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:
Vlog #105: Dawn Beobide On Google Page Experience Update & Unconfirmed Algorithm Updates (Part Two)
Dawn Beobide and I in part two of the video started to talk about the upcoming Google Page Experience Update. Google is going to release a new update around Core Web Vitals and page experience factors…
Google Shopping Black-Owned Business Label
Black-owned businesses can now get the “black-owned business” label added to their Google Shopping listings in Google Search. This looks just like the Google My Business version but now it shows up on product results within Google Shopping.
Google Ads Adult Policy Change For Sexually Suggestive Themes
Google is making changes to its adult policy for Google Ads starting on March 29, 2021. Google said it will then start the “full enforcement” of these new policies four “ramping up over approximately four weeks.” The new policies are around sexually suggestive live streaming, sexually suggestive live chat, sexually suggestive role playing games, and general dating with sexually suggestive elements and themes.
Google My Business Not Applied Changes Now Offer Send Edit Feedback
Amy Toman spotted a new feature in Google Local and Google My Business. The feature seems to allow you to send additional feedback to Google when a suggested edit you make to a Google business listing is not accepted (i.e. not applied) for some reason.
Google Search CLS Annoyance With People Also Search For
So you know, Google is going to slam sites that shift around and end up making you, by accident, click on the wrong spot on the page. It is part of the Page Experience Update’s core web vitals Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) metric. Well, Google Search has this issue too, since 2016 actually and it is super annoying.
Google On Removing Redacted Information From Search
Google’s John Mueller highlighted a document, which he said is not new, but it is useful, named keep redacted information out of Google Search. This document gives you tips on how to help ensure Google does not find this content in the first place and then ends with how to remove the content if it is found.
Google Bike
Here is a photo of a municipal bike station where the Google logo is on one of the baskets of one of the bikes. Renata Moshkovich who posted this on Instagram in 2016, yes, I am going way back into my
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
Your [month] earnings deductions and how to avoid them, WebmasterWorld
A site:query is not representative of a normal search. Also, some amount of difference is always expected (timing, datacenters, etc.). Is that the site where you’re republishing the content?, John Mueller on Twitter
If you’re seeing this regularly, perhaps you should do more than change the displayed date once a year. We do recognize when pages change regularly and adjust, but TBH a 1/year change is not enough for us, not, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
PPC award winners talk strategies for competitive times, industries, and marketplaces
Facebook testing brand safety topic exclusions for advertisers
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Get a grip on marketing incrementality, Think with Google
Industry & Business
Google union in turmoil following global alliance announcement, The Verge
Google and Twitter Defeat Lawsuit Over Account Suspensions/Terminations-DeLima v. Google, Eric Goldman
Top questions about the News Media Bargaining Code, Google Blog
Honoring the legacy of Black-owned businesses in the U.S., Google Blog
If Google pulls out of Australia, prime minister says Microsoft’s Bing could take its place, MarketWatch
Links & Content Marketing
The right ways to use intent data: How to pivot strategies in 2021, ClickZ
Local & Maps
9 Tips to Optimize Your GMB Listing, Seer Interactive
Google Maps Street View gets split screen UI on Android, 9to5Google
Fixing Android Auto Sometimes Comes Down to Weird Workarounds Like This One, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
Google tests Weather Frog ‘Photo Frame’ on Nest Hub, 9to5Google
Is the Google Fitbit deal the end of Wear OS?, Android Authority
SEO
How to Write Great Meta Descriptions, Seer Interactive
Long Tail Keywords: What Are They & How To Use Them, Seer Interactive
Organic Performance Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum so Why Should Your Strategy?, Seer Interactive
22 Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid in 2021, SEMpdx
Gain SERP Insights On A Daily Basis, BrightEdge
SEO Forecasting in Google Sheets, Moz
PPC
Selling Keyword Ads Isn’t Theft or Conversion-Edible IP v. Google, Eric Goldman
Share the love – Microsoft Audience Network, Microsoft Advertising
Other Search
Learning to Reason Over Tables from Less Data, Google AI Blog