Google My Business Impressions Down 59%
An analysis of COVID-19’s impact on local search finds Google My Business experienced a sharp performance drop.
A study from Reputation.com of over 80,000 US listings finds that impressions are down an average of 59% across all verticals.
However, there are signs that performance will turn around sooner than many might expect.
Here’s more about the recent downturn of Google My Business, and when the eventual upswing is expected to occur.
All GMB Listings Got “Rocked”
Google My Business listings across all industries were negatively impacted by COVID-19.
As the study puts it, “every industry got rocked.”
Although it appears the worst may be over, as data flattened out at the end of March.
This suggests customers are coming around to seeking out businesses that do remain open.
Clicks Are Down 37%
With impressions being down, clicks on Google My Business listings are down as well.
That includes clicks to driving directions, clicks to websites, and clicks to call a business.
Overall, the amount of clicks are down by a total of 37%.
Clicks to driving directions saw the steepest drop off by far, down 60% across all verticals.
“The steep drop in clicks to driving directions most certainly results from people responding to state-by-state shelter-in-place mandates.”
Clicks to visit a website from a Google My Business listing are down 31%.
Clicks to call a business did not drop off by as much, as they’re only down by 21%.
That shows customers are still engaging with businesses even if they can’t visit the location in person.
“As they shelter in place, they might be calling rather than driving, or it’s possible they want to visit and are calling to verify your hours during COVID-19.”
Recovery Already in Sight
Data suggests that performance of Google My Business listings will improve from here on out.
Automotive and retail, two industries hit hard by the pandemic, are showing signs of recovery already.
“Retail experienced a free fall in March followed by an apparent bottoming out.
Why? It’s possible the data reflects people showing an interest in shopping again after stocking up in March and sheltering in place.”
Google My Business performance for auto and retail is turning a corner, but restaurants are another story.
Impressions for restaurant listings are down but clicks are way up.
Clicks to call restaurants spiked in mid-March as people adapted to ordering online.
“At first, it was not always clear that it was possible to order from a restaurant, or whether restaurants were even open.
As consumers sorted out their options, they began to call restaurants to place food orders.”
Phone clicks began to bottom out around the end of March, but are still up compared to other industries.
Takeaways
Impressions and clicks may be down, but Google My Business listings still play an important role during the pandemic.
People are still using GMB, so it’s crucial that business owners continue to keep their listings updated.
Data shows that people who are searching for a business tend to engage with it either by calling or visiting the website.
So it’s a good idea to keep your website updated as well and ensure calls can still be answered.
For more about COVID-19’s impact on Google My Business listings, download the full report here.
Google Warns About Misuse of Its Indexing API
Google has updated its Indexing API documentation with a clear warning about spam detection and the possible consequences of misuse.
Warning Against API Misuse The new message in the guide says:
“All submissions through the Indexing API are checked for spam. Any misuse, like using multiple accounts or going over the usage limits, could lead to access being taken away.”
This warning is aimed at people trying to abuse the system by exceeding the API’s limits or breaking Google’s rules.
What Is the Indexing API? The Indexing API allows websites to tell Google when job posting or livestream video pages are added or removed. It helps websites with fast-changing content get their pages crawled and indexed quickly.
But it seems some users have been trying to abuse this by using multiple accounts to get more access.
Impact of the Update Google is now closely watching how people use the Indexing API. If someone breaks the rules, they might lose access to the tool, which could make it harder for them to keep their search results updated for time-sensitive content.
How To Stay Compliant To use the Indexing API properly, follow these rules:
- Don’t go over the usage limits, and if you need more, ask Google instead of using multiple accounts.
- Use the API only for job postings or livestream videos, and make sure your data is correct.
- Follow all of Google’s API guidelines and spam policies.
- Use sitemaps along with the API, not as a replacement.
Remember, the Indexing API isn’t a shortcut to faster indexing. Follow the rules to keep your access.
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.
AI
Exploring the Evolution of Language Translation: A Comparative Analysis of AI Chatbots and Google Translate
According to an article on PCMag, while Google Translate makes translating sentences into over 100 languages easy, regular users acknowledge that there’s still room for improvement.
In theory, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are expected to bring about a new era in language translation. These models consume vast amounts of text-based training data and real-time feedback from users worldwide, enabling them to quickly learn to generate coherent, human-like sentences in a wide range of languages.
However, despite the anticipation that ChatGPT would revolutionize translation, previous experiences have shown that such expectations are often inaccurate, posing challenges for translation accuracy. To put these claims to the test, PCMag conducted a blind test, asking fluent speakers of eight non-English languages to evaluate the translation results from various AI services.
The test compared ChatGPT (both the free and paid versions) to Google Translate, as well as to other competing chatbots such as Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. The evaluation involved comparing the translation quality for two test paragraphs across different languages, including Polish, French, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Tagalog, and Amharic.
In the first test conducted in June 2023, participants consistently favored AI chatbots over Google Translate. ChatGPT, Google Bard (now Gemini), and Microsoft Bing outperformed Google Translate, with ChatGPT receiving the highest praise. ChatGPT demonstrated superior performance in converting colloquialisms, while Google Translate often provided literal translations that lacked cultural nuance.
For instance, ChatGPT accurately translated colloquial expressions like “blow off steam,” whereas Google Translate produced more literal translations that failed to resonate across cultures. Participants appreciated ChatGPT’s ability to maintain consistent levels of formality and its consideration of gender options in translations.
The success of AI chatbots like ChatGPT can be attributed to reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF), which allows these models to learn from human preferences and produce culturally appropriate translations, particularly for non-native speakers. However, it’s essential to note that while AI chatbots outperformed Google Translate, they still had limitations and occasional inaccuracies.
In a subsequent test, PCMag evaluated different versions of ChatGPT, including the free and paid versions, as well as language-specific AI agents from OpenAI’s GPTStore. The paid version of ChatGPT, known as ChatGPT Plus, consistently delivered the best translations across various languages. However, Google Translate also showed improvement, performing surprisingly well compared to previous tests.
Overall, while ChatGPT Plus emerged as the preferred choice for translation, Google Translate demonstrated notable improvement, challenging the notion that AI chatbots are always superior to traditional translation tools.
Source: https://www.pcmag.com/articles/google-translate-vs-chatgpt-which-is-the-best-language-translator