The Google Search App stopped working last 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.

This impacted a “large number of users searching on the Google app on Android,” Google confirmed. When they loaded the Google Search App or any of its widgets, a message would pop up that says “Google keeps stopping.”

Here is one of many screenshots I saw in the Google Search Support forums:

The issue started at about midnight last night and lasted for a few hours until it was resolved.

You can see the non stop complaints in the Google Search Support forums about the issue if you scroll down to that time frame. There is also this massive Reddit thread with complaints.

9to5Google was the only other site reporting on this issue, as far as I can tell.

Google wrote:

There’s an ongoing issue with serving in Google Search that’s affecting a large number of users searching on the Google app on Android. We’re working on identifying the root cause. Next update will be within 12 hours.

That was given a timestamp at 2:07 AM ET but I believe the issue started a couple of hours prior.

Google said the issue was fully resolved at 4:11 AM ET.

If you noticed a dip in your Android traffic from Google between that time, this may be why.

Forum discussion at Google Web Search Help and Reddit.

For the original iTunes version, click here.

Well over a week after the Google August 2024 core update finished, we still have a ton of volatility. Apple Visual Intelligence was demoed at the Apple event this week, it is neat. I covered a bunch of statements on Navboost over the years from Googlers and others. Google replaced the cache link with a link to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. Google added a spam warning to the Indexing API documentation. A new report shows that about half of the links in the AI Overviews are from the top traditional search results. Google is showing AI Overviews for commercial shopping queries again. Google is testing a new interface for AI Overviews. Google said Exif data is not used for rankings. Google Search now supports a new ineligible region property. Bing may use ProductGroup markup in the future. Bing also treats 308 redirects like 301 redirects. Google Ads is sunsetting eCPC in March 2025. Google Ads is testing a new ad label design. Google Ads introduced confidential matching for privacy reasons. Google is emailing LSA advertisers about verification requirements. There has been an increase in complaints from advertisers about fraud in the Google Ads Search Partner Network. Google Business Profiles emails about broken appointment links. Google Maps shows business photos in reviews. Bing is testing Facebook and Yelp icons in the reviews in the local pack. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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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 Ads is launching confidential matching, a new privacy-centric ad feature. Google is testing a new AI Overview interface. Advertisers are complaining about fraud on the Search partner network. Google is testing for reference boxes in search. Google is testing search results without breadcrumbs. Plus, I posted my weekly SEO video recap.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• 
  Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Ranking Volatility, Apple Intelligence, Navboost, Ads, Bing & Local
  
  
  Well over a week after the Google August 2024 core update finished, we still have a ton of volatility. Apple Visual Intelligence was demoed at the Apple event this week…
• 
  Google Ads Introduces Confidential Matching
  
  
  Google Ads announced what it calls “confidential matching.” Confidential matching is a “way to securely connect your first-party data for our measurement and audience solutions,” Google said. And it will be used on Google Ads in numerous areas.




• 
  Google Tests AI Overview With Small “More” Link
  
  
  Google is testing removing the large “show more” button and replacing it with a small “more” link at the bottom of the AI Overview snippet. Also, the AI Overview header and Gemini logo at the top left is being removed, or at least being tested being removed.
• 
  Complaints On Google Ads Search Partners Network Fraud
  
  
  I am seeing a spike in complaints from the PPC community around there being an increase in fraudulent traffic from the Google Ads Search Partner network. Many have seen an unusual spike in fraud from that network in the past week, say some advertisers.
• 
  Google Testing For Reference Search Box
  
  
  Google is testing a new search box named “for reference” which is placed under a set of search results and contains more news articles related to the query. This seems similar to some other features Google has tested over the years.
• 
  Google Tests Search Result Snippets Without Breadcrumbs
  
  
  Google is testing showing search results snippets without the breadcrumbs in the URL section of the snippet. Google has tested removing URLs and breadcrumbs completely before, but now Google is testing removing just the breadcrumb and leaving the URL.
• 
  Hummus Party At Google Dublin
  
  
  Here is some sort of event where there are a bunch of Googlers eating hummus, and other dips, with pita bread, at the Google office in Dublin, Ireland.

Other Great Search Threads:

• Local Pack in Desktop Search Results – Google is now testing showing close up of business location on the map as main image. PS – Quote tweet is also like this one but last image being the map close up and that test was in mo, Gagan Ghotra on X
• Every now and then, we get questions about whether “valid HTML” is a ranking factor, or a requirement for Google Search. Jens has done regular analysis of the validity of the top websites’ homepages, and the results are sobering., John Mueller on LinkedIn
• here is o1, a series of our most capable and aligned models yet: https://t.co/yzZGNN8HvD o1 is still flawed, still limited, and it still seems more impressive on first use than it does after you spend more time with it., Sam Altman on X
• Local businesses that I’ve looked at have been mostly safe from all the core updates in the last year – except this last one. I’m hearing multiple reports on Facebook, Reddit, and our forum of local businesses being hit by the Augu, Joy Hawkins on X
• On the one hand, I don’t make the search results, on the other hand, I use both of those sites intensively for programming-related queries, I wouldn’t blindly see one of them as being good and the other as being bad., John Mueller on LinkedIn
• Set tROAS recommendation is now also increasing your daily budget if you apply the recommendation! Pay attention, Here all you need, Thomas Eccel on X
• These Are The Spam Practices Going On GMB And Google Maps By Lead Gen And Local SEO Agencies in 2024 In India Also where Google takes extra steps to make sure guard Business Profile’s integrity, Ayman Ali on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

Industry & Business

• Data Protection Commission launches inquiry into Google AI model, Data Protection Commission
• Former Google Execs Help DOJ’s Case, AdWeek
• Google announces new funding and AI training for small businesses, Google Blog
• Google antitrust trial reveals the ‘succeed at all costs’ culture behind the pursuit of ad market domination, Digiday
• Google sued for using trademarked Gemini name for AI service, The Register
• OpenAI COO Says ChatGPT Passed 11 Million Paying Subscribers, The Information
• OpenAI, Anthropic and Google leaders meet with White House to talk AI, CNBC
• The California Google deal could leave out news startups and the smallest publishers, Nieman Journalism Lab
• What DOJ and EU Antitrust Cases Mean for Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon and X, Bloomberg

Links & Content Marketing

Local & Maps

Mobile & Voice

SEO

PPC

Search Features

Other Search

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