SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: September 27, 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’s 26th birthday is today but there is no celebration or Doodle. Google may have removed a ton of reviews this month. If you update your Google Business Profile, it may trigger a re-verification request. Google local panels are testing “about this place.” Bing short videos show more details. Google is asking searchers if they want to see content suggested in their language. Plus, I posted the weekly SEO video recap.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Today Is Google’s 26th Birthday – Where Is The Doodle?
Today is the day Google would be celebrating its birthday or anniversary – September 27th. As Google posted last year, On September 27, 1998, Google Inc. was officially born. -
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Volatility With Gains & Losses, Updated Web Spam Policies, Cache Gone & More Search News
Google Search rankings gains were lost for many, followed more more volatility this week. Google updated its web search spam policies, with a focus on site reputation abuse. Google’s cache operator is now fully dead… -
Report: Small Google Business Profile Updates May Trigger Re-Verification
Krystal Taing, a Google local product expert in the Google Business Profiles forum and Vice President at Uberall, said she is seeing a rise in re-verifications from Google Business Profiles even after just making small changes or additions to your Google Business Profile. -
Spike In Removed Google Reviews On September 17th
Google seemed to have removed/deleted a ton of reviews from Google Business Profiles within Google Maps and Local search last week, around September 17th. This came a day or so before Google updated its Google Business Profiles review restrictions policy. -
Bing Short Videos Now With Details
Microsoft is testing adding more details to the short video carousel it shows in Bing Search. Now it is showing video length, descriptions, a swipe to see more and other changes. -
Google Search Content Suggestions In Specific Languages Toggle
Google has this setting some searchers can manage that lets them turn on or off seeing content in a language that is popular in their region. The searcher can either leave the content language suggestion on or turn it off. -
Google Local Panel Adds “About This Place” Section
Google is testing adding a new section named “About this place” to the local panel in the Google Business Profile listings within Google Search and Google Maps. This section shows you text and image reviews of this place in a stacked card format. -
Old Google Basement Robot (Ann Arbor HQ)
Here is a super old photo that was posted to Instagram from the old Google Ann Arbor offices. This was in the basement. Some Googler named David got dressed up as a robot.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Bing is really cool that if you accidently add a keyword as broad, not only does it blow you up in the search campaigns + it compounds that wasted spend on the Audience network., Greg on X
- Google at risk for 10% of global revenue fines ($30B) for Digital Markets Act non-compliance in Travel (hotels, flights) in Europe. European Commission likely to find Google not in compliance in forthcoming report, Greg Sterling on X
- Google Web Spam Policy : buying links = bad. AI overviews: buying links can be worth it if done correctly, Harpreet on X
- Heads-up, not sure if this is related to the spam policy documentation update yesterday (and possible manual actions coming), or if it’s tied to the algorithmic tremors we have seen since the August core update completed, but Forbes, Glenn Gabe on X
- I thought we might have a chance to rank with this new update… Two weeks later, our hope is gone. But I’m sure the pages outranking HouseFresh are great, right? You tell me: The page ranking on position 2 is a paid partnership, Danny Ashton on X
- Welcome, AlphaChip! Today, we are sharing some exciting updates on our work published in @Nature in 2021 on using reinforcement learning for ASIC chip floorplanning and layout. We’re also naming this work AlphaChip. Since w, Jeff Dean on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
SEO
PPC
Search Features
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 9, 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.
DOJ may breakup Google and worse, but the ruling won’t happen officially until next year. Google is testing what people are saying short videos. Google is testing card style knowledge panels on desktop. Google is testing most mentioned places. Google Ads cleaned up its side bar navigation. Google Business Profiles lets you reorder your menu items for your restaurant.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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DOJ May Breakup Google As Remedy To Monopoly Ruling
Late last night, the Department of Justice indicated that it was considering a possible breakup of Google as an antitrust remedy to its monopoly ruling. Of course, Google will appeal this decision, which will have this stuck in courts for years. A breakup is probably the most strict outcomes of this ruling that anyone expected. -
Google Tests What People Are Saying Short Video Search Results
Google had this feature titled “What people are saying” that led to forums, in a list and text format. Now, Google is testing this same thing but it leads to short videos on TikTok and other platforms. -
Google Tests Card Style Knowledge Panel Desktop Design
Google is testing its mobile design for knowledge panels on desktop. You can see the card formatted design for these knowledge panels on the desktop interface. -
Google Search Tests Most Mentioned Places Carousel
Google is testing a new local search carousel named “Most Mentioned Places.” It seems to bring up local retail stores that have the product you are searching for. It shows local Google Business Profile listings, with the photo, and review summaries. -
Google Drag & Drop Reorder Your Restaurant Menu Items
Google Business Profiles now lets you quickly reorder your menu items on your restaurant’s menu with drag-and-drop menus. This allows you to move menu items from section to section much faster and easier. -
Google Ads Improved Console Sidebar Navigation
Google has made a small but useful change to the Google Ads sidebar navigation. It made the background white on sub-navigational elements, which helps differentiate between main menu options and sub-menu options. -
Google Bike Window Stickup Sign
Here is a large window stick up sign or decal I found on Instagram. It looks a bit over the top but hey, that is why I am sharing it with you.
Other Great Search Threads:
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
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
Google Showing Competitor Ads Above Local Reviews
Google has done it again, it has shown ads from competitors directly above the reviews section of a Google local listing. We’ve seen Google do this before with LSA listings numerous times, with Google local listings and branded knowledge panels and LSA messaging.
Anthony Higman spotted this and posted screenshots and a video of this in action on X – I will say, I tried to replicate it and it did not come up for me. But here is what Anthony saw:
This is a screenshot from his videocast:
This is what I see – no ads:
Here is his video:
— Anthony Higman (@AnthonyHigman) October 7, 2024
There is also this:
Recently, many clients have had a sudden influx of calls or hangup calls from paid search ads. When reviewing the calls, the consumer thinks they are calling the competitor (not bidding on them). It’s been a nightmare to navigate and negate. Plus, several brand’s name cpc went up
— Nate Louis (@N8Louis) October 8, 2024
Forum discussion at X.
SEARCHENGINES
Google Shopping Researched with AI
Google Shopping is testing a new AI Overview answer titled “Researched with AI – Experimental.” This seems to pull together reviews for specific products based on Google Gemini AI.
I am told this was displayed in the Google Shopping interface for the query [TV] – I cannot replicate this.
But Khushal Bherwani shared a couple screenshots on X – here are one of those screenshots:
Bordie Clark was then able to replicate this and post this video of it in action:
Whoa, Google is now testing out a researched with AI experiment within the Shopping tab. This was first discovered by @b4k_khushal. The experience involved an AIO-type summary appearing at the top with product suggestions included. cc @rustybrick Details: https://t.co/WupmipgeQg pic.twitter.com/VpPl9SBS0n
— SERP Alert (@SERPalerts) October 7, 2024
Here are more:
🆕 Google testing “Researched with AI · Experimental” in shopping search with big More button pic.twitter.com/CLajfEO0iM
— Khushal Bherwani (@b4k_khushal) October 7, 2024
This seems to replace the “AI Overview” with this “Researched with AI” specifically in Google Shopping. Although, it looks a lot like an AI Overview, just with a different title.
Forum discussion at X.
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