Google the Gatekeeper: How Search Components Affect Clicks and Attention

Christo Wilson, Desheng Hu, Jeffrey Gleason, Ronald E. Robertson

Abstract:

The contemporary Google Search Engine Results Page
(SERP) supplements classic blue hyperlinks with complex
components. These components produce tensions between
searchers, 3rd-party websites, and Google itself over clicks
and attention. In this study, we examine 12 SERP components from two categories: (1) extracted results (e.g.,
featured-snippets) and (2) Google Services (e.g.,
shopping-ads) to determine their effect on peoples’ behavior. We measure behavior with two variables: (1) clickthrough rate (CTR) to Google’s own domains versus 3rd-party
domains and (2) time spent on the SERP. We apply causal inference methods to an ecologically valid trace dataset comprising 477,485 SERPs from 1,756 participants. We find that
multiple components substantially increase CTR to Google
domains, while others decrease CTR and increase time on
the SERP. These findings may inform efforts to regulate the
design of powerful intermediary platforms like Google.