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.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Search Buzz Video Recap: Google Algorithm Updates, Promoting Original Reporting, Search Quality Raters, Nofollow Link Attribute Changes & More
I hope you like the new introduction style, it gives you a quick preview of the topics I am going to cover before I get into it, let me know in the comments and subscribe and smash that like button. 🙂 I covered chatter and signs around a Google search algorithm update today…
Friday The 13th Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update Chatter
I am seeing some early chatter of a Google search ranking algorithm update today on Friday the 13th, September 13, 2019. The chatter is super early but I am seeing it not just across WebmasterWorld, but also Black Hat World and social media. Some of the automated tracking tools are also picking up on some of these signs.
Google: Our Newer Search Algorithms Have Been Promoting Original Reporting In Search
Yesterday Google announced an algorithmic update it made to the search results a few months ago have been doing a better job at promoting original reporting. Not only promoting it in terms of ranking but keeping that original reporting up in the top spot of the search results for longer.
Is Google Showing More Videos In List View Vs Carousel View?
Eric Hedekar from Moz, formerly STAT, said that now about half of the videos shown in the Google mobile results have changed in terms of how they are displayed. Instead of the carousel video format, Google is showing more of a list view according to Eric.
Local RankFlux – A Google Local Ranking Algorithm Tracking Tool
So we have a dozen or so Google web search rank checking tools that tell us if they pick up on Google algorithm or ranking fluctuations. But we don’t have much when it comes to local ranking changes. BrightLocal has just released a tool it named Local RankFlux that does just that.
Google: Correctly Counting Links On The Web Is Technically Impossible
John Mueller from Google said on Twitter “counting links on the web correctly is technically impossible, and everyone just makes different approximations & assumptions.” This is in response to third-party link tools not matching up or looking inaccurate.
It Was Google Take Your Parents To Work Day
Every year Google has an event at the GooglePlex, maybe other offices too, where you can take your parents to work for the day. It is a way for your parents to see what you do and soak up the pride.
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
Google agrees to $550 million fine in France Over Fiscal Fraud Investigation, WebmasterWorld
That sounds ok. When counting redirect hops, I’d focus on URLs that are actively used (or crawled). Artificially finding a URL that takes a few hops (when nobody uses/crawls it) isn’t a sign of a problem. Link a, John Mueller on Twitter
There’s room for all kinds of people when it comes to SEO — not everyone has to do the same thing, or be the same, in order to be helpful when it comes to being successful online., John Mueller on Twitter
We just rolled out support for "UGC" and "SPONSORED" link attributes! And it looks like we’re the first to do it. 💪 cc: @jroakes 😉 https://t.co/m4ji3X1JkN, Ahrefs on Twitter
There is no fixed amount of words per page, nor of unique content per page. Make a 110% awesome & outstanding site that works well for your users. Focus on unique, compelling, and high-quality content; don, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Subdomain leasing and the giant hole in Google’s Medic update
BrightLocal launches ‘Local RankFlux’ Google local algorithm tracking tool
A script to create a Google Ads Experiments dashboard
Google now gives more preference to original reporting in search
Meta robots nofollow gets the hint treatment too
Yes, you can add JSON structured data to the body of your pages
Short reprieve: Google gives accelerated ad delivery an extension
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
A better measurement strategy, Think with Google
Industry & Business
Google agrees to $550 million fine in France to settle fiscal fraud probe, Reuters
Open source and open data, Google Blog
The lessons Googlers have learned from their parents, Google Blog
Google-leased Mountain View building entices big investor, Mercury News
House antitrust panel seeks internal records from Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook, TheHill
Links & Promotion Building
Google Confirmation: Changing Nofollow Was About Link Signal, Search Engine Journal
Local & Maps
An Agency Workflow for Google My Business Dead Ends, Moz
Google Lens gets first grocery AR integration, 9to5Google
Google Maps Help Retrieve Remains Of Man Missing For Years In Florida Lake, IB Times
Mobile & Voice
Alexa vs. Google | Best Smart Home System 2019, Popular Mechanics
Google app and Assistant dark theme start rolling out, 9to5Google
Google Assistant Routines interface updated with user friendly design, Mobile Syrup
SEO
5 Questions For Your SEO Agency You May Not Think Of, Siege Media
How to change your favicon in WordPress: a step-by-step guide, Yoast
How to use canonical tags properly, Hallam
Is Page Depth A Ranking Factor?, Botify
E-A-T and the Quality Raters’ Guidelines – Whiteboard Friday, Moz
Google Updates Quality Rater Guidelines: Reputation for News Sites; Video Content Updates; Quality for Information Sites, The SEM Post
How To Optimize For Marriott SEO, Hospitality Net
Penalties & recourse for grey hat SEO practices, Search Metrics
PPC
Explainer: Advertising executives point to five ways Google stifles business, Reuters
Search Features
2,602 uses of AI for social good, and what we learned from them, Google Blog
How to search the web with Bing in Notepad, OnMSFT
Other Search
Relive your best memories with new features from Google Photos, Google Blog
