Google's New Feature: Dimming Sponsored Search Results After Viewing

Google has introduced a slight relief for users who find search ads intrusive.

The search giant will now enable you to hide advertisements in search results, but only after you have encountered them.

Typically, Google marks each sponsored result individually with a “sponsored” badge. This new update, however, groups them all into a retractable section that prominently sits at the top of the search results. A larger, clearly visible tag will follow your scroll.

After scrolling through this section, you will find an option to compress these ads with a single click. This will hide the ads within the 'sponsored' header, but another tap will reveal them once more. Google confirms that this update is being deployed on both desktop and mobile platforms.

Evolution of Google’s Advertising

Google has consistently evolved its paid search results to blend more seamlessly with organic search outcomes, encountering some criticism throughout this progression.

In 2020, Google transitioned from labelling these as 'ads' to the subtler 'sponsored' title. This term seems more palatable, especially to a demographic accustomed to influencer-sponsored content.

The Aim of the Update

Google describes this latest modification as an effort to ‘streamline navigation’, igniting some debate. An argument could be made that it would be even more user-friendly if concealed ads were the default setting before they appear on the screen. Nevertheless, it's unlikely Google would risk disrupting a critical revenue stream by implementing such a drastic change.