We hope you are in good health. Here are some of the major SEO news updates of the week you need to know:
Search Related News and Updates from Major Search Engines
Gary Illyes clarified that during core algorithm updates, indexing and canonicalization processes remain independent and unaffected. He likened core updates to adjusting cooking ingredients, which can significantly alter outcomes, while indexing and canonicalization are comparable to processes in “salt mines” or “msg factories” – essential but separate from the cooking itself. This insight aligns with Google’s patent descriptions, portraying search systems as collections of engines with distinct functions like indexing, ranking, and score modification. Thus, core updates operate independently from indexing and canonicalization, maintaining the integrity of Google’s search processes.
Google Reveals Key Additions to Updated Carousels (Beta) Structured Data Documentation
Google’s revised Structured Data Carousels (beta) documentation emphasizes the importance of a summary page connecting to detailed content, ensuring clearer implementation guidelines. Notably, they explicitly outline geographic limitations, restricting availability to European Economic Area (EEA) countries for travel, local, and shopping queries. This update aims to enhance understanding of eligibility criteria, providing web publishers with clearer instructions for utilizing the feature effectively.
Google Enhances Website Interactivity Through Collaboration with Consent Management Platforms
Google has unveiled enhancements to its Interaction to Next Paint (INP) metric for websites leveraging popular consent management platforms (CMPs). This advancement is the result of a collaborative effort with leading platforms such as OneTrust, Complianz, and Axeptio. Barry Pollard, a member of Chrome’s User Experience Report (CrUX) team, disclosed the initiative in a recent update posted on the CrUX Announcements group. The INP metric measures the time it takes for a webpage to become interactive after initial loading, a crucial aspect of user experience. By integrating with CMPs, Google aims to streamline the process of obtaining user consent for cookies, thereby facilitating faster load times and smoother interactions for visitors. This collaboration underscores Google’s commitment to optimizing web performance while respecting user privacy preferences, marking a significant stride in improving online experiences across the board.
In a recent discussion on the r/SEO Reddit forum, insights from Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, shed light on website penalties and HTTP status codes. Mueller addressed concerns raised by a website owner who had used AI to generate content for their videogame guide website, subsequently removing 200 AI-generated pages due to apprehensions. Seeking recovery advice, the owner engaged Mueller in a dialogue. The conversation delved into the intricacies of HTTP status codes 404 and 410, indicating missing or permanently removed web pages. Mueller’s responses provided clarity on Google’s approach, prioritizing practical implications over theoretical SEO distinctions. His insights underscored the importance of understanding and correctly implementing HTTP status codes for effective website management and search engine optimization strategies.
Social Media Related News and Updates From Major Search Engines
LinkedIn Premium’s Head of Engineering Provides Insights on Building High-Quality User Experiences
In a collaboration with Search Engine Journal, LinkedIn offered valuable insights on strategizing and implementing new features, drawing from their experience with AI-driven updates. Their guidance transcends industry boundaries, applicable to refining content strategies or integrating fresh features into any business model. The key takeaways include meticulous planning, leveraging data-driven insights, and prioritizing user feedback throughout the development process. By adopting a methodical approach, businesses can ensure seamless rollouts and maximize user engagement. LinkedIn’s expertise underscores the importance of adaptability and customer-centricity in evolving digital landscapes, empowering enterprises to stay ahead in delivering impactful user experiences.
Gary Illyes Unveils Google’s Process and Ranking Factors by Decoding Search Queries
In Google’s recent “How Search Works” video, Gary Illyes sheds light on the intricate process of interpreting and ranking search queries. He underscores the overarching goal of search—to deliver high-quality, trustworthy, and relevant results to users. Illyes elaborates on the concept of relevance, emphasizing its user-centric nature, and incorporating factors like personalization, topicality, and geolocation. The initial step in ranking involves parsing the search query, which includes cleaning up by removing stop words and identifying essential entities. Illyes highlights the significance of query expansion, where similar queries are combined to broaden search results. For instance, “car dealership” and “auto dealership” are considered equivalent, enabling relevant web pages to rank for both queries. This user-oriented approach underscores Google’s commitment to enhancing search quality and user experience.
YouTube Introduces Affiliate Hub, Empowering Creators with Enhanced Ecommerce Monetization
YouTube’s latest move towards e-commerce sees the launch of its Affiliate Hub, a dedicated tool aimed at simplifying affiliate marketing income for creators. Integrated seamlessly into the YouTube app, the Hub offers a comprehensive resource for creators, showcasing top affiliate partners, commission rates, promotions, and even facilitating product sample requests. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance the creator economy’s profitability. Additional features include Shopping Collections for personalized product curation, bulk tagging capabilities for all creators, and integration with Fourthwall for streamlined storefront management within YouTube Studio. These updates coincide with YouTube’s growing focus on shopping, evidenced by a reported 25% year-over-year increase in watch time for shopping-related videos in 2023, totaling over 30 billion hours.
PPC Related News and Updates From Major Search Engines
Google Addresses Allegations Regarding Harmful and Dangerous Search Results
Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, has been addressing recent complaints regarding harmful and low-quality search results. Previously, Google aimed to prevent searchers from encountering harmful information, inspired by a personal story shared by Hyung-Jin Kim, Vice President of Google Search. However, there’s now an influx of complaints about dangerous results, attributed in part to the increased prominence of Reddit results. Sullivan acknowledged the concerns and assured users that they were being considered and discussed internally. This highlights a shift from Google’s previous focus on preventing harm to grappling with evolving user expectations and information quality.
People Also Consider Label in Google Ads
Google has introduced a new labeling feature in Google Ads, displaying “People also consider” tags alongside ads. Anthony Higman highlighted this development, expressing confusion and concern. He questioned the purpose behind these labels and speculated on their implications, wondering if Google aims to broaden ad visibility by matching branded terms with related keywords. Anthony’s screenshot illustrates this label alongside a search for his brand, prompting questions about its necessity and potential impact on ad auctions. This move signals Google’s ongoing efforts to enhance user experience and provide additional context for ad content. However, its precise strategy and implications remain uncertain, sparking speculation and scrutiny among advertisers.
Google Retains Site Command Search Feature
Following complaints about the site command search operator malfunctioning, Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, reassured users that Google has no plans to discontinue the feature. Sullivan addressed the issue, stating, “We aren’t closing site: search.” The site command allows users to narrow down search results to a specific website. For instance, if Google omitted Reddit results and users wanted to exclusively search Reddit, they could utilize the site:reddit.com operator in their query. Sullivan’s confirmation alleviated concerns about the potential removal of this functionality, ensuring users can continue to employ the site command for targeted searches within specific websites.
