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How To Remove Thumbtack Book Links In Google Business Profiles

Published

6 hours ago

July 15, 2024

There are new reports that a booking/appointment system run by Thumbtack, a local search service, is automatically adding its booking links and service to Google Business Profiles. Well, you can opt out, if you don’t want it. But I am sure most businesses will have no clue this was added to their local listings in Google Search and Google Maps.

To opt out, you need to fill out this form. This is from the Thumbtack help page – so check there if the form no longer works, maybe there will be an updated link.

The book now button looks like this:

As reported to me by Colan Nielsen on X and posted in the Local Search Forum, this business does not want the book link to go to Thumbtack, but it does – at least when I wrote this.

Colan wrote, “Looks like Thumbtack is automatically adding booking links to Google Business Profiles.”

We saw this happen a lot over the years, we even called it hijacking appointment links in Google – including with Postmates.

The Thumbtack help document says, “we’ve automatically added a Thumbtack booking option through your Google Business Profile. No further action is needed from you.” So this is not an opt in thing, rather an opt out thing – which is not good.

So please be aware of this and be on the look out for changes to your booking link.

Forum discussion at Local Search Forum.

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Google Volatility, Indexing Bugs, Google Ads Broad Match Default & YouTube SEO Tips

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Google Volatility, Indexing Bugs, Google Ads Broad Match Default & YouTube SEO Tips

Published

1 day ago

July 14, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Google Volatility, Indexing Bugs, Google Ads Broad Match Default & YouTube SEO Tips

For the original iTunes version, click here.

This week, guess what, we had more volatility over the weekend and also a blip in the middle of the week. Google also had another indexing bug that lasted only about an hour. Google Search Console had a bug with new owner notifications. Google Search Console now lets you enter your shipping and return policies in settings. Google said it found the feedback it collected on the last core update really helpful. Google updated its URL best practices document to say don’t use fragments to change content on the page. Google Search will now extract composite images with trained algorithmic media types, i.e. AI. Google said if you are ranking for unrelated keywords in search, maybe try to make your content clearer. Google is testing country label tags in the search results. Google is testing auto-playing videos in the search results. Google is also testing thin video snippets. Google Ads enabled broad match by default for new search campaigns. Google Ads confirmed ads can show below featured snippets as part of its dynamic ad placement evolution. Google Ads is testing double row carousel shopping ads. Google Ads is testing people also browsed carousel.s Google Maps said it is not testing “add stop” ads. Bing is testing nutrition labels in the image results. Google Business Profiles added a consumer alerts page. Thumbtack is automatically adding its booking links to your Google Business Profile. YouTube shared some YouTube SEO advice and tips That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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Daily Search Forum Recap: July 12, 2024

Published

2 days ago

July 13, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

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 Search Console now lets you add your shipping and return details in the interface. Google confirmed ads can show below featured snippets as part of “dynamic ad placement.” Bing is testing a voting feature in search. Google is maybe testing auto-playing video thumbnails. Thumbtack is adding booking links to your Google Business Profiles without you knowing. I also posted my SEO video recap today, so check it out.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google Confirmed Ads Below Featured Snippet As Part Of Dynamic Ad Placement

It is not news that Google now mixes in ads within organic results, but I have to say it still feels super icky to me that Google does this. Ginny Marvin, the Google Ads Liaison, confirmed that search ads can appear directly below organic featured snippets, as part of Google’s “ongoing evolution of dynamic ad placement on search.”

New: Google Search Console Let’s You Add Your Shipping & Return Information

Google has added a method in Search Console settings to add your shipping and return information. This should make it easier for some merchants to specify their shipping and return details to Google Search, so that information can be shown in Google Search.

Remove Thumbtack Book Links In Google Business Profiles

There are new reports that a booking/appointment system run by Thumbtack, a local search service, is automatically adding its booking links and service to Google Business Profiles. Well, you can opt out, if you don’t want it. But I am sure most businesses will have no clue this was added to their local listings in Google Search and Google Maps.

Bing Search Tests Voting On Search Results

Bing is testing a voting feature in the Bing Search results. You can vote up or vote down specific search results in the search results page. It even shows you the percentage of votes for those who voted it up versus voted it down.

Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Volatility, Indexing Bugs, Google Ads Broad Match Default & YouTube SEO Tips

This week, guess what, we had more volatility over the weekend and also a blip in the middle of the week. Google also had another indexing bug that lasted only about an hour. Google Search Console had a bug with new owner notifications. Google Search Console now lets you enter your shipping…

Google Search Tests Autoplaying Video Thumbnails In Results?

Google may be testing auto-playing the video thumbnails it has within its search results page. I am not sure if this is some sort of browser bug or something else, but Google may auto-play the video thumbnail without sound in the search results.

Prabhakar Raghavan With Japan’s Minister Taro Kono

Here is a photo of Google’s Senior Vice President, Prabhakar Raghavan, meeting with Taro Kono, the Japanese Minister for Digital Transformation, a few weeks ago.

Other Great Search Threads:

Search Engine Land Stories:

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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Daily Search Forum Recap: July 11, 2024

Published

3 days ago

July 12, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

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 said the feedback around the last core update was really helpful. Google Ads is testing double-row shopping ad carousels. Google Ads also tests a “people also browsed” carousel. Google Business Profiles has new Consumer Alerts. Google is testing thin video search snippets. Google expanded translated results to more languages.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google: SEO Feedback On The Last Core Update Was Really Helpful

Google’s John Mueller said in a video he posted yesterday that the feedback submitted and Google collected around the March 2024 core update has “been really helpful in evaluations and discussions.” He added the Google teams have “been reviewing with the search quality and ranking teams.”

Google Ads: Double Row Carousel Shopping Search Ads

Google seems to be testing a new ad format with two rows of shopping ads in the search results in a carousel format, so you can scroll through more shopping ads at the same time. I don’t believe I’ve seen this format before – have you?

Google Ads Tests People Also Browsed Carousel

Google is also testing this new ad format labeled “People also browsed.” I guess this shows you what other products on Google searchers looked at for a similar query and is now showing you ads that match those browser sessions for those queries.

Google Expands Translated Search Results To More Languages

Google is now showing the translated search results feature in more languages, adding Arabic, Gujarati, Korean, Persian, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese to the list of of now 21 languages.

Google Search Tests Thin Video Snippets

Google is testing a new video format for its search results in the mobile search results. This test shows thinner video search result snippets with smaller video thumbnails.

Google Business Profiles Consumer Alerts Document

Google Business Profiles can include consumer alerts on them, which will notify those viewing your local listing on Google about a possible violation or suspension of spam. These alerts can show a banner, they can result in review posting restrictions and reviews being removed.

Google Math Competition

Google held a math competition for nearly 200 students at the D.C. office recently. Here is one of many photos from that event that I found on Instagram.