SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: September 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.
Saturday night, Google had a major search bug with its Google Android app. I posted a bunch of resources around the US vs Google monopoly trial. Google updated its crawler documentation in a big way. Google posted new local review restrictions and enforcements. Google is asking how you will use Gemini and AI for SEO. Google is testing a recent posts carousel in Google Search.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
Google Search App Stopped Working Saturday Night
The Google Search App stopped working last night (Saturday night) for a few hours. Google was quick to fix it in the middle of the night but by then, hundreds, if not, thousands of complaints flooded the support forums and social media. -
Google Updates Google Crawlers & Fetchers Docs With Affects & Snippets
Google has completely reorganized its crawlers and user-triggered fetchers documentation. It used to be all on one page and now it is in several pages. Most of the changes were just moving content around but Google did add sections for what product each crawler affects, and added a robots.txt snippet for each crawler to demonstrate how to use the user agent tokens. -
Google Reviews Restrictions For Business Profile Policy Violations
Google has posted a new document about the way Google may apply restrictions to your Google Business Profiles over review or other policy violations. In the document, Google wrote that it takes “take fake and/or incentivized reviews and ratings on businesses very seriously.” -
Google US DOJ Trial Exhibit Files, Documents & Responses
As many of you know, Google is now in court over its monopoly ruling by the Department of Justice before the court rules on the remedy for such a ruling. The ruling may not come for a year or so, and Google will be in court for some time. -
Google Search Tests Recent Posts Carousel
Google Search is testing a new recent posts carousel in the desktop and mobile search results. This carousel can show YouTube videos, TikTok videos, Reddit or other “hidden gems” of sorts. -
Google Asks On Social If You Will Use Gemini AI For SEO
In one of the more disassociated social posts Google has made in a while, Google’s Small Business account posted a poll asking if you will use Gemini, Google’s AI models, to help with your SEO, to help boost your search rankings. -
Sheds Inside The Google
Google likes to put outdoor things, inside its office. Here are outdoor sheds that are inside the Google London office. It seems they are uses as coat rooms, called cloakrooms?
Other Great Search Threads:
- I found out today what happens when google deletes a vertical you’re using | NAP, Categories, Dashboard Data, Local Search Forum
- The Digital Advertising Alliance has new standards for CTV, using its “Ad Choices” opt-out framework. Ad Choices has been a near-total failure and it’s effectively a fiction. Most consumers don’t understand AdChoices (the DAA, Greg Sterling on X
- This is a friendly reminder to make sure automatic asset creation is turned off for Google search ad campagins, Nate Louis on X
- This is not new. A social security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) may be required to complete verification. This information will be deleted and will not be stored after comple, AdsLiaison on X
- Heads-up: There’s been a lot of chatter about crazy swings in rankings AFTER the August core update. I am now picking up some wild reversals, surges, and drops post-August core update. And a lot of that seems tied to the tremors I re, Glenn Gabe on X
- More about forums, hidden gems, and recent adjustments: Here’s another example of a forum that surged with the hidden gems update in the fall of 2023, but has seen adjustments in the spring of 2024 (right after the March core update ende, Glenn Gabe on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- DOJ vs. Google, Day Four: Behind The Scenes On The Fraught Rollout Of Unified Pricing Rules, AdExchanger
- EU break-up order to Google unlikely for now, sources say, Reuters
- Header Bidding Was Decimated, Top Trade Desk Exec Testifies at Google Trial, AdWeek
- How Google altered a deal with publishers who couldn’t say no, The Verge
- Microsoft’s Hypocrisy on AI, The Atlantic
- Democratic Senators Urge US DOJ To Investigate Google’s AI Overviews, Hall Analysis
- Even Facebook Couldn’t Compete With Google, Bloomberg
- Sam Altman told OpenAI staff the company’s non-profit corporate structure will change next year, Fortune
- Data centers strain power grids. Should tech firms pay for upgrades?, Washington Post
- Google Dodged Jury in Antitrust Trial With a Check, Business Insider
- Google sheds its nice guy poise as the legal heat dials up, Digiday
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.
SEARCHENGINES
DOJ May Breakup Google, Ranking Volatility, Quick View Theft, Google Web Creator Event, Google Ads & More Search News
For the original iTunes version, click here.
Google may be forced to breakup, the DOJ is leaning towards forcing that and more as a remedy to its monopoly ruling. This morning we are seeing a spike in Google Search ranking volatility. Google is testing quick view, where it just takes recipe blogger content and hosts it on its site. Google is hosting a web creator conversion event to appeal to publishers who got hit by its algorithms, Google launched ads in AI Overviews, new link format, AI organized search results and more. Google seems not to link HCU hit sites in the AI Overviews. Google spoke about what it means to have an unreachable robots.txt file. Google is testing verified labels also for retailers in the shopping and product view. Google Store ratings are rolling out to more countries. Google is testing a new list articles view for listicles. Google is testing people also are saying in short video format. Google is testing most mentioned places. Google Shopping tests researched with AI. Google is testing variations of sponsored labels for search ads. Google is showing competitor ads in your local business profile reviews. Google Merchant Center listings adds new certification markup. Google now lets you drag and drop your restaurant menu items in Google Business Profiles. Google added a negative keywords tab to Keyword Planner. Google Ads improved its sidebar navigation. Google may have 9,000 new ad campaigns made every second. Google Merchant Center added video generation and Amazon MCF integration. Bing is testing best list of carousels, which is dangerous. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.
Sponsored by Similarweb, the all-in-one- strategic SEO software. Get clarity of the SEO landscape through competitor analysis, keyword research, rank tracking, SERP insights and more. With industry-leading traffic and keyword data, based on real user journeys, Similarweb gives SEO professionals the whole picture so they can strategize smartly and drive sustainable business growth.
Make sure to subscribe to our video feed or subscribe directly on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or your favorite podcast player to be notified of these updates and download the video in the background. Here is the YouTube version of the feed:
Search Topics of Discussion:
Please do subscribe on YouTube or subscribe via iTunes or on your favorite RSS reader. Don’t forget to comment below with the right answer and good luck!
SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: October 11, 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 signs of intense Google Search ranking volatility. Google is now showing sites hit by HCU or core updates in the AI Overview links/citations. Google Search is missing the video tab in search for some users. Google spoke about when your robots.txt is unavailable. Google added edit and delete buttons next to your reviews. Bing is testing “best list of” carousels in search. And I posted the SEO video recap this morning.
Tonight is Yom Kippur – which those who observe the holiday an easy and meaningful fast. Also, if I have upset anyone in any way with something I’ve posted here or said or written, I hope you can accept my apology. I will try to do better next year.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
Google Search Ranking Volatility Rumbling Again October 10th
Can you believe it, it has been over a week since I reported on any Google Search ranking algorithm updates or volatility. Over the past 24-hours or so, the level of chatter have spiked, along with many of the third-party Google Search ranking tracking tools. -
Google AI Overviews Not Linking To Sites Hit By Helpful Content Update
Google’s AI Overviews seem to not show citations or link to sites that were hit by the helpful content update (and probably core updates), even when you ask the AI Overview directly about that site and even if that site is ranking well for that query in the traditional Google search results. -
Google Search Missing Video Tab For Some Users – Bug?
Google Search seems to be missing the video tab under the search bar for some searchers. I suspect this is some sort of weird bug, there is no way in my mind that Google will do away with the ability to search for videos. -
Google: Robots.txt Is Unreachable, Other Pages Reachability Matter
There is this interesting conversation on LinkedIn around a robots.txt serves a 503 for two months and the rest of the site is available. Gary Illyes from Google said that when other pages on the site are reachable and available, that makes a big difference, but when those other pages are not, then “you’re out of luck,” he wrote. -
Bing Tests Best List Of Carousel
Microsoft is testing a new Bing Search carousel titled “Best list of X.” It can be the best list of PPC agencies or other queries that Bing wants to show you the best list of. -
Google Adds Edit & Delete Button Links To Your Reviews
Google has added an edit and delete button link next to the reviews you added to a Google Business Profile listing. This gives the reviewer a quicker method to modify or remove the review they left for a business. -
Google 5k Run
Here is a video I found on Instagram of a 5k run at Google. This is called the Global Google 5k Run. I embed the video below. -
Search News Buzz Video Recap: DOJ May Breakup Google, Ranking Volatility, Quick View Theft, Google Web Creator Event, Google Ads & More Search News
Google may be forced to breakup, the DOJ is leaning towards forcing that and more as a remedy to its monopoly ruling. This morning we are seeing a spike in Google Search ranking volatility. Google is testing quick view, where….
Other Great Search Threads:
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
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.
SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: October 10, 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 Local Service Ads will require advertisers to have a Google Business Profile next month. Google is testing a Quick view button in search that gives searchers no reason to look at your site. Google may have 9,000 ad campaigns created every second. Google is testing verified labels for retailers in the product search results. Google is expanding store ratings to more countries.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
Google Tests Quick View Button For Recipes That Keep You On Google
Google is testing placing a “quick view” button overlayed on the images on recipes within Google Search. The crazy part is that clicking on “Quick view” keeps you on Google while giving you a snapshot of the content from the publisher, without sending that traffic to the publisher. -
Google Local Service Ads To Soon Require Google Business Profile
Google will soon require businesses who want to advertise using Google Local Service Ads to also have a Google Business Profile. Google posted a notice that reads, “By Thursday, November 21, 2024, your Local Services ad will need a matching Google Business Profile to continue appearing in search results and to display your customer reviews.” -
9,000 Google Ads Campaigns Created Every Second???
Thomas Eccel posted a guess, trying to figure out how many Google Ads campaigns are created in a timeframe. He said if the ad campaigns are issued in sequential order, based on his calculations, 9,000 ad campaigns are created on Google Ads every second. -
Google Search Tests Verified Labels For Product Results
Back in August we reported that Google was testing showing verified badges, verification labels, in the organic search results. Well, now Google is testing the verified label on the detailed product results overlay, on retailer listings. -
Google Store Ratings Now Available In India, Australia, Canada & UK
Google is rolling out the Store ratings feature beyond US Search. It is rolling out to searchers in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. Although, we’ve seen examples of Google showing them in Australia and other countries over the years, I guess as a test. -
Google Noogler Bison Again
We have a photo of this Google Bison from 2018. It looks to be in the same condition but moved from its previous location. It also looks angry…
Other Great Search Threads:
- We’re now seeing AI Overviews appearing for non signed-in users in the UK, ZA, NZ, SG, KE – well countries where English is commonly spoken., Authoritas on X
- I’m sure it’ll be a great event! Unfortunately, I’m only able to make it virtually this time :-/. Martin’s there though, he’s pretty cool too!, John Mueller on LinkedIn
- That’s a fantastic question and right upfront: I don’t have an answer, but I have an idea., Martin Splitt on LinkedIn
- You know how sometimes you’re certain you had a good reason to do something, later on forget why, but continue doing it just in case there’s still a good reason? That’s why. 🙂, John Mueller on Mastodon
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
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.
-
SEO7 days ago
Google’s AI Overviews Avoid Political Content, New Data Shows
-
SEARCHENGINES6 days ago
Google Shopping Researched with AI
-
WORDPRESS7 days ago
5 Most Profitable Online Businesses You Can Start Today for Free!
-
WORDPRESS6 days ago
8 Best Banks for ECommerce Businesses in 2024
-
SEARCHENGINES7 days ago
Google AI Overview Ads, New Link Format, AI Organized Search Results & Plus More
-
AFFILIATE MARKETING5 days ago
How to Choose Your Battles Wisely at Work
-
SEARCHENGINES5 days ago
Google Showing Competitor Ads Above Local Reviews
-
WORDPRESS4 days ago
The Market Dominance and Technological Advantages That Make WordPress Nearly Irreplaceable as a CMS