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 now says that Google Discover visibility can be impacted by the Google helpful content update (yes, core updates and some other updates did impact Discover). Did you see the mobile version, with voice search, of the new Bing AI chat? Google Business Profiles testing a “see photos” button, seems duplicative. Google Search Console updated the user and permissions management. Google now says you no longer have to host the favicon image on the same domain as the site.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google: Google Discover Impacted By Many Search Signals, Including Now The Helpful Content Update
Google has updated both the Google Discover help documentation and the Google helpful content system page documentation to clarify that Google Discover uses many of the same signals as Google Search for ranking. The big news is that previously Google told us the helpful content update did not impact Discover, but now Google says it does.
New Bing AI Chat Now On Mobile With Voice Search
Yesterday, Microsoft announced that the new Bing AI Chat features are available for some users on the Bing mobile app and Edge mobile app on iOS and Android. And with that, voice search using Bing AI chat is just so sweet.
Google Search Console Updates Users & Permissions Controls
Google Search Console pushed out a security control update that reworked how the user and permissions management works. This is to bring over the old Webmaster Tools version to the new Search Console, and Google will sunset the old version in the coming months.
Google: Favicons No Longer Need To Be Hosted On Same Domain
Google has updated its favicon search developer documentation to now say that you don’t need to host the favicon in the same domain in order to be eligible for a favicon in Google Search results. Google removed the line, “the URL must be in the same domain as the home page.”
Google Business Profiles “See Photos” Button
Google Business Profiles lets you access and edit your business profile from web search (like it or not) and recently, Google has been testing showing a “see photos” button in addition to the normal “add photos” button.
Valentine’s Day at Google
Here are some photos from last week, on Valentine’s Day, from the Google Netherlands office. You can see Google had heart shaped donuts, red velvet cake, balloons, and more.
Other Great Search Threads:
Hi Andrew, Thank you for bringing this to our attention and I’m very sorry this happened. This is not appropriate, and I also understand this isn’t an isolated incident. I will follow up with you directly and fla, Ginny Marvin on Twitter
Overflow Menu for iOS Users, Google Search Community
Using a cctld is fine for a global site is fine — the problem (for Google SEO) is more about using it to target a specific, different country. (That said, I agree that .ai seems like a g, John Mueller on Twitter
We investigate as many reports as we can and it is the same set of people that do the core improvements, so every time we are on a fool’s errand – it delays relaxing constraints. I wish there was an easy tag we could f, Mikhail Parakhin on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Social media engagement hits a new low, except for TikTok
Musk gave engineers one week to make Twitter’s ad targeting work like Google
Google Search Console users and permissions management updated
[Next week] All-new training on ChatGPT, GA4, and more
3 ways to stay on top of PPC performance
New Microsoft Bing Chat rolling out to mobile devices with voice search
ChatGPT and SEO content: Where do we go from here?
Microsoft explains how Bing AI Chat uses ChatGPT and Search with Prometheus
This day in search marketing history: February 22
Google releases February 2023 product reviews update
Microsoft and NVIDIA announce a new partnership
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
20 Google Analytics Alternatives, Moz
DebugView With GA4 Measurement Protocol, Simo Ahava’s blog
The GA4 Process Toolbox: How to get the most out of GA4, Measure Minds Group
Industry & Business
DOJ pushes ahead with Google Maps antitrust probe, POLITICO
EU antitrust regulators to decide on Google’s maths app buy by March 28, Reuters
Microsoft aggressively trying to keep Chrome users in Edge, 9to5Google
Semrush Acquires Leading Marketing Education Company Traffic Think Tank to Bolster Semrush Academy Offering, Business Wire
Why Google Was Smart To Let Microsoft Launch Its AI First, Seeking Alpha
Google asks some employees to share desks amid office downsizing, CNBC
Google tests blocking news content for some Canadians in response to government bill, The Canadian Press News
Links & Content Marketing
Enterprise Content Marketing Research 2023, Content Marketing Institute
Google Doesn’t Care About AI Content. Here’s Why., Ahrefs
Local & Maps
Google Maps can now open while Android Auto is running, 9to5Google
Mercedes partners with Google to bring Maps and YouTube into its vehicles, TechCrunch
Unlocking the Power of Google Tabs to Determine Keyword Intent, Sterling Sky Inc
Justice Department Revives Google Maps Antitrust Investigation, Bloomberg
Mobile & Voice
Baidu to deploy conversational AI across search, in-car entertainment and more, TechCrunch
Apple’s mixed reality headset development taken over by Chinese supplier, AppleInsider
Mozilla Study: Data Privacy Labels for Most Top Apps in Google Play Store are False or Misleading, Mozilla Foundation
SEO
10 Ways to Use SERP Sonar To Increase Rankings and Improve SEO, Serpsonar
ChatGPT for SEO: 9 Best Use Cases (And 4 Suboptimal Ones), Ahrefs
Google’s Martin Splitt – Semantic HTML, Search & Google Search Console [Q&A], Search Engine Journal
How to optimise product pages to minimise returns, Builtvisible
Organic Keyword Research: How to Use N-grams to Find New Opportunities, Local SEO Guide
What Is Dynamic Rendering and How It Affects SEO, Onely
SEO tutorial for beginners, Hobo
PPC
Advertisers remain committed to Google as TikTok and AI-powered Bing try to become search competitors, Digiday
Announcing v202302 of the Google Ad Manager API, Google Ads Developer Blog
Five considerations for the EU’s new political ads rules, Google Blog
Search Features
6 ways Google can help you solve everyday math problems, Google Blog
Microsoft’s Bing AI Chatbot Ends Conversation When Prompted About ‘Feelings’, Bloomberg
Other Search
Explore Korea’s demilitarized zone through its history, nature, and art, Google Blog
Our progress toward quantum error correction, Google Blog
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