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 is testing search results with shop nearby links. Google Ads gains new sharable ad previews, asset experiments and final URL expansions. Google is testing a revert link in place of the search instead of. Google has a new section named top products from customer reviews. There is this new SEO game called the SEO The Board Game. As a reminder, I am offline today and these stories and newsletters were pre-written and scheduled.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google Search Snippet With Shop Nearby To Open Business Profile
Google is testing adding a new rich result type to the search results snippet named “Shop nearby.” The shop nearby link will open the Google Business Profile of the business’s website.
Google Ads Gains Sharable Ad Previews, Asset Experiments & Final URL Expansion
Google announced a number of new Google Ads enhancements or updates to Performance Max campaigns, some we already covered and some are less search specific. The search ads news that are new are sharable ad previews, asset experiments for Performance Max with product feeds and test adding assets and using Final URL expansion.
Google Search Testing Revert In Place Of Search Instead For
Google Search is testing replacing the spelling notification for “search instead for…” with “revert.” I mean, it is a weird one being that I am not sure “revert” is the right word for this but hey, Google loves to test things.
Google Search Top Products From Customer Reviews Carousel
Google has this carousel that can pull in top products based on customer reviews in the Google Shopping graph. It is titled “Top products from customer reviews” and shows up in the search results for select queries.
Gareth Hoyle posted about this new game he and his company, along with others have spent about a year putting together. It is named SEO The Board Game and is a strategic game for 2 to 4 players where you play an SEO expert, purchase and optimize websites, build your digital empire, and compete for the title of top SEO kingpin.
Here is an interesting photo from the Google Pier 57 location in New York City, it says The Google School. Does Google have a school? Doubt it.
Programming Note: Offline For Simchat Torah On Thursday & Friday
This is a programming note that Thursday and Friday are Simchat Torah and I will be offline the next two days. I will be offline on Thursday and Friday, October 24th and October 25th.
Other Great Search Threads:
Just released an update to v.20.4 of the @screamingfrog SEO Spider – https://t.co/P0rkn89lh5. Mainly small bug fixes., Screaming Frog on X
Sadly, I see SEOs often overlooking the power of branded rankings/traffic as part of their SEO strategy. My goal in SEO processes is to achieve a nice balance of branded & non-branded rankings, traffic and conversions beca, Aleyda Solis on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Google tests video-enabled shopping ads in search results
Why SEOs are killing digital PR
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Democrats want DOJ to prosecute tax prep companies that allegedly shared user data with Meta and Google, The Verge
New paths for clean energy in Asia-Pacific, Google Blog
Tech critics want a Google exec punished for deleted chats, The Verge
Links & Content Marketing
Embrace the Valuable Friction Between Creativity and Tech, Content Marketing Institute
How to write conversational content, Yoast
Local & Maps
Enlist Apple Maps to Plan Your Next Vacation, CNET
How To Add Custom Notes To Apple Maps, SlashGear
Top 10 Google Maps Tricks You Don’t Know, Analytics Insight
Mobile & Voice
Apple presses on with headset that’s an iPhone on your face, AppleInsider
Google granted request to pause order on Play store overhaul, Reuters
iOS 18.1: New features, release date, and more, 9to5Mac
SEO
How to say no to our AI overlords, The Seattle Times
Community-based marketing for better branding & SEO, Wix SEO Hub
Google‘s Helpful Content Update & What to Do About It, Semrush
How to Optimize Your Website for SEO: A Beginner’s Guide, Semrush
How To Scale Your Marketing With AI for Business Growth, BruceClay
TF-IDF Text Analysis in SEO, Sara Taher
PPC
Confidential Matching and Protecting User Privacy, Dagmar Marketing
Google Ads Search Term Reports: What You Need To Know Now, Jyll Saskin Gales
The perfect time to set up Performance Max campaigns, Microsoft Advertising
Other Search
How Honeywell is using Google AI products, Google Blog
Introducing computer use, a new Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Claude 3.5 Haiku, Anthropic
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.
Note: This was pre-written and scheduled to be posted today, I am currently offline for Simchat Torah.
