SEARCHENGINES
Configuring Microsoft pubCenter

The other day, I reported that Microsoft was sending invites to relaunch and expand Microsoft pubCenter, Microsoft’s AdSense alternative. So I signed up and was given access the other day and I wanted to share some screenshots of the screens.
The first thing you get is an email saying “You’ve been selected from the waitlist.” You then click over from the email to sign up with their form. After you sign up, you immediately have access to the new pubCenter at next.pubcenter.microsoft.com as opposed to the old one at pubcenter.microsoft.com. So I guess this new version is named Microsoft pubCenter Next?
You are asked to set up your payment settings, which I did not do yet, but you can imagine that it asks for your bank details, tax ID and so forth. Here is a screenshot of the welcome screen:
I then entered my business information, which I did not screenshot for you.
After that, I went to set up my ad unit. I was asked to pick a layout, a template and an ad unit type (there is only one offered but “search” and “other” are coming soon). Then I was able to copy and paste the code snippet into my site.
Here are those screenshots:
What is interesting is that when you click on the reports within pubCenter next, I guess that is what they are calling it? You are taken to a notice that says “Reports aren’t available in the latest version of pubCenter yet. To access reports through the previous version, click Go to reports.”
You are able to control ad units, sites that show your ads, block ads, see reports and manage your account.
I am not sure when my pending status will be removed but below this paragraph I’ll embed an ad, when the ad shows, that means it is active:
Forum discussion at Twitter.
Note: This was pre-written and scheduled to be posted today, I am currently offline for Shavout.
SEARCHENGINES
Google Hanukkah Decorations Are Live For 2023

Hanukkah (aka Chanukah) starts this coming Thursday night, December 7th. Google has added its Hanukkah decorations to the Google Search results interface to celebrate. Google does this every year and I expect to see the same rollout in the coming weeks for Christmas and Kawanzaa but for now, since Chanukah is in the coming days, we have the Hanukkah decorations live at Google Search.
Here is a screenshot of the Chanukah decorations as they look like on the mobile search results.
You can see it yourself by searching on Google for [chanukah], [hanukkah], but not yet [חֲנוּכָּה] or other spelling variations yet but it should soon. It looks better on mobile than it does on desktop results.
To see the past, the 2023 decorations, 2021 decorations, 2020 Chanukah decorations, 2019 Google holiday decorations, the 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and so on.
Happy Chanukah, everyone!
Forum discussion at X.
SEARCHENGINES
Google Pay Accepted Icons In Google Search Results

Google seems to be testing a Google Pay Accepted label or icon in the Google search results. This label has the super G logo followed by the words “Pay accepted” words next to search result snippets that support Google Pay and notate such in their structured data.
This was first spotted by Khushal Bherwani who shared some screenshots of this on X – here is one:
Here are some more screenshots:
Here is test and without test window for same query. pic.twitter.com/n9cYWBOsro
— Khushal Bherwani (@b4k_khushal) October 20, 2023
Brodie Clark also posted some screenshots after on X:
In continuation from the test from October, Google is now testing out a new Google Pay label associated with organic results. Last month, Google was testing Pay Accepted text, with this month changing it to Pay encrypted checkout. More details: https://t.co/MvFNoPmMDR pic.twitter.com/WDVVc4RbTO
— SERPs Up 🌊 (@SERPalerts) November 30, 2023
I tried to replicate this but I came up short.
This is not the first time Google had similar icons like this in its search results.
Forum discussion at X.
SEARCHENGINES
Google Discover Showing Older Content Since Follow Feature Arrived

Typically, Google Discover shows content that is less than a day old, but it can show content that is weeks, months, or even years old. However, typically, Google will show more recent content in the Discover feed. Well, that may have changed with the new Google follow feature.
Glenn Gabe, who is a very active Google Discover user, noticed that since the Follow feature rolled out, he has been seeing content that is weeks and months old way more often than before the follow feature rolled out. Glenn wrote on X that “this could also be playing a role. i.e. Google isn’t providing as much recent content, but instead, focusing on providing targeted content based on the topics you are following.”
It makes sense that if you follow a specific topic and if Google Discover only shows the most authoritative types of content, it might be hard for Google to find new content on that topic. So it does make sense that Google may show older content more often for that specific topic you follow.
Here are screenshots Glenn shared:
Have you noticed this in your Discover feed?
Forum discussion at X.
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