We hope you are in good health. Here are some of the major SEO news updates of the week that you need to know:
Search Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine
Google Completes November 2024 Core Algorithm Update, Impacting Global Search Results
Google has completed its November 2024 Core Algorithm Update, significantly impacting global search results. The update was rolled out over three weeks and was officially completed on December 5. This algorithm update aims to improve the quality and relevance of search results for users worldwide. Google announced the completion of the update through its Search Status Dashboard and various social media channels. Website owners and digital marketers must stay updated with these algorithm changes to ensure their online presence remains competitive and visible to users.
Google’s Martin Splitt Explains Robots.txt Best Practices and Noindex Tag Usage for Effective SEO
Google’s Martin Splitt recently clarified best practices for using robots.txt directives and noindex tags in SEO. It’s important not to combine a robots.txt “Disallow” directive with a noindex tag on the same page. The “noindex” tag should be used when you want a page to be crawled but excluded from search results. This allows search engines to read the content without indexing it. On the other hand, the “Disallow” directive in robots.txt should be used for pages you want to prevent from being crawled altogether. Properly using both ensures more effective SEO and site control.
Google Recommends Hosting Resources on Separate Hostnames to Save Crawl Budget
Google recommends hosting website resources on CDNs or subdomains to preserve the main site’s crawl budget and improve indexing. This is because Googlebot caches resources for 30 days, regardless of the HTTP cache settings. By utilizing CDNs for resources, website owners can ensure that the retrieval of resources does not consume their main site’s crawl budget. This allows the search engine to allocate more resources towards crawling and indexing the actual content of the website, leading to better visibility in search results. On the other hand, blocking resources in the robots.txt file can negatively impact Google’s ability to render and rank pages, as it restricts access to important files necessary for proper rendering and ranking.
Google Replaces ‘Popular Stores’ with ‘Where to Buy’ for Improved Product Discovery
Google has significantly changed its platform to enhance product discovery and improve the shopping experience. Google has replaced the “Popular Stores” feature with “Where to Buy,” providing users with more options and information about where they can purchase a particular product. This update aims to offer a more comprehensive and convenient way for consumers to find the best deals and compare prices from various retailers. By incorporating this new feature, Google aims to become a one-stop destination for users looking to make informed purchasing decisions.
Google Tests ‘View All’ Buttons in Shopping Results for Enhanced User Experience
Google is constantly striving to improve the user experience on its platform, and it is now testing a new feature in shopping results to achieve just that. The addition of ‘View All’ buttons in the shopping results aims to enhance the user experience by providing a convenient way to explore more products in a specific category. These buttons are located on the right side of the snippet, and when clicked, they redirect the user to the category landing page on the e-commerce site. This feature gives users a more comprehensive view of available products and makes it easier to find exactly what they want.
Bing Adds ‘See Results Only From [Domain]’ Button to Filter Search Results by Domain
Bing Search has introduced a new feature that allows users to filter search results by domain quickly. This feature is handy for users who want to narrow their search to specific websites or domains. With a simple click on the “See results only from [domain]” button, users can now easily restrict the search results to show only relevant information from a particular website. This feature enhances the search experience and gives users more control over the information they receive. Whether it’s research, news, or any other search type, Bing’s new site command button offers a convenient way to access domain-specific results.
Bing Tests a New E-commerce / Shopping Card Format at the Top of the Search Results
Bing tests a new e-commerce and shopping card format at the top of the search results. This new format aims to enhance users’ online shopping experience by providing a convenient and efficient way to find and purchase products. The shopping cart includes relevant information such as product details, images, prices, and links to the retailer’s website. By displaying this information prominently at the top of the search results, Bing aims to streamline the shopping process and make it easier for users to make informed purchasing decisions.
Google Tests New Hover Effect: Underline Title, Link, and Domain in Search Results
Google constantly tests and updates its search result snippet format to enhance user experience. In a recent experiment, Google tests the title, link, and domain underlining in the search result snippet when users hover their mouse cursor over it. This is a departure from the usual practice where only the title link, the blue link, is highlighted. By underlining all of these elements, Google aims to provide users with a more precise visual indication of what parts of the snippet are clickable. This change could make navigating and interacting with search results easier, improving overall usability. As with all tests, it remains to be seen if this change will be implemented permanently.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine
Google has announced a new policy regarding dating and companionship ads, which will come into effect from March onwards. Under this policy, Google will require all dating app advertisers to obtain certification. This move aims to ensure that only legitimate and trustworthy dating platforms are allowed to advertise on the search engine. In addition to the certification requirement, the policy also imposes strict restrictions on dating sites that feature explicit content or promote affairs. Furthermore, certain types of relationships will be prohibited from being promoted through ads.
