Google's latest tweak: hiding search result counts to refine user experience

Google, the most popular search engine globally, must carefully consider any alterations to its platform. Given its widespread usage, it's inevitable that not every change will please all users. The recent update focuses on how the search engine presents the number of results linked to specific keywords.

This is not the first time Google has experimented with this feature. According to Android Police, initial efforts to conceal this number occurred in 2016. The feature returned in June 2023, with the search engine now defaulting to hiding this information.

The count of search results for particular phrases hasn't been eliminated; somewhat, it's been obscured within the "Tools" menu. By expanding this menu, users can reveal the search result totals on their screen.

This modification might seem insignificant and unlikely to substantially disrupt normal search engine usage. However, it could prove inconvenient for some users. For instance, the number of search results can help users identify errors in their keyword entries. If the results are scant, it might suggest a misunderstanding of the topic or a significant spelling mistake.

Webmasters have historically used data from search result totals provided by Google to gauge how many pages from their sites were indexed. Moreover, this information could be employed to evaluate a topic's relevance and competitive landscape or estimate a keyword's popularity early.

According to Android Police, the rationale behind Google's decision remains unclear. It's conceivable that the company recognized the number of results as an unreliable indicator of a website's indexed page count. Thus, hiding this figure could be a strategy to prevent the dissemination of misleading information, opting instead to conceal it from the user's immediate view.