Google Testing Recipe-Type Thumbnails Without Markup in Search Results

When we see recipe related thumbnails in the search results, we are used to seeing Google displaying a recipe related thumbnail when displaying recipe results with the schema markup.  But Google appears to be testing showing thumbnails for food related articles which don’t have any recipe schema markup on the page.

Ross Hudgens was the first to spot the test. The Buzzfeed article has no recipe markup and is not even formatted in a way where they have created a recipe-type look on the page.

It doesn’t show as a traditional recipe in the search results, where we often see ratings, calories, times and more.  So the only real difference between this result and a regular non-recipe search result is the addition of the thumbnail in the search results.  But it also means that some sites that do have recipes, even if not properly marked up, could display the recipe related image.

Note that the second example does have recipe markup, although it is not really a traditional recipe.

Hudgens also later tweeted the search query that displayed the results.

This definitely seems to be a test, as I couldn’t replicate it.  But this could be pretty significant if Google made this change permanent to show thumbnails in the search results.  Would it just be for food related queries?  Or could it move to products as well?  It definitely raises some fascinating ideas for where this could go.

Images getting pulled from blog posts without recipes that are still food based. First time I've seen that. pic.twitter.com/OBYtwXgzCZ

— Ross Hudgens (@RossHudgens) February 2, 2016

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Jennifer Slegg

Founder & Editor at The SEM Post

Jennifer Slegg is a longtime speaker and expert in search engine marketing, working in the industry for almost 20 years. When she isn't sitting at her desk writing and working, she can be found grabbing a latte at her local Starbucks or planning her next trip to Disneyland. She regularly speaks at Pubcon, SMX, State of Search, Brighton SEO and more, and has been presenting at conferences for over a decade.

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