Google Search Knowledge Panels get large desktop grid, theming

Abner Li | Dec 11 2022 - 7:43 pm PT

Back at Search On 2022 in September, Google said Search would make it “easier to explore a subject by highlighting the most relevant and helpful information,” and that Knowledge Panel redesign is beginning to roll out.

These highlights take the form of cards arranged in a grid layout. What’s shown depends on the topic, though a carousel of images is consistently the first thing that appears. In the case of cities, you get “Weather averages” (as high/low for the month), how long it takes to “Get there” from your current location, a map, and description.

When looking up dishes/recipes, the description appears first followed by videos and articles, including a “Things to know” carousel.” On mobile, these cards are often themed to the content (e.g., pesto green, ragù red, etc). However, many cards are just blue.

As you scroll, the usual web results appear. On mobile, we’re only seeing this Knowledge Panel redesign for those two aforementioned categories.

On desktop, we’re just seeing it for people. Notably, there’s now a large Knowledge Panel grid that starts with images and highlights things like age, spouse, and a social media account. Athletes might also get cards for height, net worth, and recent recap video. The right sidebar is still used for the About description and other information.

This grid being the first thing that appears after the Search bar is quite prominent and draws your attention.

Google has yet to widely roll out this new card redesign for all Knowledge Panel categories, or even every result within one. Besides information, Google will highlight “content from creators on the open web.”

For topics like cities, you may see visual stories and short videos from people who have visited, tips on how to explore the city, things to do, how to get there and other important aspects you might want to know about as you plan your travels.