SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: August 27, 2021

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.
I posted the weekly SEO video recap today, check it out and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Also, the description Google uses in the snippet is still customized based on the query. Google’s top stories carousels show a fact check label. Google said keyword rich domains won’t help you rank. Google’s local pack has some examples without any call to actions. Google said removing AMP won’t generally result in lower rankings. Have a great and safe weekend.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Link Spam Update Complete, Google Changes Titles In Search Results, Search Console Data Bug & Google Ads
Google, two weeks longer than expected, has finally finished rolling out the link spam update. Google confirmed it made changes to the titles it generates in search… - Google Search Snippet Descriptions Still Can Be Customized Based On Queries
Google told us the other day that the title change for the search result snippets no longer uses queries to customize the title of the search result snippets. But the search result descriptions, the snippets, still are customized based on user query. - Google Top Stories Tests Fact Check Labels
Google has been labeling news stories with fact check labels for many years now. But I do not believe I’ve seen them in the top stories carousel and section in the web search results. Suhailaerath shared a screenshot with me on Twitter of Google testing the fact check label in web search on top stories. - Google: Keyword Rich Domains For Your Website Won’t Help You Rank
Google’s John Mueller said on Twitter that it is not worth buying multiple keyword-rich domains for one website for SEO reasons. This is similar messaging Google has posted over the years but sometimes we see keyword rich domains ranking well and sometimes we don’t. - Google Local Pack Without Any Call To Action Buttons
If you search for [restaurants near me] in Google Search mobile or desktop, you will see the local three pack and map but you won’t see buttons to call the restaurant or directions or a way to order online. You will not see any call to action buttons, or at least I don’t and many others do not. - Google: Generally Removing AMP Page Shouldn’t Result In Search Ranking Decline
Google’s John Mueller was asked on Twitter if a site would remove an AMP page, would that result in the ranking of that specific page to drop in the search results. John Mueller said “probably it [the search ranking position] will remain the same” as it was when it was an AMP page. - Waze Swag: Shirt, Cup, Seat Saver, Notebook, Fleece & More
Here are some photos of swag from Google’s Waze team sent to Hillel Fuld in Israel. I don’t think I know anyone who has more swag than Hillel. But this time he shared a collection from Google’s Waze.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Google Paying Apple 15b to be default search, WebmasterWorld
- I’d try to determine what is real, and deduce the rest. Does it rank? (easy to test) How does it rank? (is it a random image? top listing?) Is volume real? (guess). Scrapers do weird stuff, you’ve, John Mueller on Twitter
- If the manual action is over 6 years old, I’m pretty sure it would have expired by now. If it’s expired, it has no effect. I wouldn’t worry about it if it’s that far back, we almost certainly have, John Mueller on Twitter
- If you have questions about how to remove web results from Google Search, this new help document centralizes tools and options for site owners and individuals, Google SearchLiaison on Twitter
- We filter most of that before Search Console, and more afterwards, but sometimes some of the abuse makes it through. If you’re seeing a rise in these kinds of things, I can chat wi, John Mueller on Twitter
- Your site looks like it’s pretty new — sometimes it takes a while for things to settle down, and for our systems — and the users on the web — to recognize your site as something unique, compelling, and of high, John Mueller on Twitter
- Business Moved Before GMB Verification (Postcard is Being Sent to Old Location), Local Search Forum
- Chrome extension that lets you analyze your competitors’ GMB Post strategy, Local Search Forum
Feedback:
Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, you can follow us on Facebook and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel or just contact us the old fashion way.
SEARCHENGINES
Bing Chat / Microsoft Copilot Balanced Mode Used 70% Of The Time With Creative & Precise Mode At 15% Each

Mikhail Parakhin from Microsoft shared how often the different modes in Microsoft Copilot, formerly known as Bing Chat, are used. There is Balanced mode, creative mode and precise mode. Balanced mode gets 60-70% of the usages, whereas the other two modes get about 15% each.
Mikhail wrote on X, “Balanced is the most popular, maybe 60-70% of the people (it is the fastest and the default). Creative and Precise are 15%-ish each.”
Here are those posts:
I thought creative mode would get more usage than precise mode because of the image generation aspect but I guess I was wrong.
To learn more about these chat modes, read this story.
Forum discussion at X.
SEARCHENGINES
Most SEOs Believe Google’s November Core & Reviews Updates Will Complete In December

The Google November 2023 core update and Google November 2023 reviews update are still both rolling out, and we have no estimated time of when they will finish rolling out. Both are well past their estimated two-week rollout period. I ran a poll yesterday asking SEOs when they think it will be done, and most said in December and not in the next few days left of November.
The poll had just under 600 votes in 24-hours and 79% said the update will be completed in December and 21% said in the last days remaining in November. I posted the poll on X – here it is:
Will the Google core and reviews update finish in November or December?
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) November 27, 2023
Personally, I thought it would be done by now and I still think it will be done in the next day or so – but I am wrong a lot. 🙂
I do hope it is done today so they can roll out the Christmas holiday update (kidding…).
Forum discussion at X.
Update: I’ll have a story tomorrow but at least one of the updates is done in November:
The roll-out of the November core update is now complete.https://t.co/geIJA2Bg8g
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) November 28, 2023
SEARCHENGINES
Google Search Console Was Down Today

Google Search Console seems to be down right now. If you try to access it, you will get a 500 server error. I suspect Search Console will be back up shortly but right now, if it is down for you, you are not alone.
Update: At 8:52 am ET Google Search Console is back, the tool was offline for about 50 minutes.
Google’s Daniel Waisberg is 100% aware of the issue. He responded to some posts about the issue, saying, “we’re working on it.” John Mueller from Google is also reposting Daniel’s posts on X.
Here is what it looked like when you tried to access it while it was down:
Search Console went down at about 8 am ET and returned at 8:52 am ET.
Here are the posts on X from Daniel Waisberg of Google on this issue:
I was looking for a plug to charge my phone, so I had to unplug the server 🤷♂️
— Daniel Waisberg (@danielwaisberg) November 27, 2023
Joking aside, we’re working on it! 👨💻
— Daniel Waisberg (@danielwaisberg) November 27, 2023
Who knows, maybe we will have a new Search Console feature when it returns?
Here are some of the complaints:
Search Console its down atm.
— Juanan Carapapa (@Carapapeando) November 27, 2023
@rustybrick search console is down pic.twitter.com/Nm6P84WJld
— Daramel (@Daramel29) November 27, 2023
Is Google Search Console currently experiencing issues? It’s not functioning on my device.
Cc:- @JohnMu @searchliaison @googlesearchc @rustybrick pic.twitter.com/YHjXfSVn30
— Vijay Chauhan 📈 – SEO for Enterprise Businesses (@VijayChauhanSEO) November 27, 2023
In Spain too pic.twitter.com/d1Yiwef72k
— Rafa Martin 👽🖖 (@rafainatica) November 27, 2023
Someone kick the server in the corner @googlesearchc @JohnMu @danielwaisberg https://t.co/79IFVVFdTM
— Pedro Dias (@pedrodias) November 27, 2023
Anyone facing google search console 500 error 🤨🤨#DigitalMarketing #google #searchconsoleerror #500error #trend #news # pic.twitter.com/jWDscWcz1f
— Pankaj besarwal (@Iampankaj10) November 27, 2023
GSC this morning… talk about a case of the Mondays pic.twitter.com/6H3KUG2sd4
— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) November 27, 2023
Update: At 8:52 am ET Google Search Console is back, the tool was offline for about 50 minutes.
Should be all good now.
— Daniel Waisberg (@danielwaisberg) November 27, 2023
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