Google search home page revamp promotes other services

Google is trialing one of its biggest changes to date of its home page.

The revamp strips its front page of the black bar that currently runs horizontally along its top, and replaces it with a grey logo.

When clicked, it reveals seven alternative services to the site's search page with an option to reveal a further eight.

Experts said the move was designed to promote more of the firm's businesses without cluttering its home page.

The new look is only being offered to a limited number of users at the moment.

Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group, said the move allowed the site to use icons without resembling Yahoo's busier design.

"They are trying to deal with how to service all the different Google properties without making the page cluttered, because Google is always very keen to hang onto the plain minimalist front page that they have always had," he said.

"The other thing that they are doing with those menus is making the page look like their Chrome netbook operating system.

"So whether you are using a Chromebook or the Google website the interface is the same."

Another consequence of the move is that it now takes users two clicks to enter services such as Images or News, rather than the one click that was previously needed.

However, this may play to the site's financial advantage.

"For years we've all been extolling the virtues of minimising the number of clicks and it would appear to be a retrograde step," said Mr Green.

"But for the sake of clarity it's better having the extra click. What it also means is that, for most people, their first route into the Google universe will be back through the search bar again, which helps the firm expose more people to advertising.

"Through search they can put adverts in front of you, while in the news section there isn't advertising."

A spokesman for Google said the firm was "not providing an update" on the move at this time.