Google has announced that it will remove hotel maps, ratings, prices, and similar features from Search results as part of the test for users in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia. They will only see “ten blue links” like from years ago.
It appears that the search giant is having a spat with some comparison sites in Europe that are not happy about Google’s implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) requirements.
DMA requires tech giants to ensure fair competition and prevent them from giving preferential treatment to their own services over competitors.
Google says it has implemented more than 20 substantial changes to Search and completely removed some to comply. Search in the EU was significantly redesigned, and dedicated units and formats were introduced to boost the prominence of comparison sites for free in categories like flights, hotels, and shopping.
These changes were beneficial to large comparison sites and travel aggregators while hurting smaller businesses, including airlines, hotel operators, and small retailers to reach customers, Google believes. Smaller companies are losing traffic from search.
“They have reported that free direct booking clicks are down as much as 30% since we implemented our original changes,” Google said.
“And yet comparison sites are insisting that our changes need to go even further.”
Google noted that “a few sites continue to demand more, such as a complete ban on anything that’s more sophisticated than a simple blue link to a website.” This would prevent people from finding useful information on Search, such as prices and ratings.
So hence, another experiment. For users in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia, Google Search will remove the free hotel features, such as the map with hotels, their ratings, and prices.
For example, if a user located in Germany is searching for hotels in Berlin or New York, the Search results will only contain links to individual websites, including hotel and vacation rental websites and comparison sites. Google compares that to the old “ten blue links” format from years ago
“We need to understand how such changes would impact both the user experience and traffic to websites,” Google said in a blog post.
“Results will return to normal once the test ends.”
Google noted that it is ‘very reluctant to take this step’ and remove helpful features but hopes that objective data will facilitate a constructive discussion. The search giant hopes to reach a final solution that complies with the law and continues to provide Europeans access to helpful tech.
“We do not believe that the end goal is to prevent search engines from innovating and competing.”
Google proposes additional changes to European Search results that would allow users to choose whether to be taken to comparison sites or directly to supplier websites when they’re searching for products, restaurants, flights, or hotels.
Google also proposes new formats “that allow comparison sites and suppliers to show more information about what is on their websites, like prices and pictures,” and new ad units for comparison sites.
This is not the first time Google has responded to regulations with tests and public criticism. During another test, one percent of users in Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain couldn’t find any news on Google.
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