SEARCHENGINES
Google To Kill Google Analytics 3 For Google Analytics 4
So Google is doing away with Google Analytics 3, aka Universal Analytics and you will all have to switch to Google Analytics 4, aka GA 4. Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new hits on July 1, 2023. That means you need to set up GA 4 really soon so you can compare year over year data – GA 3 data won’t migrate to GA 4.
I honestly thought Google would figure a way to migrate the data from GA 3 to GA 4 before forcing people off Universal Analytics. I guess not. I mean, to not be able to look back at the analytics on my site from 5, 10, 15 + years ago, that is just so sad. I hope they keep some sort of legacy view to access this historical data or at least show it in GA 4.
Google said “All standard Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new hits on July 1, 2023. Given the new Analytics 360 experience was recently introduced, Universal Analytics 360 properties will receive an additional three months of new hit processing, ending on October 1, 2023.”
Google explained the timeline as follows:
- Until July 1, 2023, you can continue to use and collect new data in your Universal Analytics properties.
- After July 1, 2023, you’ll be able to access your previously processed data in your Universal Analytics property for at least six months. We know your data is important to you, and we strongly encourage you to export your historical reports during this time.
- In the coming months, we’ll provide a future date for when existing Universal Analytics properties will no longer be available. After this future date, you’ll no longer be able to see your Universal Analytics reports in the Analytics interface or access your Universal Analytics data via the API.
So I guess export your Universal Analytics data? Seriously?
Here is the AdsLiaison on this:
3/3 Yes, Google Analytics 4 can take some getting used to. Here are resources to get up to speed:
Skillshop https://t.co/iyrQWpJM1t
How to migrate https://t.co/qA0sEdzpJT
How to set up & use https://t.co/YiRiGvzBGz
Explore the demo account https://t.co/Udsym0ngiP— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) March 16, 2022
Some might use this as an opportunity to ditch Google Analytics completely, here is a poll showing some numbers from within our industry on that:
Today it was announced that Universal Analytics will stop processing hits on July 1st 2023: What do you plan to do? 👇
— Aleyda Solis 🇺🇦 (@aleyda) March 16, 2022
The reaction to this news from the industry is as expected, not great.
This is terrible, horrible news. https://t.co/wxf3eGFMyB
— Dr. Analytics Ninja, PhD (@AnalyticsNinja) March 16, 2022
Kill me now. https://t.co/id0CQNTHsp
— Joy Hawkins (@JoyanneHawkins) March 16, 2022
No no no no no no nooooooooooooooooooooooo
NO!
God. NO. https://t.co/cBfJoGo6cy
— Mordy Oberstein 🇺🇦 (@MordyOberstein) March 16, 2022
Noooooooooooo 😞 https://t.co/fH3PZ8e6rQ
— Jess Joyce 👩💻 (@jessjoyce) March 16, 2022
i refuse https://t.co/pM6apeNogQ
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) March 16, 2022
The number of times this data has proven invaluable in my career are innumerable and I suspect it’s the same for others as well.
Deleting this data is just a slap in the face of every website, business, app, and marketer that ever supported Google Analytics being used.
— Joe Youngblood (@YoungbloodJoe) March 16, 2022
Yes! Keep calm and install GA4! https://t.co/9Wxdcyg5M3
— Krista Seiden (@kristaseiden) March 16, 2022
This. https://t.co/dXmF8GySVx
— Rae Hoffman (@sugarrae) March 16, 2022
Just no. https://t.co/3ljHVRnzPu pic.twitter.com/KdLdCZsKnl
— Luke Carthy 🔎 (@MrLukeCarthy) March 16, 2022
There is just too much reaction to include here but I think you get the point.
Forum discussion at Twitter & WebmasterWorld.
SEARCHENGINES
Google AI Overview Ads, New Link Format, AI Organized Search Results & Plus More
Google announced a bunch of new AI Search features including search ads finally rolling out to AI Overviews, the new link format rolling out, AI-organized search results, new AI shopping features, Google Lens and more.
Of course, Google announced this when I am offline, but at least I got a heads up a few hours prior. So I was able to write it up for Search Engine Land and here and schedule it.
Ads In Google AI Overviews
Google Search and Shopping Ads are now rolling out to AI Overviews. These ads will have the “Sponsored” label on them, like other search ads. Google said these ads now available for mobile users in the US after several months of testing.
“People have been fidning the ads within AI Overviews helpful because they can quickly connect with relevant businesses, products and services to take the next step at the exact moment they need them,” Google wrote.
Here is a screenshot of the ads in the AI Overviews, which look like they are under the AI Overviews:
Google is also rolling out Shopping Ads through Google Lens. Shopping ads will appear above and alongside visual search results by the end of the year.
Google wrote, “For example, let’s say you’re shopping at a mall and a backpack displayed in a store’s window catches your eye. You want to learn more — and check if there’s other colors available — but you’re in a hurry. Simply tap the Lens icon in the search bar, snap a photo or upload one from your gallery to learn more about the product. Lens will bring together our advanced AI models and Google’s Shopping Graph — which has information on more than 45 billion products — to identify the exact item in your photo.”
Links Updated In AI Overviews
As Google showed us in August, Google has a new link format for AI Overviews that are now rolling out “globally to all countries where AI Overviews are available,” Google told us.
Google also told us, “with AI Overviews, we’re seeing that people have been visiting a greater diversity of websites for help with more complex questions.” “And when people click from search result pages with AI Overviews, these clicks are higher quality for websites — meaning users are more likely to spend more time on the sites they visit,” Google added.
They said they have seen a positive reception during testing, saying, “we’ve seen that this improved experience has driven an increase in traffic to supporting websites compared to the previous design, and people are finding it easier to visit sites that interest them.”
Here is the illustration Google posted:
Here are the screenshots of this test we posted a few weeks ago:
AI-Organized Search Results
Also previously announced, Google is now rolling out AI-organized search results.
Google wrote, “we’re rolling out search results pages organized with AI in the U.S. — beginning with recipes and meal inspiration on mobile. Y ou’ll now see a full-page experience, with relevant results organized just for you. You can easily explore content and perspectives from across the web including articles, videos, forums and more — all in one place.”
Here is what it looks like:
Plus, as I mentioned at Search Engine Land, there is also more on Google Lens and Shopping:
- New multimodal Lens features. Google is launching the ability to search with video in Lens and ask complex questions about moving images (available through Search Labs) and voice input in Lens, so you can ask questions out loud while snapping a photo (or recording video) to more easily search what you see.
- Shop easily with Lens. Google is now showing more helpful product information when using Lens for shopping, including a product’s price across retailers, reviews, or where to buy.
SEARCHENGINES
Google Ranking Volatility Record, Forbes Advisor Slapped, Bing Generative Search Experience & More
We had more of the same Google ranking volatility but this time, we broke a record of the longest period of heated search ranking volatility ever. Google may have slapped Forbes Advisor with some sort of penalty. Bing generative search experience is now rolling out. I posted the big Google October 2024 webmaster report. Google Search Console released sticky performance filters. Google Search Console recommendations is now fully rolled out but more people see it. Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, was interviewed again, this time by Aledya Solis. Google warned about using JavaScript generated product markup. Google spoke again about noindex versus canonical tags. Google said don’t use a generic coming soon page for new pages. Bing Search can get dates and times wrong for search snippets. Microsoft Advertising has a new ad console experience, and new diagnostics and performance snapshot. Bing is testing replacing the ad label with a sponsored label. Google Shopping is testing a new updated interface with expandable refinements. Google Local Service Ads has a new bidding option for target cost per lead. BingBot celebrated its 14th birthday. Google didn’t celebrate its 26th birthday for some reason. I am offline today and yesterday for Rosh Hashanah, so this video and post was pre-recorded and scheduled. The Google AI Overview news did not make it into the video, as I recorded it before I was given a heads-up on this news. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.
Sponsor: BruceClay one of the founding fathers of the SEO space, doing search marketing optimization since 1996. Bruce Clay is big into SEO training, check out seotraining.com to learn more and check them out at bruceclay.com. Also, check out their new product, Prewriter.ai – this tool empowers writers to write better and more efficiently, so check it out.
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Search Topics of Discussion:
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SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: October 3, 2024
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.
We have record-breaking Google search ranking volatility going into October. Microsoft Advertising streamlined its ad interface and added some new features. Google is testing search instead for sections. Google said SEOs can help shape policies and decisions around AI. Google Ads is testing swipable images to map. Bing celebrated the 14th birthday of BingBot. And I am offline, this content was pre-written and scheduled.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Record-Breaking Google Search Ranking Volatility Continues Into October
Surprise, surprise, the heated Google Search ranking volatility has continued into October. This is the longest ongoing period of heated Google Search ranking volatility we had ever recorded according to data provided… -
Microsoft Advertising New Ad Experience, Diagnostics & Performance Snapshot
Microsoft announced a new streamlined experience below Copilot’s organic response and two new capabilities, diagnostics and performance snapshot. -
Google Testing Search Instead For Section
Google is testing replacing the “People also search for” box with a “Search instead for” box. I think this is just a title change because the functionality looks equivalent to the previous version. -
Google: SEOs Can Help Shape Client Policies & Decisions On AI Bots
Google’s John Mueller said that SEOs are in a great place because they understand how crawlers work, how the controls work, and they can help their clients decide on their AI policies and decisions as they navigate this new era of AI bots. -
Google Ads With Images & Map Carousel
Google is testing an ad format for Google Ads where you swipe over a carousel of images, eventually leading to a map. When you click on the map, it takes you to the Google Business Profile in Google Maps. -
Happy 14th Birthday BingBot
Fabrice Canel from Microsoft posted on X this week that BingBot turned 14 years old. Yea, 14 years of crawling the web. Fabrice wrote, “Happy 14th Birthday, BingBot! You’ve been crawling… -
Google Atlanta Poolside View
Here is a photo, I guess of a hotel across the street from the Google offices in Atlanta. I think… So if you want to relax and go for a night swim, while checking your rankings, this might be a good place to do that. -
Programming Note: Rosh Hashanah 5785 – Happy & Healthy Jewish New Year
This is a programming note that Thursday and Wednesday are Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and I will be offline the next two days. I will be offline on Thursday and Wednesday, October 3rd and October 4th.
Other Great Search Threads:
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
SEO
PPC
Other Search
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.
Note: This was pre-written and scheduled to be posted today, I am currently offline for Rosh Hashanah.
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