Back to top

    “Actively Discussed On Google+” Now Showing In Google Search Results

    Google’s results are getting even more deeply intertwined with Google+. New links are now showing under results that show “Actively Discussed On Google+.” The link is expandable and brings in Google+ comments or posts when clicked. The “Actively Discussed on Google+” displays much like a sitelink with a blue “Show” button that will expand the discussion without […]

    Google’s results are getting even more deeply intertwined with Google+. New links are now showing under results that show “Actively Discussed On Google+.” The link is expandable and brings in Google+ comments or posts when clicked.

    The “Actively Discussed on Google+” displays much like a sitelink with a blue “Show” button that will expand the discussion without taking users off the results page:

    Social Under 25

    When the show button is clicked we’ve spotted either comments or posts from Google+ displaying.  Comments look quite similar to the Google+ execution and are nested as responses.  To no-one’s suprise, a link at the bottom of the expanded unit allows users to go directly to Google+:Actively Discussed Google+

    A few implementations spotted weren’t actual discussions, rather just Google+ posts.  This example for instance pulls a Google+ post under the result with the Google+ post basically replicating the URL above.  While it makes sense to tie in discussions, pulling in post without comments like this seems like a bad idea.

    Post

    This implementation furthers the Google+ification of Google search, many times pushing Google+ over relevancy.   The “Actively Discussed” links are in test mode currently, no official release has been announced.

    Topics on this page

    Contributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. Contributor was not asked to make any direct or indirect mentions of Semrush. The opinions they express are their own.


    About the Author

    Greg Finn

    Greg Finn is the Director of Marketing for Cypress North, a company that provides digital marketing and web development. He is a co-host of Marketing O'Clock and has been in the digital marketing industry for nearly 20 years. You can also find Greg on Twitter (@gregfinn) or LinkedIn.