Google’s New Colour Scheme?

To those of you who just use Google on the odd occasion, you might be forgiven for thinking that nothing much ever changes on their site. Very often, it is held up as an example of simple, unchanging design. Actually, they experiment quite a lot - and with good reason.

Whilst searching for Virgin Media today, I happened across just such an experiment.

The top sponsored links, as we tirelessly point out to our potential clients, are the listings that are sometimes highlighted in a pale blue box at the top of Google’s results pages. Today, for the first time, I’ve seen this box in a pale yellow.

So Why Should I Care?

Because Google has such vast visitor numbers, it is possible for them to test out new features for a short time and get lots of information about whether those features are used or not. This yellow box is one such experiment. It might never been seen again or it might become a part of the Google experience.

Today’s Moral

Even Google’s apparently simple interface is subject to constant change and subtle improvement. Granted, every test like this they run reaches an audience of millions within hours, enabling them to judge quickly whether their changes have worked. But the lesson to draw is: it’s always worth playing with your website design a little to see if you can enhance customer experience and increase conversions.