SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: August 12, 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.
Google had another volatile weekend with Google Search rankings bouncing all over the place. A new report shows publishers are getting less traffic from Google Search and other areas but an increase from Google Discover. What is with Google showing srsltid URL parameters in the search results. Google may come out with new ways to handle URL parameters. Google Ads will not pause keywords that are in paused ad groups. And have you heard of Effingo from Google, it is fast, really fast.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Ranking Volatility August 9th and 10th (No HCU Progress)
Since Friday, August 9th, I have been seeing yet another intense spike in Google Search ranking volatility. This is based on the SEO chatter within the communities and of course, the third-party Google Search rank volatility trackers. And no, we still do not have a new core update officially released by Google but it is coming soon, weeks away… -
Report: Google Sending More Discover Traffic But Less Search Traffic To Publishers
Google is sending news publishers a lot less traffic from Google Web Search but also a lot more traffic from Google Discover. A new report conducted by Newzdash analyzing 8.1 billion clicks across hundreds of news publishers using Google Search Console data compared 2023 to 2024 data. -
Google Search To Get Better At URL Parameter Handling?
As part of the Search Off The Record podcast from Google on crawling, which we briefly covered on Friday, Gary Illyes from Google said he is investigating ways for Google to handle URL parameters better. -
Google Search Listing srsltid URL Parameters From Merchant Center
Over the past couple of weeks, there has been an increase in complaints around Google Search listing URLs with the srsltid URL parameter tagged along to the URL, as the canonical URL in Google Search. In fact, Google matches on hundreds of thousands of these URLs now and does serve them in the search results under that parameter. -
Google Won’t Pause Keywords In Paused Campaigns Or Ad Groups
As a reminder, Google Ads has begun pausing low-activity keywords that were created over 13 months ago and have zero impressions over the past 13 months. But that does not mean Google will pause these if they are already part of paused campaigns or ad groups. -
Google Effingo – Insane Transfer Speeds Used By Google Search
Have you heard of Effingo by Google? Google actually spoke about it on their Google Cloud blog in May 2023. Now Gary Illyes from Google said it is used by Google Search and other areas of Google to do insanely fast data transfers across Google data centers. -
Google San Francisco Sign Over Oakland Bay Bridge
Here is a photo from the Google San Francisco office where they have this outdoor area overlooking the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge. You can see there is a sign for Google San Francisco.
Other Great Search Threads:
- (Update) Now Google is testing adding another tab to “Store Ratings” panels – it’s ‘Promotions’ which shows coupon codes that can be copied by users., Gagan Ghotra on X
- According to this document from the DoJ Antitrust trial, in 2017, 93% of GA properties did not have goal tracking set up., Mic King on X
- So apparently Google Ads removed audience recommendations from the Insights tab. This was one of the sections we used the most to discover new audiences for layering. Sad, Melissa L Mackey on X
- Legendary and kind are the two words that keep coming to mind when I think of Susan. I can’t believe she’s gone. My thoughts are with her family, friends, coworkers and all those she touched over the years. Such a deep loss. htt, Danny Sullivan on X
- Meet our Product Experts, Google Business Profile Community
- Unbelievably saddened by the loss of my dear friend @SusanWojcicki after two years of living with cancer. She is as core to the history of Google as anyone, and it’s hard to imagine the world without her. She was an incredible, Sundar Pichai on X
- 25 years ago today I officially started at a small search engine company, wedged into a tiny office space above what’s now a T-Mobile store in downtown Palo Alto. Since then, I have had the incredible pleasure of working with, Jeff Dean on X
- PerplexityBot, WebmasterWorld
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- Google and X lag peers in addressing non-consensual explicit images, lawmakers say, CNN
- Google lost its first antitrust case, so what happens next?, The Verge
- Google’s Rise Was Inevitable. So Was Its Antitrust Ruling, Wired
- How Google’s Antitrust Losses Could Shrink Its Business, The Information
- Since the OpenAI board dispute, Microsoft diversified AI investments and partnerships, built its own models, and hired aggressively for its consumer AI efforts (Financial Times), Techmeme
- An incredible life and career, Google Blog
- What Google rivals want after DOJ’s antitrust trial win, The Verge
- Friendly Google and Enemy Remedies, Stratechery by Ben Thompson
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
- Apple Vision Pro disappointments and beta frustrations, AppleInsider
- Advanced Apple Intelligence features could cost extra by 2027, AppleInsider
- Apple researching Smart Glasses, working on Vision Pro updates, AppleInsider
- iPhone 16 Preview: Bigger Screens, New Colors, Camera Button, AI and A18 Chip, Bloomberg
- How to Watch the Made by Google Pixel 9 Launch Event, and What to Expect, Wired
SEO
PPC
Search Features
Feedback:
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SEARCHENGINES
Google August Core Update, Big Ranking Bug, DOJ Google Breakup, AI Overview Links, Gemini Research & More
For the original iTunes version, click here.
It finally happened: Google released the August 2024 core update; this one should reward small and independent publishers more, should it? Google had another search ranking bug, today, this was a big one. There has been tremendous Google ranking volatility this week, maybe the core update, but it was the day before and the weekend before the official announcement. The Department of Justice may decide to break up Google. Google launched new links in AI Overviews, expanded it to more countries and launched new Search Labs features, oh and Google is showing them in incognito mode. Google Gemini Research shows links as well. Google may be sending some publishers a lot more Discover traffic and a lot less Web Search traffic, a report says. Google Search Console only shows 35% of your data, maybe. Google does not technically follow links. Google may get better at URL parameter handling. Google confirms it shows 10+ shopping ads as you scroll. Google Search lists merchant center tracking parameters, causing a mess for some. Google deactivated Russian AdSense publishers. Google top stories may be showing fewer stories for political figures. Google is testing mini knowledge panel cards. Google knowledge panels have these “connections.” Google Home listings are hidden with fake WhatsApp numbers, and some hotels are closed. Google highlights reviews in the search result listings. The FTC officially banned fake reviews. And Apple Business Connect expanded its showcase feature. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.
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Search Topics of Discussion:
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SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: August 16, 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.
Google released the much anticipated August 2024 core update, it will take a month to roll out and may help smaller publishers. Google has a massive search ranking bug going on today, the same time Google released the core update but they are unrelated. Google AI Overviews launches its new links, expands to more countries and more. Google does not follow links, at least not technically. Google is testing showing review snippets. The FTC banned fake reviews. And I posted my weekly SEO video recap with a new camera. What an insane 24 hours – a core update, huge ranking bug and AI Overviews being expanded.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google August 2024 Core Update Rolling Out – Will Small Sites Rank Again?
The time has finally arrived; the day you all have been waiting for is here – the Google August 2024 core update started rolling out on Thursday at 11 am ET. Yea, you all saw it coming, Google told us it was near and now it has finally landed. It will take about a month to fully roll out and “useful” small and independent publishers will see their rankings improve with this one – at least that is what Google implied. -
Confirmed: Google Search Ranking Bug Impacting Large Number Of Results
This morning at 1:48 am ET, Google confirmed a Google Search ranking bug impacting a large number of the Google Search results. Google wrote, “There’s an ongoing issue with ranking in Google Search that’s affecting a large number of search results. We’ve identified the root cause and this issue is unrelated to the ongoing core update rollout.” -
Google AI Overview New Links UI, Save, Simpler Mode & More Countries
Google announced a number of new features across its AI Overviews, including the new links test we saw going live. Google also is adding new Search Labs features and is expanding AI Overviews to more countries. -
Google Doesn’t Technically Follow Links, It Extracts, Collects & Checks Later
Google’s Gary Illyes clarified on the Search Off The Record podcast that Google technically does not follow links. Instead, Google will extract the links, collect them in a database, and then check them later. Of course, most of you know this already and it doesn’t really matter much for SEO to know the difference but hey. -
FTC Banned Fake Reviews
You may have heard, the Federal Trade Commission announced that they have officially banned fake reviews and AI-generated fake reviews. But will this actually end up doing anything? -
Google Highlighting Review Content In Search Result Snippets
Google is highlighting review content within its search results snippets for some queries that ask for reviews. At least, Google is testing this – since I cannot replicate it. -
Fancy Windy Staircases At Google France Office
Here are two photos I found on Instagram of fancy windy staircases at the Google offices in France. You can see more in these two posts on Instagram. -
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google August Core Update, Big Ranking Bug, DOJ Google Breakup, AI Overview Links, Gemini Research & More
It finally happened: Google released the August 2024 core update; this one should reward small and independent publishers more, should it? Google had another search ranking bug, today, this was a big one. There has been tremendous Google ranking volatility this week, maybe the core update, but…
Other Great Search Threads:
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
SEO
PPC
Other Search
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.
SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: August 15, 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.
We are seeing more explosive Google search ranking volatility again and still no confirmed Google update – yet. Google is testing over 10+ shopping ads as a way to promote more discovery Google said.Google is testing showing AI Overviews in incognito mode. Google may be showing fewer top stories for political figures. We have a recap of Google’s EMEA Product Experts Summit 2024.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Ranking Volatility Combusting Around August 14th
Google is still at it, maybe it is angry again about the possibility of it being broken up by the DOJ after being ruled a monopoly. But in all seriousness, the search ranking volatility is super heating, almost combusting. The chatter is still super heated and many of the tools are showing extreme volatility. -
Google Tests AI Overviews In Incognito Mode (Not Signed In)
Google is testing showing AI Overviews for users not signed in to their Google account. Some users are seeing AI Overviews for searches when using Chrome in Incognito mode (i.e. private mode, not signed in). -
Google Confirms Tests Over 10 Shopping Ads In Mobile Search Interface
Google has confirmed it is testing more than 10 ads (some 18) in the Google Shopping ad box. Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads Liaison, said “This is a small experiment exploring different configurations for shopping ads to promote greater discovery.” -
Google Top Stories Showing Fewer Top Stories For Political Figures?
Google Search changed how many stories it shows for political figures recently. Now Google shows the two by two top stories grid in search for searches on Harris, Trump and other political figures. Google use to show 7 top stories formats for these figures. -
Google EMEA Product Experts Summit 2024 Recap
Summer’s going by rather fast, but one event that’s already come and gone has been this year’s edition of Google’s PE Summit for the EMEA region. It took place on June 20th and 21st in Zürich, Switzerland, and was hosted at Google’s own offices as well as in a virtual format, similar to previous years. -
Google’s Sundar Pichai Gets Honorary Doctorate From IIT Kharagpur
Here is a photo from a few weeks ago from Sundar Pichai’s Instagram channel of him receiving an honorary doctorate from his alma mater IIT Kharagpur.
Other Great Search Threads:
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Eric Schmidt Walks Back Claim Google Is Behind on AI Because of Remote Work, Wall Street Journal
- Google says Iranian efforts to hack US presidential campaigns are ongoing and wide-ranging, CNN Politics
- Google’s ex-CEO Eric Schmidt blames remote working on the company’s AI woes, Fortune
- Iranian backed group steps up phishing campaigns against Israel, U.S., Google Blog
- Reddit’s increased reliance on Google traffic has Wall Street anxious, CNBC
- The Contradictions in the DOJ’s Google Breakup Idea, The Information
- Epic judge says he’ll ‘tear the barriers down’ on Google’s app store monopoly, The Verge
- GitHub Actions artifacts found leaking auth tokens in popular projects, Bleeping Computer
- Google Has Unleashed Its Legal Fury on Hackers and Scammers, WIRED
- Podcast: Google Official Urges Greater Online Scrutiny After UK Riots, Bloomberg
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
SEO
PPC
Search Features
Other Search
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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