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:
We Got Chatter: Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update & Fluctuations
Let me start off by saying that while there is a nice amount of chatter in the SEO community signaling some sort of Google update in the past few days, it is hard for me to be very confident because of all the changes Google made in the past week or so. But we do have chatter and some, not all, of the tools are showing changes as well.
Everything You Need To Know About The Google Featured Snippet Deduplication Change
There has been an enormous amount of confusion around the Google featured snippet duplication change. In short, Google made the change, didn’t communicate the change was done until SEOs saw it live and Google, mostly Danny Sullivan, has been answering questions over-and-over again around this change.
Google: Google Assistant Actions Does Not Help You Rank Higher In Search
Does having and creating Google Assistant Actions help you rank better in Google search for your web site in general? I never saw anyone ask this question until today and Danny Sullivan of Google said no, it does not help with your organic rankings or get more organic traffic.
Google May Give Use Featured Snippets Reports In Search Console; Maybe…
Danny Sullivan from Google said on Twitter “Maybe we’ll eventually break out that type of data” when it comes to showing click-through rates on featured snippets. Google almost gave it to us, it was a beta filter that went away back in 2017 for some reason. It is a feature we all wants for five or more years and has not come.
Google Considers Changes To Image Section In Featured Snippets
Danny Sullivan from Google said on Twitter that Google has “heard the feedback” around the “image issue” with featured snippets. He added “I especially push for improvement here.” Google seems like they are looking into how they can make changes there, so I wouldn’t be shocked if you see tests around images in featured snippets in the coming months.
Google Ads Switches To Standard Delivery For All Campaign Types
Google announced it is switching all campaigns, not just Search campaigns, Shopping campaigns, and shared budgets but also Display, Video, App and Hotel campaigns to Standard delivery. This is happening starting in April 2020 and any campaign using Accelerated delivery will be switched over in May 2020.
Google Puppy Bowl 2020
Here is a photo that overlooks the Google Puppy Bowl of 2020 in the Google Boulder offices. There are plenty of photos and videos on Instagram, which I will add below. Google loves their Dooglers!
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
Apple Q1 Revenue Up 9pct to $91.8 Billion, Income $22.2 Billion, WebmasterWorld
I remember G testing out a mobile version of this a few months back, but it didn’t work too well 🙂 https://t.co/E0F4c5U2b4, Brodie Clark on Twitter
I’m happy to forward things like this along! However, in your example, Search is set to English, and it doesn’t seem to be specifically looking for local results (it looks like you’re looking for informat, John Mueller on Twitter
New Facebook Test With New Design, WebmasterWorld
Facebook Q4 and Full Year 2019, Quarter Up 25pct to $21.1 billion, WebmasterWorld
Microsoft Q2 Revenue up 14pct to $36.9 Billion, WebmasterWorld
Using the “loading” attribute is perfect for Googlebot — it’s basically still an img-tag, so we can crawl & index it like any image on a page. No JS needed. A+, would install again., John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Will the Discover feed be Google’s next cash cow? What advertisers are saying about Discovery campaigns
Who’s winning on Amazon right now?
Choosing a marketing automation platform
Google has stopped deduplicating right-sidebar featured snippets
Video: Lisa Barone on the early days of SEO blogging
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Showcase Your Most Important KPIs with Google Data Studio, Solid Digital
Step by Step: Setting up an App + Web Property in Google Analytics, Krista Seiden
The CMO As A CTO: Streamline Data With GMP, DELVE
Industry & Business
DuckDuckGo proposes a new Android search choice design, 9to5Google
Google temporarily closing China offices due to coronavirus, 9to5Google
Google Shopping Product Executive Leaves for Cryptocurrency Exchange Coinbase, New York Times
Google temporarily shutting down all China offices, Nasdaq
Links & Promotion Building
11 Ways to Build Links Through Content Marketing, Search Engine Journal
Local & Maps
Space out with Google Earth on mobile, Google Blog
Mobile & Voice
Google Assistant Will Offer “Quick Answers” on Chrome OS, Voicebot
Fiat Chrysler Integrates Alexa into New Uconnect 5 Automotive AI, Voicebot
SEO
2020 Prediction Month: Google Aims to Acquire More of Amazon’s Ecommerce Territory – Collin Colburn // Forrester, Search Metrics
Google’s Featured Snippet-Apocolypse and FAQ Schema, Claire Carlile Marketing
The Evolution of SEO – Where have we come from and where are we going to?, Bronco
PPC
A First-Timer’s Guide to Google AdWords Campaign Management, Search Engine Guide
Complete sunset of accelerated budget delivery, Google Ads Developer Blog
How to Get Client Buy-In for Keyword Recommendations, Seer Interactive
2020 vision: Trends to define the next decade, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
SearchResearch Challenge (1/29/20): How can I find this old song?, SearchReSearch
Gear up for the Big Game with Search and the Assistant, Google Blog