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Google Maps Posting Restrictions For User Generated Content

Published

1 year ago

January 21, 2023

www.seroundtable.com

Google has posted a new help document for posting restrictions around user-generated content in Google Maps. This is specific to reviews, photos, and videos users may update to Google Maps. This may also include content such as ratings or Q&A topics.

I spotted this via LocalU who wrote, “This is the first time that Google has broken down the various types of restrictions.”

Here are those restriction types:

Short-term restrictions

Posting may be turned off for a particular place for a short period of time to help protect the place or area from a spike in irrelevant or offensive content (for example, during a real-world event that attracts off-topic commentary on a particular place). We monitor the place and when we see the abuse attempts and the risk of policy-violating content subside, we lift the restrictions.

Long-term restrictions

Posting on a particular place may be turned off for a longer period of time if its category or geographic area has experienced a continuous pattern of low value or off-topic posts. Contributions are considered low value when they don’t typically play a large part in helping users decide whether to visit the place.

The following are characteristics of places where we may restrict UGC:

Generally unvisitable or have limited public access. These are places where people typically don’t have a choice about which location to go to, that aren’t open to the public, or where access to the place may be limited to people who are stationed or assigned there. Examples include police stations and prisons.

Attracts ongoing, off-topic content. These places are frequently subject to unhelpful posts like harassment, hate speech, or offensive content, rather than reviews or posts about users’ direct experiences at that location.

Partial vs. full restrictions

Depending on the volume and pattern of policy violating content, a particular place may have posting restrictions on some or all of the types of UGC (including Text Reviews, Ratings, Images, Videos).

Why some places may not have posts, or have only old posts

Some places may have noticeably old content with no recent posts, or no historical posts at all (when you had noticed content before). This may be because the place experienced abuse and the content was removed.

Forum discussion at Twitter.

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Daily Search Forum Recap: June 28, 2024

Published

14 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

Google’s June 2024 spam update is now completely rolled out, I have all the details. Google posted an interview with Elizabeth Tucker on how Google measures search quality. Google expanded Product Studio to more countries and added file uploads and new themes. Menu items and popular times may be Google local ranking factors. Google Ads now supports a special WordPress conversion code method. Bing’s people also ask can be generated using AI. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google June 2024 Spam Update Finished Rolling Out

Google has completed the rollout of the June 2024 spam update after a seven-day and one-hour period. This update started on June 20, 2024, and was completed on June 27, 2024. This was a broad spam update, not a link spam update, and it did not automate the site reputation abuse policy.

How Google Measures Search Quality – Interview With Elizabeth Tucker

Elizabeth Tucker, Director, Product Management at Google Search was a guest on Google’s Search Off the Record podcast where Lizzi Sassman and John Mueller of Google asked her about search quality, how Google measures it, and so much more. I will post my notes below but the two things that stood out to me are:

Report: Menu Items & Popular Times Are Google Local Ranking Signal

There is a new report out that says menu items and how busy you are during Google Maps popular times are both ranking factors and signals for Google’s local ranking system. Claudia Tomina posted the details on her blog and told me she tested this across numerous businesses.

Bing People Also Ask Now May Include AI Generated Content

Microsoft may now include AI generated content within the Bing Search people also ask sections. Bing is labeling some of the people also ask boxes with the disclaimer, “Includes Al generated content.”

Google Product Studio Expands To More Counties, Adds File Uploads & New Themes

Google Product Studio, which is part of Google Merchant Center Next, now works in the UK, India, and Japan. Google also added file upload support to Product Studio and additional seasonal-themed templates.

New Google Ads WordPress Conversion Google Tag Code

Google seems to be rolling out new WordPress specific conversion code for Google Ads. This seems like a Google Tag code with easier set up for WordPress sites.

Google Super Mario Game Room

Here is a photo of one of the rooms at the Google office, the GooglePlex, where they have a room for gaming. The theme of the room is Super Mario Brothers. Look at the desk, the walls, etc.

Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google June Spam Update Done, Continuous Scroll Gone, AI Overview Links Improving, Google Ads Query Matching Update & More

This week, Google completed the rollout of the June 2024 spam update over a 7-day period. Google has dropped its continuous scroll interface for the search results. Google is testing placing link cards at the top of the AI…

Other Great Search Threads:

Search Engine Land Stories:

Feedback:

Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, on Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky and you can follow us on Facebook and on Google News and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or just contact us the old fashion way.

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Daily Search Forum Recap: June 27, 2024

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

Google is testing link cards at the top of the AI Overviews. Google says it is working on improving its ranking algorithms at the system level, not site by site level. Google Ads has updated its query matching and brand controls and advertisers are happy. Google Chrome launched some new search features for mobile devices. Google Search is testing sliding the page right when you type a new query.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google Tests AI Overview Link Cards At The Top

Google is testing placing the link cards at the top of the AI Overviews box within Google Search. Instead of having them deep at the bottom, they are being tested at the top, which would clearly drive more clicks to publishers than the current implementation.

Google: Our Search Rankings Can Improve But At Scale & System Level

Danny Sullivan, the Google Search Liaison, said it again, that “there’s clearly more we should be doing” with ranking websites that deserve to rank better in Google Search. He clarified that this is not something Google does manually, on a per-site basis. Instead, Google does this at scale by updating its ranking systems and algorithms, he said.

Google Ads Changes Query Matching & Brand Controls – Advertisers Happy

Google Ads announced updates to its Search ads query matching and brand controls that made advertisers happy (it has been a while). The updates include better reporting for misspellings, negative keywords now block misspellings, and changes to brand inclusions and brand exclusions.

Google Chrome For Mobile Adds Local Chrome Actions, Search Shortcuts & Trends

Google has announced a number of new search-related features to its mobile version of the Chrome browser. These updates include new local Chrome Actions, new search shortcuts, trending in search suggestions and more.

Google Tests Search Results Sliding Right To Next Page On New Query

Google seems to be testing (or maybe it is a bug) having the search results page slide over right to the next page (visually at least) when you enter a new query. It seems like some new animation when you change your query from the Google Search results page.

Google I’m Feeling Lucky Swag Dispenser

Google has some sort of booth set up in Kraków, Poland and at that booth was a swag dispenser. The booth looks like a Google search home page and has an I’m Feeling Lucky button to press to get some Google swag, I think.

Other Great Search Threads:

Looks like Google might be looking to switch up the appearance of free listings in the Shopping tab. Seeing a test in the US where it has product grids (that prev. only appeared in the main section) instead of the Shopping results. UK ha, SERP Alert on X

Google results have gotten worse, and it’s costing you money. To illustrate this, we analyzed the top results for one of the most popular search queries: “best rewards credit cards.” The top results are not the best for consumers., WalletHub on LinkedIn

We’re sharing an update on the advanced Voice Mode we demoed during our Spring Update, which we remain very excited about: We had planned to start rolling this out in alpha to a small group of ChatGPT Plus users in late June, but need on, OpenAI on X

When SEO tools surface your tweet ranking for a competitive YMYL finance query. Note, it’s already on page 2 and will drop quickly, but that was fun while it lasted. It was #5 for a good part of yesterday, Glenn Gabe on X

Apologies for the slow response. It seems there was an issue earlier today that has since been addressed. If you’re continuing to experience issues, let me know (DMs are open).” / X, AdsLiaison on X

If SEO Dies – What Would You Do for Work?, Reddit

Search Engine Land Stories:

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Daily Search Forum Recap: June 26, 2024

Published

3 days ago

June 26, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

Google Search has dropped continuous scroll in its desktop search results, with mobile search to follow. Google says, despite what some SEOs say, you should not avoid including the brand name of what you are reviewing in your review content. Google Ads is testing a target ROAS insights box for PMAX and shopping campaigns. Google Business Profiles verification status gains new tools. Google fixed a scary bug with Google News and Publisher Center.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google Drops Continuous Scroll On Desktop With Mobile To Come

Google Search is rolling back its continuous scroll user interface and bringing back the legacy Google Search pagination bar. Google told us that starting yesterday it will stop offering continuous scroll on desktop, with the mobile search interface to follow in the coming months.

Google: Don’t Avoid Mentioning Brand Names In Your Review Content

Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, responded to some new SEO advice floating around the SEOverse that suggests you should not add the brand name of the products you are reviewing in your review content. Sullivan disagreed with this advice and said, “you shouldn’t be afraid to mention the brand name of something you are reviewing.”

Google Ads Tests tROAS Insight Box for PMAX & Standard Shopping

Google is testing a new ads insights box and report that shows target ROAS insights for Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns. The report shows if your actual ROAS is within the expected range. The Graph shows weekly ROAS averages, including projected conversions.

Google Verification Status Tool Gains New Options

Google has added new fields and options to the Google Business Profiles verification status tool. These options should help some businesses that are having issues getting verified on Google Maps.

Google News Sources & Google Publisher Center Bug Fixed

We knew Google would stop accepting publications into Google News Publisher Center, but Google also stopped showing news “sources” in Google News, stopped showing a follower count for those sources, and stopped providing access to Publisher Center features to news organizations. This bug was fixed by Google this morning.

Google Wall Of Influential Women

Google’s Mountain View, California office has a wall up that showcases some of the more influential women. I am not sure which office this is in, I am thinking it is in the new campus.