The feature that stores a snapshot of a web page is no longer required, according to Google.
In an X post that was viewed by The Verge, Google’s search liaison announced that cache links, which are among the most well-known and lengthy-standing elements of Google Search, will be discontinued. The “Cached” button is the most well-known example of these, which are snapshots of a web page taken the most recent time Google indexed it. On the other hand, Google claims that they are no longer necessary or necessary.
Danny Sullivan, who works for Google, noted in the post that “it was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldn’t depend on a page loading.” “In recent times, there has been a significant improvement. As a result, the decision was made to put it out of service.
Hey, catching up. Yes, it's been removed. I know, it's sad. I'm sad too. It's one of our oldest features. But it was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldn't depend on a page loading. These days, things have greatly improved. So, it was decided to…
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 1, 2024
These days, however, the function is utilized for a variety of purposes beyond simply backing up web pages. In order to verify the authenticity of a website, a large number of people rely on it, and search engine optimization managers can use the feature to check their sites for problems. Cache is used by a large number of users, particularly those who work in the news industry, to determine whether or not a website has been updated recently, with material being added or removed. An additional benefit of using a cache is that it enables you to access websites that are restricted in your region.
Previously, when you clicked on the menu with three dots next to a result, a “about this result” box would open, and the Cached button would be located at the bottom right corner of the screen. On the other hand, it now opens a far more extensive menu that displays anything from the “about” page of a website to a Wikipedia description, privacy settings, and more. Now, the button that was cached is completely absent from view.
The comments that were left in Sullivan’s responses were all negative, with one SEO user expressing their disapproval by asking, “Come on, why delete the function? Indeed, it is of great assistance for all SEO.” In the section of About This Result that was once occupied by the cache link button, Sullivan did mention that Google might, at some point in the future, provide links to the Internet Archive.
On the other hand, it seems as though this is not even close to being a done deal, and it would result in a significant volume of traffic being transferred to the Internet Archive. “There are no guarantees. To find out how things might turn out, we need to talk to them. This involves a lot of people who are not just myself. However, I believe that it would be pleasant in every respect,” he wrote.