NEWS

Google On Expected Impact of Core Web Vitals Update

Published

4 years ago

February 28, 2021

Danny commented within the recent Search Central Live Fireside Chat and later he clarified some more on Twitter.

Search Central Live Fireside Chat

Someone asked a question about the impact that the Core Web Vitals will have on rankings and at first nobody answered but Danny stepped and explained what to expect.

The questions:

“Do we expect the impact on the metrics to be significant or more subtle?”

Martin Splitt answered that he didn’t know.

Then he continued reading:

“How do you expect the impact to be from the Page Experience Update?”

Martin Splitt broke the silence by pulling out the “it depends” card which prompted Ashley Berman Hale to quip that she’d hoped they could get through the session without that.

Danny Sullivan then answered in a way that reassured publishers and the SEO community not to expect a big disruptive change.

Danny:

“I think if you go back and look at how we’ve had these sorts of things over it really isn’t that okay, then the next day everything completely changes.

There’s no intent to try to do that, even though we might say we start using this as a factor.”

Danny next explained why the new ranking factor will not cause significant pain, saying that it’s just one ranking factor out of many and that the goal of ranking relevant sites is the goal of the ranking algorithm.

Danny explained:

“First of all, it remains one of many things.

Secondly, it’s always the case that we’re going to try to return the best content based on this basket or bucket of things.

So, maybe you don’t have the best page experience… But if you’re still the most relevant content, that is going to you know overall on various things we’re looking at.

I think it’s not a case of start being all super concerned. And understand that we want to make sure that this is coming in a moderated fashion…

But over time what will happen is, as more and more content is coming up in page experience and if you’re in a situation where things are all relatively equal, the things that are more page experience and oriented are likely to start doing better.

So it’s not… I don’t think freak out but do pay attention to it, do understand that it’s a new thing that you need to keep in mind.

That’s why we’re highlighting it.”

The overall point that Danny seemed to be making is to pay attention to Core Web Vitals but don’t expect it to be a big impact in the search results.

Danny Sullivan on Twitter

Later on a question was asked on Twitter.

Paul Shapiro (@fighto) tweeted:

“Did @searchliaison say that something along the lines that the page experience update will have a softer impact initially, and then overtime it will grow in its impact on rankings? I need to review the recording once it’s live.”

Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) responded in a tweet:

“I said it shouldn’t be the case that overnight, we flip some type of switch and there’s a massive change.

That’s not typically how rollouts of this nature (such as speed, mobile-friendly) have worked. And also that things tend to be relative…”

Followed by:

“Consider when mobile-friendliness began, plenty of pages still needed to become that way. So while it was a factor, using it more heavily as a factor initially doesn’t make much sense. But over time, it (like any factor) might become more valuable….”

Then he added:

So with page experience, it could become a more important factor over time than with an initial launch as a great page experience becomes more common to pages. But also, and as we’ve kept saying, it’s one of many factors: https://t.co/9halYfBgi3 pic.twitter.com/nbvGpxquxp

— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) February 24, 2021

Search Community Reaction to Page Experience Update

Michael Martinez (@seo_theorist) commented in a Facebook SEO group:

“Core Web Vitals is not a requirement for better rankings. It won’t affect most sites’ rankings. That isn’t what it’s all about.

The SEO blogging community has over-hyped this transition.”

Reading various social media discussions, it seems that the SEO community is evenly split on the issue.

Some people say they are taking it very seriously while the other side downplays the ranking factor aspect of Core Web Vitals and encourage publishers to do their best and no more than that.

There are even some in the community who speculate that Google is imposing Core Web Vitals onto publishers to benefit Google itself.

The claim is that Google has data showing that it makes more money when users are able to quickly return from a website back to Google.

Regardless of what Google’s motivations are for imposing Core Web Vitals on the entire Internet, Danny Sullivan said to not expect the Page Experience update to cause massive ranking changes.

I think Barry Schwartz’s humorous response sums things up nicely:

Screenshot of Barry Schwartz responding to Google on Twitter

Citation

Searchenginejournal.com

NEWS

OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models

Published

3 weeks ago

August 21, 2024

Max

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.

GOOGLE

This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update

Published

2 months ago

June 30, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

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

Facebook Faces Yet Another Outage: Platform Encounters Technical Issues Again

Published

6 months ago

March 20, 2024

Max

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.