Google introduces new recipe feature that keeps you searching

Google is testing a new feature that allows you to view entire recipes on third-party websites without clicking through and leaving Google Search.

Instead of just showing you a short snippet of the information you want, with the new recipe view feature, first seen by Search engine roundtable discussionyou will be able to see the entire recipe by simply hovering over the link.

Quick Search is currently undergoing a limited early experiment, according to an official statement sent to The edgeand the search giant has entered into an agreement with the participating recipe bloggers.

“We’re always experimenting with different ways to connect our users with useful, high-quality information,” said Google spokeswoman Brianna Duff. “We’ve partnered with a limited number of creators to begin exploring new recipe experiences on Search that are both useful for users and add value to the web ecosystem. We don’t have anything to announce right now.”

The move comes as Google recently introduced AI Overviews, another feature that allows users to avoid going to third-party websites altogether, potentially reducing their traffic.

The feature was rolled out across the US in May 2024 at I/O 2024, but has already attracted criticism for sometimes providing inaccurate and sometimes nonsensical answers.

An X user even discovered the tool that advised a user to add non-toxic glue to their pizza, citing an old Reddit comment.

Some third-party commentators have touched on the potential impact of tools like AI Overviews, which will allow users to remove third-party websites entirely, on the search engine optimization (SEO) industry.

In one BBC News piece, one writer argued that changes such as the introduction of AI Overviews could mean “a dramatic upheaval of the web’s most powerful tool.”

In the world of SEO, industry experts use a variety of tricks in an attempt to get their client’s websites to rank higher on search engines like Google. The industry was estimated to be worth $80 billion by 2020 by Forbesand Google is overwhelmingly the most popular search engine in most of the world.

The edge points out that SEO is a very influential force in the world of online recipes, where a large number of different bloggers and websites produce content on similar topics.

However, there’s no guarantee that Quick Search will necessarily stick around long-term, even if Google decides to go for a full rollout.

The industry specialists at Search engine roundtable discussion pointed out that Google implemented a Quick Search feature in 2012 for mobile search engines, but it was removed less than a year later.