SEARCHENGINES
Google Helpful Content Update Not Done (Now Done) Yet And Now We’re Seeing Fluctuations
Today marks the two-week and one-day mark since the Google helpful content update started to roll out and by the time I am writing this and when it was published Google has still not noted that the helpful content update is done rolling out (update, at 2pm today, Google said the update is done rolling out). Plus, as I noted yesterday, we are now seeing more significant volatility and fluctuations as of yesterday and more today in the Google Search results.
The page that will inform us of when it is done rolling out still says “Released the August 2022 helpful content update. The rollout could take up to two weeks to complete.” It does not have a date on when it is done.
John Mueller of Google was asked about this and he replied this morning on Twitter saying, “These kinds of rollouts take up to about two weeks. Sometimes they’re a bit slower, sometimes a bit faster.”
These kinds of rollouts take up to about two weeks. Sometimes they’re a bit slower, sometimes a bit faster.
— 🖖 johnmu (personal), logically 🖖 (@JohnMu) September 9, 2022
SEO Chatter Now Showing
I am now seeing much more chatter in the past 24 hours than I have in the previous two weeks. Here is some of the chatter in the WebmasterWorld forums in the past day or so:
Since 17-18.00 hrs UK time yesterday (Wednesday) I have seen a noticeable reduction in traffic to my global site returning so far to the levels of July and the first 2 weeks of August.
confirmed, we see a big trop today about 40%.
Agreed, about -40 to 50% at the moment.
Something’s definitely showing on the volatility trackers. Rollout should be just about done by now.
Traffic’s up +20% today but could be unrelated.
Mostly the same as usual for our travel information site, although we’re up a bit compared to the peak summer season. Normally we’d see the beginnings of a seasonal decline after September 1. (This probably has less to do with Google than with pent-up travel demand.)
Sept 8th and a mega group of sites, each with 250k auto-generated pages of mostly scraped content receiving between 2 and 5 million monthly visitors from search…. have not been affected yet. C’mon Google!
My traffic was very strong until noon EST, then dropped off a cliff until 3pm EST…so I think yes it’s all about the Queen’s passing.
Again, this is more chatter than I have seen in the past two weeks, just in the past 24 hours.
Google Tracking Tools
And now the tracking tools are also showing big swings, again, the previous two weeks were super calm according to the trackers but in the past day, the tools are picking up on volatility.
So is this new movement in the past 24 hours related to the helpful content update or is it something else? Did Google decide to turn up the dial at the tail end of this rollout? I am not sure – but I figured I’d share what I am seeing from the SEO community.
Earlier this week we reported that Danny Sullivan even said himself it was not a huge shakeup but it was big in terms of the direction Google is going with ranking content. Of course, we’d (well, I would, not sure you all would) like to see the “direction” or the message Google is trying to set and see Google act on it in a more substantial way.
As a reminder, only 20% of SEOs said they noticed any ranking changes related to the helpful content update and I believe a good percentage of that 20% are confused and misattributing the changes they see to the wrong thing – i.e. it is not the helpful content update. The Google helpful content update early on seemed pretty minor in terms of what SEOs and tools are picking up, despite what we all thought would happen. Maybe now what we are seeing are the teeth of this update?
Forum discussion at Twitter and WebmasterWorld.
Update: The rollout of this helpful content update finished on September 9th at around 2pm ET:
Yes. We’re there yet: https://t.co/gElfbRUpl2
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) September 9, 2022
Source: www.seroundtable.com
SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: September 6, 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.
I know the Google August core update is done, but we are still seeing significant volatility days later. I posted a large interview with Google’s Danny Sullivan on the core update and more – it is worth a read. Google also had an interview on Google Shopping and Merchant Center. Google Ads has a bug with audience insights. Google clarified its indexing API quota details. Google has these new try on icons in search ads. And I posted my weekly SEO video recap.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
Google Search Volatility Still Heated After August Core Update Rollout Completed
It is like the Google August 2024 core update didn’t finish rolling out, or maybe something else is going on, because I am still seeing a lot of signals of intense search ranking volatility in the Google Search results. The tools are all still heated and the chatter within the SEO community is still pretty lively. -
My Interview Of Google’s Search Liaison On The August 2024 Core Update
This week I interviewed Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, with the goal of better understanding where Google Search quality is at right now, where it is going in the future and what we as content creators and search marketers need to know. -
Google Ads Audience Insights Missing For Some
There is another Google Ads bug, this time with the Audience insights going missing for some advertisers. Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads Liaison, said on X, “Audience Insights is not being removed” but rather there is a bug. -
Google Shopping & Merchant Center Interview With Irina Tuduce
Google published an internal interview on its Search Off the Record podcast with John Mueller and Lizzi Sassman (who you know) and Irina Tuduce from the Google Shopping team. Irina Tuduce has been with Google for 18 or so years and she provided a super technical overview of Google Shopping and Merchant Center. -
Google Clarifies Indexing API Quota & Pricing Information
Google has made several changes to its indexing API quota and pricing information document for clarification purposes. Google said this was to clarify “the default quota is for setting up the Indexing API, and how to request approval and quota. Also corrected a documentation error for DefaultRequestsPerMinutePerProject quota (it’s always been a 380 quota).” -
Google Ads Try On Icon
Google launched its try on feature a year or so ago and now Google may have just added a new icon to visualize the try on feature. Below is a screenshot of it on Google Ads for lipstick. When you click on the the face/emoji/icon at the top left of the ad, below you will see a way to visualize it on real models generated by Google AI. -
Liquor at Google Event
I found these fancy photos of fancy liquor and alcohol on Instagram from a Google event. The post says there were delicious cocktails, and good fun, concerts, and great food. -
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google August Core Update Done, Google Interview, Google Ads & Merchant Center News & The YouTube Algorithm SEO
This week, the Google August 2024 core update finished rolling out, a bit earlier than expected. There is still search volatility, a lot of it…
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 Ads To Require Gambling Advertisers With Games Certification To Recertify
Google Ads said that by November 2024, advertisers with the gambling and games certification must recertify or stop relying on the certification to advertise products in scope of the Gambling and games policy.
Google wrote, “In November 2024, the Google Ads Circumventing Systems policy will be updated.”
“Advertisers with the Gambling and games certification must recertify or stop relying on the certification to advertise products in scope of the Gambling and games policy if a material change has occurred since the certification application was submitted,” Google added.
If you do not comply, Google said, they “will suspend your Google Ads accounts upon detection and without prior warning.” Google added “and you will not be allowed to advertise with us again.”
Google advertisers with the Gambling and games certification must recertify or stop relying on the certification to advertise products in scope of the Gambling and games policy if a material change has occurred since the certification application was submitted.
Failure to do so will be considered a violation of the Google Ads Circumventing Systems policy, Google said.
Material changes include, but are not limited to:
- Changes to advertiser’s product offerings which are inconsistent with any license or approvals provided to Google
- Changes to advertiser’s compliance with applicable regulations
- Changes to advertiser’s licensure or other compliance with Google’s Gambling and games certification requirements
Google said that changes to an advertiser’s address or payment methods are not considered material for purposes of this Gambling and games recertification requirement.
Forum discussion at X.
SEARCHENGINES
Daily Search Forum Recap: September 3, 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.
I posted a bunch of YouTube algorithm and SEO tips from Google. Google Trends email subscriptions service is going away next month. Bing Knowledge Panels has this table of contents. Google is testing new Google Maps pins. I also posted the big September 2024 Google Webmaster report.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
September 2024 Google Webmaster Report
It finally happened, we got a new core update, the Google August 2024 core update touched down on August 15th. It resulted in some movement with some sites hit by the September helpful content update and also many sad stories, including many sites that were hit. -
YouTube SEO Questions Answered
A few months ago, we posted some answers about how YouTube ranking is affected by various variables and factors – YouTube SEO questions and answers, if you will. Well, the YouTube Liaison posted a number of short video answers around the YouTube algorithm and YouTube SEO over the past week that I wanted to share. -
Google Trends Email Subscriptions Going Away Next Month
Google will discontinue the Google Trends email subscription service on October 29, 2024. Google sent emails to those who had subscribed to Google Trends over email saying, “Google Trends trend notifications will no longer be supported and existing alerts will no longer be sent.” -
Bing Knowledge Panel & Featured Answers Table Of Contents Animation
Microsoft recently added an animation or highlight effect on its featured answers or knowledge panels at the top of its Bing Search results. When you hover your mouse over the table of content on the left side, the section it corresponds to in the answer, will expand. -
Google Tests New Map Pin Shapes
Google is testing a new shape and maybe colors for the map pins they use in Google Search and Google Maps. The new shape is less of a pin/diamond shape and more of a circle shape. -
Doctor Mike At YouTube Health Launch
I don’t watch much YouTube, and I subscribe to a select few channels, and Doctor Mike is one of those channels I subscribe to and watch some of the videos on. He was at the launch event of YouTube Health or something like it.
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.
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