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 Updates and News from Major Search Engines
Google Fully Rolls Out Desktop Page Experience Update
Google has confirmed that the desktop search results page experience change is now live
It’s now time to weigh in on the results. On February 22, the update began rolling out on desktop, and it was completed on March 3 after a nine-day rollout. In comparison, it took two and a half months to deliver the page experience change on mobile. You may start measuring the impact on your search rankings now that Google has announced the end of the desktop deployment.
Google is Running Tests to Remove Estimated Numbers From the Search Results
After doing a search query, Google Search is experimenting with eliminating the expected number of search results statistic that appears beneath the search box. Google tried this in 2016, and our guess is they’re doing it again.
Errors in the Google Search Console Url Inspection Tool
Google stated yesterday that certain people who tried to use the URL Inspection tool via the console or the API may have received errors. Google stated that it is working on fixing the issue; however, some users are still experiencing troubles even a day later, and Google has yet to certify whether the problem has been rectified or not.
Google posted something on Twitter “We’re having trouble with the URL inspection tool in both Search Console and the API, so you may encounter more failures while inspecting URLs.
We’re working on a solution and will keep you updated as soon as we receive more information.”
You Might Require an Additional Verification For Google Business Profiles
“We may require you to authenticate by more than one means,” Google says in a new help article on how to validate your business. So, if you verify one way, Google may decide that you need to check again, but this time using a different approach. Phone or text verification, email, video recording, live video call, or postcard verification are all now available options. On Twitter, Stefan Somborac, who discovered this, speculated that it would lead to “a tougher verification process” and therefore “decrease false places on Google Maps.”
Google Says it’s Not Important For One Site to Rank Over the Other Website Consistently
“It’s never that site A always ranks above site B,” stated Google’s John Mueller on Twitter.
When asked if Medium articles usually rank higher than LinkedIn pieces, John responded that they don’t. “There is no special search ranking for any one site,” he continued.
Google Now Has an Interactive Search Local Pack For its Users
Whitespark’s Allie Margeson noted that the Google local pack is no longer a static map in the search results. The map has been updated to allow users to zoom in and out, move the map around, hover over companies to see names and reviews, and even tap on the map to go to a specific local shop.
Disavow Files Aren’t Used by Google to Target Link Networks
Google’s John Mueller reiterated that the link disavow files are not used to find spammy link networks. On Twitter, he stated, “Problematic connection networks are frequently easier to spot in other ways. The disavow option, in my opinion, would not be a very effective signal in this case.” In other words, he claims that Google employs alternative methods to locate and target link networks and that it does not need to use disavow files all over the internet to do so.
PPC Related Updates and News
Google Ads has Updated Destination Requirements Policy
In March 2022, Google Ads will update its Destination requirements policy to provide advertisers with more certainty. The proposed adjustments will have no effect on existing policies. On March 21, 2022, changes to the Destination policies will go into force. The modifications should help you if you’re not sure why Google rejected your advertising in the past.
