Google removes direct URLs from search result links

Google has rolled out a new “goto links” feature in its search results, allowing users to jump directly to specific sections of a webpage from the SERP. The functionality relies on structured data markup and anchor tags embedded in the page’s HTML, enabling Google’s crawler to surface subpage links that point to headings, FAQs, or other distinct content blocks. When a query matches a particular section, the search result will display a small, indented link beneath the main title, offering a faster path to the relevant information without the need to scroll through the entire page.

The announcement was detailed in a blog post on the Autom Dev site, which outlined implementation steps for webmasters, including the required schema.org markup and best‑practice guidelines for naming anchors. Early feedback from the developer community has been recorded on Hacker News, where the post garnered 92 points and sparked 53 comments discussing potential SEO implications, accessibility considerations, and the impact on user experience. Google indicated that the feature will be rolled out gradually and that performance metrics will be monitored to assess its effectiveness.

Overall, the “goto links” addition aims to streamline navigation for search users and provide clearer entry points to specific content, while giving site owners an additional tool to highlight key sections of their pages within Google’s search interface.