This feature would add keyword highlighting in search result snippets, similar to how Google Search highlights matching query terms in the description text of each result.
What it’s for:
• Help users quickly identify where their search terms appear in each result snippet
• Improve scanning efficiency when reviewing multiple search results
• Provide visual confirmation that results are relevant to the search query
• Enhance accessibility for users who quickly scan results before clicking
Impact on existing workflows:
• Significantly improves the speed of evaluating search result relevance
• Users can immediately see which parts of the snippet match their query without re-reading the entire description
• Particularly valuable when dealing with long snippets or complex multi-word queries
• Reduces cognitive load when scanning through multiple results on a page
• Would work seamlessly with existing features like Lenses and personalized rankings
Use Case 1: Multi-term Search Queries
A user searches for “docker container memory limit configuration”. Without highlighting, they need to carefully read each snippet to determine which results address all aspects of their query. With highlighting, they can instantly see that Result #1 mentions “docker” and “container” but not “memory limit”, while Result #3 highlights all key terms, making it immediately clear which result is more relevant.
Use Case 2: Technical Troubleshooting
Someone searching for “TypeError cannot read property undefined” can quickly spot which results discuss the exact error message versus general TypeScript errors. The highlighted terms act as visual anchors, helping users identify the most specific and relevant solutions without reading every snippet in detail.
Use Case 3: Academic Research
A researcher searching for “climate change impact coastal cities” can rapidly scan 20+ results and identify which ones mention specific combinations of terms. For instance, they can quickly skip results that only mention “climate change” and “cities” but not “coastal”, saving significant time in literature review.
Use Case 4: Shopping and Product Research
When searching for “wireless headphones noise cancellation under 200”, highlighted terms help users quickly identify which results discuss all three criteria (wireless, noise cancellation, price point) versus those that only partially match.
Use Case 5: Long-form Content Preview
For results with longer snippets (like forum posts or documentation), highlighting helps users locate the relevant section within the preview text, especially useful when the query terms appear multiple times in different contexts.
Implementation Details:
The highlighting could be implemented with:
1. Visual Design Options:
• Bold font weight for matched terms (subtle, accessible)
• Background color highlight (similar to Google’s approach)
• Customizable via Custom CSS for power users who want to match their theme
2. Matching Logic:
• Highlight exact query terms
• Optionally highlight close variations (plurals, verb tenses) - could be a setting
• Preserve existing snippet quality and formatting
3. Settings Integration:
Could add an optional toggle in Settings > Search Settings:
Highlight Search Terms in Results: [Toggle - Default: ON]
Reference Implementations:
1. Google Search - Uses a bold font weight for matching terms in snippets, which has been a core feature for decades. Users have muscle memory for quickly spotting bold terms.
2. Bing Search - Similarly highlights query terms with bold formatting in result descriptions.
3. DuckDuckGo - Also implements keyword highlighting in search snippets.
4. Brave Search - Highlights matching terms to help users quickly assess relevance.
5. Browser Find-in-Page (Ctrl/Cmd+F) - The familiar yellow highlighting that users already understand and expect when looking for specific terms on a page.
Technical Consideration:
This feature would likely require minimal changes to the frontend rendering logic, as the search backend already identifies which portions of the snippet match the query. It’s primarily a presentation layer enhancement that adds visual emphasis to existing matched terms.
Accessibility Note:
Highlighting should maintain sufficient color contrast ratios (WCAG AA standards) and work with screen readers. Bold font weight is generally more accessible than color-only highlighting.
