Google is updating its search filter, Outlook, which launched in April 2023, less than a year ago. It is no longer called Perspectives but now Forums, to better reflect the content present in the tab.
What you must remember is:
- Google renamed the “Perspectives” filter to “Forums” to more accurately reflect the filtered content and make the experience more intuitive.
- Users with this filter can specifically select search results to view content from hundreds of forums.
- Despite the name change, content previously included under “Perspectives,” such as short-form videos and user-generated content (UGC), will remain accessible in search.
Google replaces perspectives with forums.
Google has officially replaced the "Perspectives" filter with "Forums" in its search filters, following testing and user feedback indicating that the term "Forums" was more intuitive than "Perspectives," chosen by the search engine less than a year ago, in April 2023.
This change serves to simplify the search for specific content on the web by allowing users to directly filter results to view discussions from various online forums. A development that further demonstrates the importance of the relationship between Google and Reddit, and perhaps even a partnership with Quora soon?
One thing is certain: forums are taking up more space in searches, and this time with their own filter! Internet users who only want to read responses on forums can easily filter these results without seeing other types of sites.
Why the forum filter?
Google's decision to move from "Perspectives" to "Forums" is part of a desire to improve the search experience by making it more intuitive. They say "forums" more accurately describes the type of content users can expect to find using this filter. This update makes it easier to find discussions and exchanges on specific topics, highlighting users' personal experiences.
Does this have an impact on research?
No more today than yesterday. This is only a name change, not a real-life experience change. Google is still committed to providing search results that reflect people's personal experiences, but under the heading Forums and not Insights!
Other types of content included in the Perspectives tab, such as short videos and user-generated content that are not part of forums, will continue to be accessible for suitable queries, but in the form of carousels, blocks, or within traditional links in the SERPs.
Please note: Perspectives and Forums are, until now, only available in English and in the United States. If this filter arrives in France soon, it will therefore be directly called Forums. That said, it may still have changed its name by the time it crosses the Atlantic!
Reminder: What is perspective?
The "Perspectives" feature, launched by Google in April 2023, aimed to offer users diverse and complementary points of view on a given topic, highlighting contributions from a range of journalists, experts, and other personalities deemed relevant.
Located under the Featured section of the results pages, this feature was presented in a carousel format, demonstrating Google's commitment to providing authoritative and trustworthy information. It could also be found in search filters for mobile results.
Although the “Perspectives” filter has been renamed to “Forums,” Google’s goal of valuing multiple perspectives remains unchanged. Google continues to value short-form videos, user-generated content (UGC), and other forms of personal opinions by integrating them into search results in different formats.