An in-depth look at the challenges facing the News tab of Google and uncertainty about its future, as well as potential implications for publishers’news.
Introduction
The services of’news and aggregation of news have long been a key feature of Google, but its future is now uncertain. The “News” tab of Google, which compiles and brings together information from sources’news of the whole world, has now existed for more than 15 ans. However, with the emergence of popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter, as well as dedicated monitoring and feed applications, many wonder if the role of aggregator’news of Google is obsolete.
In this article, we will review the history of the News tab of Google and how it has evolved over the years. We'll also explore the challenges it faces and why its future could be in jeopardy. Eventually, we will discuss possible options for Google and the implications for publishers’news if the tab was actually deleted.
History of the News tab of Google
The News tab of Google was first launched in 2002 as a beta feature. At the time, it was essentially an RSS feed aggregator, bringing together news from a selection of sources on the Internet. Over the years, Google continued to develop its value proposition’news adding more sources, more localized geographies and additional features like customizing preferences.
In 2010, Google threw Google News, an application Web independent dedicated to the aggregation and dissemination of’news. This demonstrates the growing importance he attached to the sector of news. In 2016, the News tab has undergone a major overhaul, placing more emphasis on the content visual like photos and videos. The goal was to make the experience more emotionally engaging for users.
Current challenges
Although the News tab of Google played a key role in the dissemination of news over the last decade, it faces several significant challenges:
Competition from social networks – Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have become the main source of information for many people. They are better adapted to the consumption patterns of news on mobile.
Limited customization – Compared to algorithms social media sophisticates, News tab is not able to personalize the experience based on individual interests.
Profitability – Unlike actors like Facebook, Google failed to effectively monetize its offering’news. Publishers demand a fairer share of advertising revenue.
Internal competition – Others products Google as Google Discover, YouTube et Google Search itself could cannibalize its traffic.
Regulation of tech giants – Calls for better revenue sharing and respect for copyright compel Google to review its economic model.
The uncertain future of the News tab
Given current challenges, the long-term future of the News tab as a separate product is uncertain. Google could explore some options:
Merger with Google Discover – L’API Google Discover, present on Android, now offers news personalized. Google could fully integrate the News tab into this interface.
Refocusing on the research – Gradually reduce the News tab in favor of better exposure of news in the results of research Google.
New economic model – Design a shared revenue model with publishers to ensure the long-term viability of aggregation’news.
Closing – If no profitable solution is found, Google could simply delete the tab as a product.
Whichever option is chosen, the disappearance of the tab would mean a significant loss for publishers’news, who today rely on Google to direct a significant part of the traffic. This highlights the sector's dependence on digital platforms.
Conclusion
Although the News tab of Google has long been a major source of information, its future is now uncertain in the face of the emergence of new modes of media consumption. To ensure its sustainability, Google will have to find a balance between economic profitability, personalization of the user experience and support for the journalistic ecosystem. Whichever direction you take, his decision will have significant repercussions on the media landscape of tomorrow.
