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 Search now shows units available to rent in local panels. Google Search has a new explore stocks carousel. Google is testing colored search headers. Google Discover has a label for “in case you missed it.” And Bing Search is testing square favicons.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google Search Units Available For Rent Section In Local Panel
Google is now showing a new section in some local panels named "Units available to rent." This shows homes, condos and other apartments that the company has listed as available to rent out.
Bing Now With Square Favicons For Search Result Snippets
Microsoft seems to have rolled out a new shape for the favicons in its Bing search results. Instead of being circles, now they seem to be square.
Google Search Explore Stocks Carousel
Google seems to have added a new financial feature titled “Explore stocks.” This section adds a new carousel that shows you some popular stocks on the market.
Google Discover Adds Label For “In Case You Missed It”
Google Discover seems to be adding a label that reads “in case you missed it” to some older stories. We know Google Discover can show old stories but now they are labeling some with “in case you missed” it over the title and image.
Google Search Testing Blue Colored Header Again
Google seems to be once again testing a blue-colored header on its mobile search results page again. We saw a blue header a year ago in January 2022. We saw a green subheader in 2020 and then, shortly after, multicolored variations.
Retailer Named: Cannabis Near Me
Want to rank higher on Google, just name your business a keyword and add on to it “near me.” Make sure to say the business is open 24 hours, okay, just kidding on both. I found this on X and it is like the other near me stores we covered.
Other Great Search Threads:
Another example of how following topics (or specific sites) can impact your Discover feed now. SER is one of the publications I follow via Chrome’s follow feature. I have started seeing those sites show up with their own cluster of, Glenn Gabe on X
Good to hear. I’ll look this up if we want to survey someone on what those use cases are., Ryan Levering On Mastodon
We’re excited for 2024 to be the year of the AI PC. An important first step is the introduction of a Copilot key for Windows 11 PCs, which will enable one-click access to Copilot!, Yusuf Mehdi on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Facebook rolls out ‘Link History’ for all users – and uses data for targeted ads
How to combine GA4 and Google Ads for powerful paid search results
Better PPC account health in 2024: How to avoid modern pitfalls and wasted spend
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Google Analytics Traffic Sources: An In-Depth Guide, Semrush
Industry & Business
From Amazon to Facebook and Google, here’s how platforms can ‘decay’, NPR
Jeff Bezos Bets on a Google Challenger Using AI to Try to Upend Internet Search, Wall Street Journal
Vint Cerf, Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist of Google – Brief but Spectacular, PBS NewsHour
Links & Content Marketing
6 Ways to Elevate the Text-to-Audio Experience, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
New Yelp Has Earned Its Extra Stars, Wall Street Journal
Google Maps now showing 3D buildings in navigation, Android Auto, 9to5Google
Holly Jackson’s Maximization of Google Maps, New York Times
Mobile & Voice
Google Assistant’s forgotten memory magic, Computerworld
How Siri helped me out in an almost impossible situation, Digital Trends
Remember the Siri key on your Mac’s keyboard? Microsoft is adding a Copilot key to its Windows PCs — heralding 2024 as ‘the year of the AI PC’, iMore
Would a HomePod with a display add to the user experience?, 9to5Google
SEO
Google: It’s Easy To Mess Up A Site Revamp, Search Engine Journal
What does your SEO agency believe will be the most important ranking factors in 2024, Walsh & Partners
Google Ranking Factors, Semrush
Using diff to Diagnose SEO Issues [Free Tool], Search Wilderness
PPC
Google Is Finally Killing Cookies. Advertisers Still Aren’t Ready., Wall Street Journal
Google shuts 1% of cookies—how ad tech players are preparing, Ad Age
Nine questions to consider as Google starts its move away from third-party cookies, Digiday
What Is Google Tag Manager & How Does It Work?, Semrush
What you need to know about Google’s 1% Experiment, Brainlabs
Search Features
Introducing a new Copilot key to kick off the year of AI-powered Windows PCs, Windows Experience Blog
Other Search
Gartner Predicts 50% of Consumers Will Significantly Limit Their Interactions with Social Media by 2025, Gartner
Microsoft Edge is now an ‘AI Browser’, 9to5Google
Microsoft’s new Copilot key is the first big change to Windows keyboards in 30 years, The Verge
Feedback:
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