Instead of showing content users previously clicked on, the cards in these verticals facilitate comparison shopping, new job listings and related recipes.
Google has extended the functionality of its related activity cards with respect to shopping, job and recipe-related searches, the company announced Tuesday. The new features are designed to make it easier for users to take the next step in their journey; in this case, making a purchase, finding a job or preparing a meal.
The shopping activity card. Google search will now show products that a user has been researching, even if the product was featured in an article the user was reading.
Price ranges and star ratings make it easier for users to compare the products they’ve been researching.
The jobs activity card. This activity card shows users new, relevant listings that have been posted since the user last searched for a particular job, making it easier for jobseekers to tell whether new listings are available at a glance.
The recipe activity card. Google now surfaces recipes related to the ones a user has recently visited. The related recipes are also accompanied by a thumbnail preview.
Why we care. When the activity card was first introduced, it was more conducive to repeat site visits. However, within the context of these three verticals, the new activity card features may lead users to move on from pages they’ve visited to comparing products, looking at new job listings or perusing related recipes.
