Google executives acknowledge dissatisfaction among users regarding search experience following Reddit blackouts

Google Launches Perspectives Feature to Surface Discussion Forums and Videos from Social Media Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and Quora

Google users have been struggling to find helpful resources on specific topics after many Reddit forums went dark earlier this month. This move made the tactic of appending queries with "Reddit" ineffective. As a result, many pages in search results became inaccessible or unhelpful, driving users to frustration. To address this problem, Google has now launched a new feature called Perspectives available on the mobile web and Google app in the US to surface discussion forums and videos from social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Quora.

Google's Response to User Feedback

At an all-hands meeting, Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's senior vice president in charge of search, acknowledged negative user feedback due to too many ads and irrelevant results. He noted that users had grown frustrated with the search experience and emphasized the need to make users happy. To keep pace with rivals, Google is trying to revamp its search and provide more sophisticated and conversational answers to text-based queries by leveraging generative artificial intelligence.

Improved Search Experience

CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized that users want more comprehensive answers rather than just blue links. HJ Kim, vice president of engineering in search, added that users have been asking for more content from sites like Reddit, and the Perspectives tab is one feature that the company has been working on to address this. Kim also acknowledged that Google can do a better job and requested the team to determine what's getting the best traction, pointing to search's cross-functional teams to go after Reddit's content.

AI is Not the Only Answer

Raghavan emphasized that while generative AI is one aspect of solving the problem, it won't fully address the issue. He emphasized that the company is running experiments, with Perspectives as one example, to address these new and emerging needs better. The goal is to provide users with answers right away, particularly for questions with multiple opinions, without appending additional terms to their queries.

Google's search team is continually iterating and building new features to improve the search experience and meet the evolving needs of its users. The Perspectives filter is one of the ways Google is ensuring that people can find the most helpful information from a wide range of sources and formats. Google plans to keep up with emerging needs and do a better job of addressing them, particularly in AI.
The launch of Google's Perspectives feature is a testament to the company's commitment to providing users with the most relevant and helpful information. For new businesses, this means that having a strong presence on social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Quora can greatly benefit their visibility on Google's search engine. By being active on these platforms and creating informative content, businesses can increase their chances of showing up in search results and reaching a wider audience.

Furthermore, Google's emphasis on providing comprehensive answers rather than just blue links underscores the importance of having quality content that addresses the needs of consumers. As businesses create content that provides real value and addresses the concerns of their audience, they increase their chances of getting picked up by Google's search algorithms and appearing in relevant search results.

Overall, the launch of Perspectives is an exciting development that could help businesses of all sizes improve their search rankings and drive traffic to their websites. By recognizing and adapting to emerging needs and technologies like AI, Google is ensuring that its search engine remains a reliable and useful tool for users and businesses alike.