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Google updated the Web Stories documentation to reflect that Web Stories will no longer appear in Google Images, among other changes.
Google Web Stories
Web Stories is a visual short content form that is designed for short moments like when riding on a bus. They’re visual with short sentences and are in a carousel form where swiping reveals the next “page” of the content.
Google calls them snackable content and visual storytelling.
This is how Google describes Web Stories:
“Web Stories immerse your readers in fast-loading full-screen experiences. Easily create visual narratives, with engaging animations and tappable interactions.
The Web Story format (formerly known as AMP Stories) is free and part of the open web and are available for everyone to try on their websites. They can be shared and embedded across the web without being confined to a closed ecosystem or platform.Web Stories provide content publishers with a mobile-focused format for delivering news and information as visually rich, tap-through stories. Web Stories offers a robust set of advertising opportunities for advertisers and publishers to reach a unique audience on the web with immersive experiences.”
Changes to Availability
Web Stories are available in Google Search, which includes Google Discover. They were formerly available in Google Images but that is no longer the case.
According to Google’s Developer Pages changelog:
“Updated the availability of Web Stories
What: Updated the feature availability of Web Stories.Why: To make sure our documentation aligns with how the feature appears in Google Search. Web Stories don’t appear in Google Images anymore, and the grid view is now a carousel view in Search results.”
Google Search Central Help Page For Web Stories
Google’s Search Central developer page for Web Stories was updated to reflect the changes to where Web Stories are available.
The first change to the documentation is a new heading that emphasizes that Web Stories are a part of Google Search.
This is the new heading:
“A Web Story on Google Search”
The next change is the removable of content about how web stories appear across Google, replaced with a new heading that emphasizes that Web Stories is a Search Feature.
The second new heading:
“Feature availability “
The most substantial change is the addition of a new paragraph that accompanies the above heading.
This is the new section:
Feature availability
“Web Stories can appear as a single result on Google Search, which is available in all regions and languages where Google Search is available. Web Stories can also appear in a carousel on Google Search, which is available in the United States (in English), India (in English and Hindi), and Brazil (in Brazilian Portuguese).
In the Discover feed, Web Stories can appear as a single card where you can tap through the story. While this appearance is available in all regions and languages where Google Discover is available, it’s most likely to appear in the United States, India, and Brazil.”
Read Google’s changelog entry for this change:
February 8 Updated the availability of Web Stories
Featured Image by Shutterstock/Bplanet