Google drops Web Stories from image results, Google Discover carousel view and more

Google has stopped showing Web Stories in image search, the carousel view in Google Discover, plus the grid view is now a carousel view in the Google search results. Plus Google made some other availability changes to Web Stories.

Announcement. “To make sure our documentation aligns with how the feature appears in Google Search. Web Stories don’t appear in Google Images anymore, and the grid view is now a carousel view in Search results,” Google wrote.

Documentation change. Google added a new “Feature availability” section to the Web Stories section of the Google documentation, it reads:

Web Stories can appear as a single result on Google Search, which is available in all regions and languages where Google Search is available. Web Stories can also appear in a carousel on Google Search, which is available in the United States (in English), India (in English and Hindi), and Brazil (in Brazilian Portuguese).

In the Discover feed, Web Stories can appear as a single card where you can tap through the story. While this appearance is available in all regions and languages where Google Discover is available, it’s most likely to appear in the United States, India, and Brazil.

What changed. Google will no longer show Web Stories within:

• Image Search results
• Google Discover carousel view
• Grid view is now a carousel view in Google Search

History. In 2018, Google launched AMP Stories, which was later renamed Web Stories. Google brought Web Stories to Google Discover in 2020. In May 2020, Google said AMP was no longer re. In 2021, Google pulled back a bit and removed teaser-based Web Stories. Web Stories became a craze for a lot of publishers real quick.

Reaction. Here is some reaction about this news:

Why we care. If you received a lot of traffic through Web Stories you may want to shift your strategy. Google stepped back on where and when these Web Stories can show and seems like Google may continue to show fewer and fewer web stories in the future.

Postscript. Several weeks later, Google issued a correction; Web Stories still do show up in Google Images.