How to Disable Google Web Page Annotation Feature on iOS

Google rolled out a new feature to their Google App specifically for iOS devices. This feature can automatically add (or overlay) hyperlinks within any website’s content (including yours!). According to Google, “[Google] created a new feature called Page Annotation in the Google App browser for iOS. It extracts interesting entities from the webpage and highlights them in line. When the user clicks on the highlighted entity, it will direct the user to the search result page for this entity.”

Google later states that the most common entities that may be linked include “words, topics, products, places, celebrity names, and other entities that are mentioned in a page…”

Image Courtesy of Google Search Support

As you can imagine, this feature may end up leading more website visitors away from your web page and the original purpose of your content.

Keep reading to learn more about the Google Page Annotation feature, its downsides, and how to disable this on your website if desired.

Why the Google Page Annotations Feature Is a Problem

I’m an avid proponent of search engines continually updating their systems to make them better and better serve searchers. Constant change and experimentation within search engines excites me and is a big part of what I love about my job as an SEO professional. Yes, I’m a change lover, for better or worse.

However, in my personal opinion, the Google Page Annotation “feature” hurts websites more than it helps. With the roll out of more search engine features, like Google’s AI Overviews, which give answers to visitors directly within the search engine, many website owners and publishers have a fear that their content is being provided to users without the search engine encouraging the user to click to their actual website for more detail.

As a result, some argue that it is becoming harder for websites to garner traffic from informational queries within search engines.

Regardless of whether you think search engines are in the right or wrong for answering attempting to answer their users’ questions directly within search engines, this feature is in a completely different location – your website.

In this case, Google is influencing traffic which has already landed on your website. It is certainly challenging to get users to your website, even if you are actively focusing on search engine optimization. Having more outbound links to other websites that you didn’t even add to your own website, is an overstep. From a user experience and content ownerships perspective, you should be in charge of what links to do and do not appear within articles you’ve written.

Ultimately, we recommend (and hope) that Google either A) removes this feature or B) makes the feature opt-in (optional) by default, instead of automatically active.

In the meantime, we are recommending our small business clients opt-out of the Google Page Annotations feature for iOS. If you want to do the same, follow the instructions below.

How to Disable the Google Page Annotation Feature on iOS

Thankfully, Google has made a form that you can use to opt-out of the Google Page Annotation feature. To successfully opt-out, complete the following steps:

1. Visit the Page Annotation Opt-Out Form.
2. Ensure you are logged in to the Google Account that you use to manage your website within Google Search Console.
   
   1. If you’re not logged into the right account, you can click on the “Switch Account” option.
      
3. Select the “record [your email address] as the email to be included with my response.”
4. Enter the Search Console Properties (websites) that you want removed from the Page Annotation feature in a comma separated list.
   
   1. This is the tricky part. Even if you only have one website, you technically should include each variation including http/https and www/non-www. For example, to remove Igniting Business’ website from this feature, you can see the URL string we entered in the image below.
      
   1. You might also have other subdomains that host additional content like store.yourdomain.com, etc. You’ll still need add the http/https and www/non-www versions of those as well.
   2. If you have more than one domain that you’re managing, we recommend submitting one opt-out submission per domain.
5. Check the box that says, “I acknowledge that by filling out this form, these properties will be opted out of the Page Annotation feature.”
6. Confirm that the bottom of the page says, “A copy of your responses will be emailed to [your email address].” Make sure this displays the correct email address, otherwise you may need to go back to step 2.
7. Click “Submit” and confirm you see a confirmation message onscreen that says “your response has been recorded.” You will also receive an email that shows a copy of your submission.
8. Patiently wait. It may take Google up to 30 days to remove your website from the Page Annotation feature.

We hope that process helps. Note that if you want to opt back in to the feature at any time, you can always do so via the same form.

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