In the past few months, Google has introduced a number of new properties to help publishers during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of which is the ability to host events via its platform.
That means users can discover and attend online events through search results or other products such as Google maps. In turn, publishers can enjoy an increased chance of discovery and conversion.
In line with that, the search giant has announced a new rich result consistent with a home activity. Some examples of contents that fit into these categories include:
- Upcoming video Livestream
- An online event
- Already recorded video
Now, Google will show Home Activities rich results when an appropriate search query triggers it.
The announcement on Google developers’ blog reads:
“When people search for activities to do at home, videos and online events appear in a rich result. People can click a video or class, and see more details, such as a description of the activity, how to register, or watch now.”
Here’s how it works.
About Google’s New Home Activities Rich Results
According to Google, websites must add either Event or Video structured data to be eligible for home activities. While the former is suitable for online events, the latter is ideal for published videos.
“By adding Event structured data, your online events may already be eligible for this [Home Activities] rich result, with no additional steps needed,” says Google.
The new rich results are currently available in English in the United States, and it’s limited to mobile devices. However, where the results are shown depends on the time zone on the structured data.
Also, Home Activity rich results only show up for fitness-related queries — such as “yoga at home” or “online exercise.” It’s unclear whether Google intends to expand the feature to other kinds of home activities.
For example, the rich result can be useful for local gyms, yoga studios, martial art schools, and other fitness-related activities online.
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