alters the visual hierarchy of search results. Many users on X are discussing the potential implications of this tweak, ranging from improved accessibility to a possible shift in user behavior when engaging with search results.
While the reasoning behind this test remains unclear, such experiments often reflect Google’s efforts to refine the user experience, ensuring that search results remain intuitive and engaging. It is yet to be seen whether this change will be rolled out broadly or remain an isolated test.
