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Daily Search Forum Recap: January 4, 2023

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.

More Google search ranking algorithm update volatility to report on in the past couple of days – was it helpful content or link spam update related? Google no longer has a 110 character limit on the headline for article structured data. Google’s URL inspection tool shows nofollow links as the referring page. Google explains why giving start and end dates for algorithm updates is not so easy. Google has a “popular next steps” search refinement feature.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update Signals On January 3rd & 4th
As the Google December 2022 helpful content update and link spam update continue to roll out, I am now seeing more signs of volatility and chatter within the SEO industry in the past 24 hours. It seems like there is another algorithm update, or maybe a continuation from the previous ones, taking place on January 3rd and 4th.

Start & End Dates For Google Algorithm Updates Aren’t Always Exact
If you’ve been following my coverage here on confirmed Google search algorithm updates over the years, you would see that the dates Google gives to the start of an update and, more often, the completion of an update are not always so exact.
Google Drops 110 Character Limit From Article Headline Structured Data
Google has updated the article structured data help documentation by removing the 110-character limit from the headline properties. It now says, “Consider using a concise title, as long titles may be truncated on some devices.”

Google URL Inspection Tool Referring Page Can Show Nofollow Links But It’s Rare Say John Mueller
Google’s John Mueller said it is possible that Google Search Console’s URL inspection tool can show a nofollowed link as the referring page but he also said it is rare. It does make you question if Google holds by the nofollow as a very strict hint or not but John said we are “too focused on links.”

Google Search “Popular Next Steps” Option
Google is testing or has launched a new search refinement or expansion feature named “popular next steps.” If Google thinks

Google Toothpicks Signage
I have almost no context on this one but this super G Google logo sign of sorts seems to be made up of massive toothpicks. I found this on Twitter via Menachem Ani and Google Lens does give some clue

Other Great Search Threads:

Canonicalization is sometimes complex & challenging, but it’s definitely not the case that Google just makes something up, John Mueller on Mastodon
Dropping links to your site on random pages on the web isn’t a useful strategy, and even if those pages were indexed, the links there would likely be ignored if you’re dropping them there, John Mueller on Twitter
I’m sure if a link-focused SEO tool tells you to make more links, it must be true 🙂, John Mueller on Twitter

Search Engine Land Stories:

This day in search marketing history: January 4
Commerce Components by Shopify gives large retailers new ways to use the platform
TikTok adds 5 new ways to enforce safety for teen users
SEO content writing vs. content writing: The key difference

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

3 Ways Advertisers Can Effectively Gather More First-Party Data, AdExchanger

Industry & Business

Google alleges India antitrust body copied parts of EU order on Android abuse, Reuters
Google and Meta’s Advertising Dominance Fades as TikTok, Streamers Emerge, Wall Street Journal

Links & Content Marketing

5 SEO Cognitive Biases in Content Marketing, Rank Ranger
On-Page SEO: How Many Links Is Too Many On A Webpage?, Forbes
An Audience-First Approach to Content Creation for SEO, JumpFly

Local & Maps

How to choose the right GBP category for your business, Wix SEO Hub
Maximizing the Potential of Your Hotel’s Google Business Page, Hospitality Network

Mobile & Voice

It’s Not Too Early To Become Metaverse-Ready, Wired
Report Reveals Wave of New Features for Apple’s Mixed-Reality Headset, Including Digital Crown for Switching to Real-World View, MacRumors
Google’s answer to a killer AirPods feature is going live on the Pixel 6 and 7 series, Android Police

SEO

2023 SEO Trends: Be Smart About Artificial Intelligence & AI-Generated Content, Lumar
Branded SEO: The Often Overlooked (yet easy) Traffic Opportunity, Freddie Chatt
Improving Your E-A-T Rating, 3Q/DEPT
Is This Google’s Helpful Content Algorithm?, Search Engine Journal
The 2nd order SEO effects of generative AI models, Kevin Indig
Why Is My Website Not Appearing In Google?, Dan Rich

PPC

Marketing Briefing: What will be the top marketing and advertising trends in 2023?, Digiday

Search Features

Microsoft and OpenAI Working on ChatGPT-Powered Bing in Challenge to Google, The Information
Google develops free terrorism moderation tool for smaller websites, Financial Times

Other Search

We Evaluated ChatGPT vs. Google on 500 Search Queries, Surge HQ
Google and Tesla are the Faces of a New Frontier in Robot Design, Analytics Insight

Feedback:

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