Almost a month ago to the day, we reported a new feature from Google that allowed selected users to view live previews of the sites listed on a search that has just been performed.
Today, Google has made the feature available to all users, showing little pop up boxes to show what is listed on a webpage without having to leave the search page.
To use the new feature, simply hover over the magnifying glass alongside a search result and you’re given a quick preview. Ingeniously, Google is also able to highlight sections of the page that include the text you’ve searched for.
Not only can you use your mouse to bring up the live preview, you can also use your keyboard to display a live snapshot. Users can nivigate to the search result, hit the right arrow key to display the preview and then press the down arrow to keep browing the search results.
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According to Google, people that use Instant Previews are about 5% more likely to be happy with the results they click. By showing previews, users may recognise the site they are searching for, identifying layouts, logos and branding without having to visit the webpage itself.
The feature will be available in over 40 countries within the next few days, below is a video on how Instant Previews works:
The feature comes two months after Google announced it would start serving search results instantly, a feature that can also be used just by using a keyboard.
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