Google backtracks and tests favicon-less search results pages.
A cleaner search experience.
Last month, Google changed its desktop search results to look more like its mobile search results. The big difference was adding favicons to the results. (The desktop results also include the second level domain even though these don’t appear on mobile.)
Google might be backtracking on the favicons. I searched today and didn’t see any favicons. It turns out Google is testing this based on feedback:
An important update! We’ve heard your feedback about the look. We always want to make Search better, so we’re going to experiment with new placements for favicons on desktop. Please see here for more: https://t.co/R4RjQ53cXe
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) January 24, 2020
Presumably, its testing will check how people interact with both organic and paid search results.
