NEWS
Daily Search Forum Recap: August 24, 2021
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 made 4,500 changes to search in 2020, that is up from 3,200 in 2019 – I guess COVID didn’t slow them down. The Google keyword planner tool has not shown data in over 24-hours but you can export the raw data if you want, this was resolved this afternoon. Google Shopping campaigns has a bug that resulted in huge drops in impressions, this was resolved this afternoon. Google Ads is rolling out a new campaign set up screen. Google is testing new carousels for research, people also shop and similar products. SEOs mostly said COVID did not change how they do SEO and more.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Made 12.5 Changes To Search Each Day In 2020
We cover tons of Google changes here, from user interface changes to ranking changes – most of which Google does not announce or confirm. But yesterday, Google said it made 4,500 changes in 2020 to Google Search. That is 12.5 changes per day or over 17 changes per work day in 2020. - Google Keyword Planner Tool Not Showing Data
For the past 24-hours or so, the Google keyword planner tool within Google Ads has been broken. It is giving people errors and showing “no data” found responses. - Google Shopping Bug Leads To Huge Impression Declines
Google Ads seemed to have a bug last week with Google Shopping in some regions, like the UK, but I think others, where the shopping listings were not showing up. Some advertisers were claiming drops in their listings from showing up by over 90%, yes, 90% impression drops for Google Shopping campaigns. - Google Search Tests Carousels: Research, People Also Shop & Similar Products
Google is testing a number of additional carousels in Google Search. These carousels are titled “research,” “people also shop” and “similar products.” Here are screenshots and screencasts of these in action from those who spotted them. - Google Ads Campaign Set Up Redesign
Google Ads seems to have launched a redesign for the campaign set up form/wizard. The new interface moves the steps from the top to the left hand side bar, and takes you through a new step by step process to set up your Google Ads campaigns. - COVID Change How You Do SEO? Poll Results
J Turnbull posted a poll on Twitter asking SEOs if COVID changed how you do SEO. Like any SEO poll, the results were somewhat mixed. But of the 259 responses (not a ton), 52.5% said no, COVID did not change how they do SEO. - Clear Google Umbrella From 2017
Here is an old photo from 2017 of two people together, one holding a clear Google umbrella inside a building. Isn’t there a thing about not opening an umbrella inside? Anyway, here is that photo from
Other Great Search Threads:
- 5Blocks data shows that over the past couple of days there has been a significant dip in @Crunchbase search ranking for individuals and companies. Most of the pages we checked had been de-indexed by Google., David Sedley on Twitter
- A site:-query is a pretty artificial query, and if you know the URL already, I’m not sure what more you’re looking for …, John Mueller on Twitter
- Google labeled us as a duplicate of our competitor, Local Search Forum
- I think there’s a balance to be found. If anyone knew the perfect & only answer to a question, fine — that’s rarely t, John Mueller on Twitter
- Pinging search engines directly is just as good, yeah. I guess the tricky part is that the site owner doesn’t see it happening. (Though honestly most shouldn’t even need to see it happening – too m, John Mueller on Twitter
- Title Checker: check how Google is changing the appearance of your title tags 🚀 600 free requests per month. Check any search query, across all countries and languages. 🙌 https://t.co/f7Y2copT1F https://t.co/TL1P4Y2, Andrew Charlton on Twitter
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NEWS
OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models
OpenAI has today announced the release of fine-tuning capabilities for its flagship GPT-4 large language model, marking a significant milestone in the AI landscape. This new functionality empowers developers to create tailored versions of GPT-4 to suit specialized use cases, enhancing the model’s utility across various industries.
Fine-tuning has long been a desired feature for developers who require more control over AI behavior, and with this update, OpenAI delivers on that demand. The ability to fine-tune GPT-4 allows businesses and developers to refine the model’s responses to better align with specific requirements, whether for customer service, content generation, technical support, or other unique applications.
Why Fine-Tuning Matters
GPT-4 is a very flexible model that can handle many different tasks. However, some businesses and developers need more specialized AI that matches their specific language, style, and needs. Fine-tuning helps with this by letting them adjust GPT-4 using custom data. For example, companies can train a fine-tuned model to keep a consistent brand tone or focus on industry-specific language.
Fine-tuning also offers improvements in areas like response accuracy and context comprehension. For use cases where nuanced understanding or specialized knowledge is crucial, this can be a game-changer. Models can be taught to better grasp intricate details, improving their effectiveness in sectors such as legal analysis, medical advice, or technical writing.
Key Features of GPT-4 Fine-Tuning
The fine-tuning process leverages OpenAI’s established tools, but now it is optimized for GPT-4’s advanced architecture. Notable features include:
- Enhanced Customization: Developers can precisely influence the model’s behavior and knowledge base.
- Consistency in Output: Fine-tuned models can be made to maintain consistent formatting, tone, or responses, essential for professional applications.
- Higher Efficiency: Compared to training models from scratch, fine-tuning GPT-4 allows organizations to deploy sophisticated AI with reduced time and computational cost.
Additionally, OpenAI has emphasized ease of use with this feature. The fine-tuning workflow is designed to be accessible even to teams with limited AI experience, reducing barriers to customization. For more advanced users, OpenAI provides granular control options to achieve highly specialized outputs.
Implications for the Future
The launch of fine-tuning capabilities for GPT-4 signals a broader shift toward more user-centric AI development. As businesses increasingly adopt AI, the demand for models that can cater to specific business needs, without compromising on performance, will continue to grow. OpenAI’s move positions GPT-4 as a flexible and adaptable tool that can be refined to deliver optimal value in any given scenario.
By offering fine-tuning, OpenAI not only enhances GPT-4’s appeal but also reinforces the model’s role as a leading AI solution across diverse sectors. From startups seeking to automate niche tasks to large enterprises looking to scale intelligent systems, GPT-4’s fine-tuning capability provides a powerful resource for driving innovation.
OpenAI announced that fine-tuning GPT-4o will cost $25 for every million tokens used during training. After the model is set up, it will cost $3.75 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. To help developers get started, OpenAI is offering 1 million free training tokens per day for GPT-4o and 2 million free tokens per day for GPT-4o mini until September 23. This makes it easier for developers to try out the fine-tuning service.
As AI continues to evolve, OpenAI’s focus on customization and adaptability with GPT-4 represents a critical step in making advanced AI accessible, scalable, and more aligned with real-world applications. This new capability is expected to accelerate the adoption of AI across industries, creating a new wave of AI-driven solutions tailored to specific challenges and opportunities.
This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update
Here’s what happened in the world of Google and search engines this week:
1. Google’s June 2024 Spam Update
Google finished rolling out its June 2024 spam update over a period of seven days. This update aims to reduce spammy content in search results.
2. Changes to Google Search Interface
Google has removed the continuous scroll feature for search results. Instead, it’s back to the old system of pages.
3. New Features and Tests
- Link Cards: Google is testing link cards at the top of AI-generated overviews.
- Health Overviews: There are more AI-generated health overviews showing up in search results.
- Local Panels: Google is testing AI overviews in local information panels.
4. Search Rankings and Quality
- Improving Rankings: Google said it can improve its search ranking system but will only do so on a large scale.
- Measuring Quality: Google’s Elizabeth Tucker shared how they measure search quality.
5. Advice for Content Creators
- Brand Names in Reviews: Google advises not to avoid mentioning brand names in review content.
- Fixing 404 Pages: Google explained when it’s important to fix 404 error pages.
6. New Search Features in Google Chrome
Google Chrome for mobile devices has added several new search features to enhance user experience.
7. New Tests and Features in Google Search
- Credit Card Widget: Google is testing a new widget for credit card information in search results.
- Sliding Search Results: When making a new search query, the results might slide to the right.
8. Bing’s New Feature
Bing is now using AI to write “People Also Ask” questions in search results.
9. Local Search Ranking Factors
Menu items and popular times might be factors that influence local search rankings on Google.
10. Google Ads Updates
- Query Matching and Brand Controls: Google Ads updated its query matching and brand controls, and advertisers are happy with these changes.
- Lead Credits: Google will automate lead credits for Local Service Ads. Google says this is a good change, but some advertisers are worried.
- tROAS Insights Box: Google Ads is testing a new insights box for tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend) in Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns.
- WordPress Tag Code: There is a new conversion code for Google Ads on WordPress sites.
These updates highlight how Google and other search engines are continuously evolving to improve user experience and provide better advertising tools.
Facebook Faces Yet Another Outage: Platform Encounters Technical Issues Again
Uppdated: It seems that today’s issues with Facebook haven’t affected as many users as the last time. A smaller group of people appears to be impacted this time around, which is a relief compared to the larger incident before. Nevertheless, it’s still frustrating for those affected, and hopefully, the issues will be resolved soon by the Facebook team.
Facebook had another problem today (March 20, 2024). According to Downdetector, a website that shows when other websites are not working, many people had trouble using Facebook.
This isn’t the first time Facebook has had issues. Just a little while ago, there was another problem that stopped people from using the site. Today, when people tried to use Facebook, it didn’t work like it should. People couldn’t see their friends’ posts, and sometimes the website wouldn’t even load.
Downdetector, which watches out for problems on websites, showed that lots of people were having trouble with Facebook. People from all over the world said they couldn’t use the site, and they were not happy about it.
When websites like Facebook have problems, it affects a lot of people. It’s not just about not being able to see posts or chat with friends. It can also impact businesses that use Facebook to reach customers.
Since Facebook owns Messenger and Instagram, the problems with Facebook also meant that people had trouble using these apps. It made the situation even more frustrating for many users, who rely on these apps to stay connected with others.
During this recent problem, one thing is obvious: the internet is always changing, and even big websites like Facebook can have problems. While people wait for Facebook to fix the issue, it shows us how easily things online can go wrong. It’s a good reminder that we should have backup plans for staying connected online, just in case something like this happens again.
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