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Daily Search Forum Recap: April 1, 2024

Published

4 weeks ago

April 2, 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.

There are zero Google helpful content update recoveries still but there are core update recoveries – so far. Google said fixing a helpful content update site is not about just looking at how much better you made the site than it was previously. Google says over focusing on links is a waste of time. Google Ads is testing a new diagnostic view that caused some confusion. Google Business Profiles has a new photos uploader interface. ChatGPT browses the internet shows links more prominently now.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Still No Google Helpful Content Update Recoveries But Yes Core Update Recoveries

While we have still not seen any sites recover from the September 2023 helpful content update, we have seen sites recover from previous core updates. We were hoping by now to see sites recover from that September 2023 helpful content update with this March 2024 core update (since it incorporated the helpful content system in part), but no, not yet.

Google: Over-Focusing On Links Is Likely A Waste Of Time

Google’s John Mueller told us again to stop focusing on links and focus more on other things you can do to improve your website. He said this on Reddit, writing, “over-focusing on links will often result in you wasting your time doing things that don’t make your website better overall.”

Google Ads Tests New Diagnostics Insights View UI Causing Ad Strength Pinning Concerns

Google is testing a new user interface treatment for the Google Ads diagnostic insights view. This new UI highlighted an issue with low ad strength that drove a lot of concern within the PPC community. In short, Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads Liaison, said the ad strength and pinning details are not new, but the treatment for the diagnostics insights is a test.

New Google Business Profiles Image Uploader

It looks like Google is rolling out a new Google Business Profiles image uploader as part of the new Google Business Profile management interface. The image uploader interface seems a lot more basic now showing an option to view photos or add photos.

Google: Fixing A Helpful Content Site Isn’t About Where Measuring Against The Previous Version Of That Site

I’ll start by saying that was a hard title to write and I hope it makes sense. In short, Google’s John Mueller said on X, when it comes to fixing your site that was hit by the helpful content update, “it’s not relative to previously, it’s basically a re-evaluation of the whole site in the new / current online world & users expectations.”

OpenAI: Links On ChatGPT Browses The Internet More Prominent

OpenAI has added “more prominent” links to the ChatGPT browses the internet feature. After every section, ChatGPT added a hyperlink to the source, if you are using the browses the internet part of the tool – normal ChatGPT does not do this.

Google Paris Office Olympics Signage

Google’s Paris, France office dressed up its office signage in the theme of the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics, the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. The Google letters stand on an award podium with various sports on display. You even see an Olympic torch in the background.

Other Great Search Threads:

Search Engine Land Stories:

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.

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Daily Search Forum Recap: April 2, 2024

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Google Ads Posts No New Feature Announcements In March 2024

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Daily Search Forum Recap: April 29, 2024

Published

15 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

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’s March 2024 core update completed on April 19th, Google just didn’t confirm it until a week later. Google said its spam reporting tool will add site reputation abuse after May 5. Google responded to concerns over the Chrome IP masking and how it will impact advertisers. Google Knowlwdge Panels has translated sections. Apple Business Connect gains actions with links. Google AI is writing some knowledge panels. I am offline today, all these stories were pre-written and scheduled, including this newsletter.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google March 2024 Core Update Finished April 19th (A Week Ago)

The Google March 2024 core update finished a week ago and Google did not tell us until today. It finished officially on April 19, 2024, and took 45 days to roll out after starting on March 5, 2024. Google also said this helped reduce low-quality and unoriginal content in search results by 45%, which is up from their estimate of 40%.

Google Spam Reporting Tool To Gain Site Reputation Abuse

Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, said that the search company will add the upcoming site reputation abuse policy to the spam reporting tool when the policy begins to be enforced. So sometime after May 5, 2024, the report spam form will gain a new option to report site reputation abuse.

Google Responds To Concerns Over Chrome IP Masking

A week ago, Anu Adegbola wrote a fabulous piece on some new privacy changes that may be coming to Google Chrome in the future named Chrome IP masking and how that may impact advertisers. Ginny Marvin, the Google Ads Liaison, responded to those concerns, saying, “Chrome has not made any recent updates to its IP protection proposal.”

Google Knowledge Panel With Auto-Translated Texts

Google is auto-translating some of the content within the Google Knowledge Panels and blocks. So if you are in a location where you don’t only speak English, Google may show you your local language as an additional block of text in the knowledge panel.

Apple Business Connect Actions: Add Links To Apple Maps Local Listing

Apple Business Connect now lets you add links to your local listings that show up in Apple Maps. This is under the “actions” section that enables customers to order food, buy tickets, schedule an appointment, and more.

Google AI Writing Some Search Knowledge Panels

Google has for a long time used AI to write some knowledge panels. But now Google is labeling some of these AI written knowledge panels with “Al overviews are experimental” as a disclaimer. This may show up for both SGE and non-SGE results, I believe.

Google Maps Pigeon People

I am not sure where this first started but in Japan there is this group of people who dress up as pigeons when the Google Maps street view cameras drive by.

Programming Note: Offline For Last Days Of Passover

This is a programming note that I will be completely offline for the last days of the Passover holiday. The last days of Passover are on Monday and Tuesday, April 29th and 30th. Any stories published here will be scheduled and written beforehand and not posted live.

Other Great Search Threads:

Search Engine Land Stories:

Feedback:

Note: This was pre-written and scheduled to be posted today, I am currently offline for Passover.

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Offline For Last Days Of Passover 5784

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

This is a programming note that I will be completely offline for the last days of the Passover holiday. The last days of Passover are on Monday and Tuesday, April 29th and 30th. Any stories published here will be scheduled and written beforehand and not posted live.

I will be completely offline, so any social media posts, tweets, anything coming from this site or my social channels are all scheduled beforehand.

I won’t be able to reply to comments, remove spam or break any stories on those days. I will catch up when I get back online.

Feel free to check out the archives or catch up with the weekly videos or just browse the search pics. Oh, and if you have nothing to do, feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

For more on this holiday, check out Wikipedia.

For all those celebrating the holiday – have a good one and I’ll be back on Wednesday.

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Daily Search Forum Recap: April 26, 2024

Published

3 days ago

April 28, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

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 Publisher Center removes the ability to add publications manually. Google is testing placing the snippet date next to the URL. Google now shows IP ranges for user-triggered fetchers. Google Ads has a new warning for low keyword quality. Google and Microsoft impress with earnings reports. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap. Also, I am offline Monday and Tuesday for the last days of Passover.