What Exactly are the 10 Blue Links?
The "10 blue links" refer to the traditional format of search engine results pages (SERPs), where the first page typically displays ten organic search results. Each result was represented by a blue hyperlink leading to the relevant webpage. This format has been the standard since the invention of search engines and has remained unchanged for many years. In the early days of the web, when search engines were less sophisticated and web pages were primarily text-based, this straightforward design was the foundation of the internet search experience.
Google's MuM
Google's Multitask Unified Model (MuM) is an advanced AI model introduced in 2021 that transforms how Google understands and responds to complex search queries. MUM is multimodal, meaning it can process information from various formats, such as text, images, and, in the future, even videos and audio. This allows MUM to understand information and world knowledge more comprehensively than previous models. It is also multilingual, trained across 75 different languages, enabling it to gather insights from sources worldwide.
Google's MUM can understand and process information across different formats and languages
Why "10 Blue Links" is Dead in Google SERP
The rise of Google's MuM and other advancements in search technology have led to a significant shift away from the traditional "10 blue links" format. As Google aims to provide more direct and comprehensive answers to users' queries, SERPs have evolved to include various features beyond simple links.
A 2013 Moz study revealed that 86% of SERPs included non-organic features like Knowledge Panels, Featured Snippets, and Local Packs. This trend has only accelerated with the introduction of MUM, which can understand complex queries and provide more nuanced answers by drawing on diverse sources of information.
Old vs. Current SERP
The old SERP, characterized by "10 blue links," presented a simple list of web pages ranked by relevance to the search query. Users had to click on the links and sift through the information to find the specific answers they were looking for.
In contrast, the current SERP is a dynamic and interactive landscape. It incorporates various features to give users direct answers and a richer search experience. These features include:
- Featured Snippets: Concise summaries of answers extracted from top-ranking web pages.
- Knowledge Panels: Informative boxes that provide key facts and information about entities like people, places, and organizations.
- People Also Ask: A section that displays related questions and expands to show answers, encouraging further exploration of the topic.
- Image Carousels: Rows of images related to the search query, allowing users to explore the topic visually.
- Local Packs: A map and list of local businesses relevant to the search, handy for location-based queries.
These features, powered by AI models like MuM, aim to provide users with the most relevant and helpful information directly on the SERP, often reducing the need to click through to external websites.
The evolution from simple blue links to today's feature-rich search experience
Summary
The era of "10 blue links" in Google search results is fading as search technology evolves. Google's MuM, with its multimodal and multilingual capabilities, plays a crucial role in this transformation. By understanding complex queries and synthesizing information from diverse sources, MuM enables Google to provide users with more direct, comprehensive, and engaging answers. While organic links still hold value, the SERP has become a dynamic landscape with various features designed to enhance the user experience and provide information efficiently.
