SEARCHENGINES
Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update & Volatility Exploding This Weekend
I often post about Google ranking volatility and search ranking algorithm updates but I rarely post about them on a weekend. But I just had to this Sunday morning; the tools are literally all reporting massive and explosive volatility this weekend and the SEO chatter is also very high.
I know we just reported one of these updates a few days ago but it is even more heated, even more explosive, than mid-to-late last week. This weekend, is off the charts for many of these tools.
Google did fix the Google News indexing bug on Thursday/Friday, so I doubt that is related. And Google is still radio silent on any confirmed type of update. The last update Google confirmed was the April 2023 reviews update and the last core update was the March 2023 core update. Google did say on Friday that when they have an update to confirm, they will confirm it – they added that there will be confirmed updates in the future.
Previous Recent Unconfirmed Updates
Just to catch you up, we last reported about an unconfirmed Google update around July 12th/13th, then around July 6th or 8th and then on June 28th and 29th and then again June 23rd then on June 19th we reported about ongoing heated volatility with Google Search. We also reported on an update on June 14th, one around June 14th and ongoing, then June 6th then around May 22/23rd, then around May 17t, then on May 10th and the other around early May.
Google Tracking Tools
Here is what those tracking tools are showing over the past month or so, especially with today’s volatility:
SEO Chatter
There has been a spike in chatter also amongst the SEO community both at WebmasterWorld and the comments here.
Heavy traffic this moring. Has anyone else noticed any changes today.
I was checking GSC and saw that my top referring terms have fallen down the list for quite some time now. All of the semantically related terms which used to refer a huge amount of traffic to my site dropped off a cliff at the same time around April 10th:
The drop was 80-90% and has never recovered. I am still in the top five for these terms, but the traffic just vanished. Was there a major update around this time? I am wondering if this is just the effect of losing the image carousel.
My global sites are where I would expect for a weekend heading towards the 70% mark at my new lower average level whereas our hotel function site is well ahead so far this month at 148% for July.
Our overall Google traffic is slightly up from the same days last week, but just barely.
I do see a lot of volatility for our most popular individual pages. One page might be up 30 or 40 percent one day while another is down by a similar amount. This isn’t typical.
I see looking back on this week that they have undone the last three updates. We are back to a month ago. SERPS shows MadeinChina, IndiaMart, Alibaba and Amazon on all the slots on the front page again. The PDF’s are also back in full bloom.
Sunday so far is looking like my new norm at 50% however do bear in mind that 50% is 50% of what its was only a few months ago therefore by my “old average” I’m at 25%.
Glenn Gabe also posted some specific examples:
And here are some more examples (this time using Semrush versus Sistrix). I’m seeing these changes across tools. I wonder if Google is having trouble with how the next HCU is interacting w/the reviews update? i.e. dueling machine learning algos… Something big is coming… pic.twitter.com/O4us8XbrOu
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) July 16, 2023
It is the weekend, so chatter is generally lighter but man, these tools are on fire.
What are you all seeing this weekend?
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
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.
SEARCHENGINES
Google AI Overview Ads, New Link Format, AI Organized Search Results & Plus More
Google announced a bunch of new AI Search features including search ads finally rolling out to AI Overviews, the new link format rolling out, AI-organized search results, new AI shopping features, Google Lens and more.
Of course, Google announced this when I am offline, but at least I got a heads up a few hours prior. So I was able to write it up for Search Engine Land and here and schedule it.
Ads In Google AI Overviews
Google Search and Shopping Ads are now rolling out to AI Overviews. These ads will have the “Sponsored” label on them, like other search ads. Google said these ads now available for mobile users in the US after several months of testing.
“People have been fidning the ads within AI Overviews helpful because they can quickly connect with relevant businesses, products and services to take the next step at the exact moment they need them,” Google wrote.
Here is a screenshot of the ads in the AI Overviews, which look like they are under the AI Overviews:
Google is also rolling out Shopping Ads through Google Lens. Shopping ads will appear above and alongside visual search results by the end of the year.
Google wrote, “For example, let’s say you’re shopping at a mall and a backpack displayed in a store’s window catches your eye. You want to learn more — and check if there’s other colors available — but you’re in a hurry. Simply tap the Lens icon in the search bar, snap a photo or upload one from your gallery to learn more about the product. Lens will bring together our advanced AI models and Google’s Shopping Graph — which has information on more than 45 billion products — to identify the exact item in your photo.”
Links Updated In AI Overviews
As Google showed us in August, Google has a new link format for AI Overviews that are now rolling out “globally to all countries where AI Overviews are available,” Google told us.
Google also told us, “with AI Overviews, we’re seeing that people have been visiting a greater diversity of websites for help with more complex questions.” “And when people click from search result pages with AI Overviews, these clicks are higher quality for websites — meaning users are more likely to spend more time on the sites they visit,” Google added.
They said they have seen a positive reception during testing, saying, “we’ve seen that this improved experience has driven an increase in traffic to supporting websites compared to the previous design, and people are finding it easier to visit sites that interest them.”
Here is the illustration Google posted:
Here are the screenshots of this test we posted a few weeks ago:
AI-Organized Search Results
Also previously announced, Google is now rolling out AI-organized search results.
Google wrote, “we’re rolling out search results pages organized with AI in the U.S. — beginning with recipes and meal inspiration on mobile. Y ou’ll now see a full-page experience, with relevant results organized just for you. You can easily explore content and perspectives from across the web including articles, videos, forums and more — all in one place.”
Here is what it looks like:
Plus, as I mentioned at Search Engine Land, there is also more on Google Lens and Shopping:
- New multimodal Lens features. Google is launching the ability to search with video in Lens and ask complex questions about moving images (available through Search Labs) and voice input in Lens, so you can ask questions out loud while snapping a photo (or recording video) to more easily search what you see.
- Shop easily with Lens. Google is now showing more helpful product information when using Lens for shopping, including a product’s price across retailers, reviews, or where to buy.
SEARCHENGINES
Google Ranking Volatility Record, Forbes Advisor Slapped, Bing Generative Search Experience & More
We had more of the same Google ranking volatility but this time, we broke a record of the longest period of heated search ranking volatility ever. Google may have slapped Forbes Advisor with some sort of penalty. Bing generative search experience is now rolling out. I posted the big Google October 2024 webmaster report. Google Search Console released sticky performance filters. Google Search Console recommendations is now fully rolled out but more people see it. Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, was interviewed again, this time by Aledya Solis. Google warned about using JavaScript generated product markup. Google spoke again about noindex versus canonical tags. Google said don’t use a generic coming soon page for new pages. Bing Search can get dates and times wrong for search snippets. Microsoft Advertising has a new ad console experience, and new diagnostics and performance snapshot. Bing is testing replacing the ad label with a sponsored label. Google Shopping is testing a new updated interface with expandable refinements. Google Local Service Ads has a new bidding option for target cost per lead. BingBot celebrated its 14th birthday. Google didn’t celebrate its 26th birthday for some reason. I am offline today and yesterday for Rosh Hashanah, so this video and post was pre-recorded and scheduled. The Google AI Overview news did not make it into the video, as I recorded it before I was given a heads-up on this news. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.
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