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 Local updated its design to show expandable menus. Google says not to disallow UTM parameter URLs from crawling. Was removing the news tab a bug or testing a feature. Google removed the news tab, but was it a test or a bug. Google also had a bug with its filetype operator. Google Ads Pmax placement report will soon show the Search Partner Network placements.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google Local Panels Design With Expandable Menus
Google seems to be now rolling out expandable menus and information sections for the local panels on the right side of the desktop interface. These were live for normal knowledge panels for a while, but I am told they are now available for local panels now.
Did Google Test Removing The News Tab Or Was It A Bug?
A week ago, I had several people notify me that the news tab in Google Search was missing. I checked using multiple browsers and devices and I saw the news tab, so I thought it was a quick bug that was resolved. Then, days later, Nieman Labs reported that Google tested removing the news tab, although I am not 100% sure if that is true.
Google Ads PMax Placement Report To Show Search Partner Network Sites
Google Ads will soon support showing the Search Partner Network in the Performance Max Placement report. This means Google will show you which sites your PMax ads are running on – which is a first.
Google Search Filetype Operator For Site Commands Broken; Filetype Does Work
There are reports that the filetype operator within Google Search has stopped working, it has not. It doesn’t work when you add additional search operators to it, like a site command to see a specific file type on a specific type. Google has said it is likely a bug and they are working on bringing it back.
Google: Disallowing UTM Parameters In URLs Won't Help With Crawling Or Ranking
Google's John Mueller said on Reddit that disallowing URLs with UTM parameters in them won't help you to improve crawling or rating with Google Search. He added that a site should try to keep its internal URLs clean and consistent, but over time, the canonical tags should help with external links that carry UTM parameters on them.
Here is a video of how to find and access the ladder that connects the fourth and fifth floors of the Google New York City office. I found the video entertaining, so I am sharing it here. Some call it the Google escape hatch.
Other Great Search Threads:
Will Google officially release a Google search update this week?, Barry Schwartz on X
Our docs say we only pick them up in the root. That’s at least how it is now; top level directory seems like a reasonable next step, but I can’t make any promises, sorry!, John Mueller on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Google unveils major Search Partner Network update as it removes opt-out option
Reminder – Google is enforcing stricter rules for consumer finance ad targeting
3 reasons not to block GPTBot from crawling your site
7 reasons why your AI content sucks (and how to fix it)
37 key questions to ask when evaluating digital marketing agencies
Google removes option to see more local results in the search results
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Cramer says Alphabet needs to streamline its business like Apple did, CNBC
Even a rare Alphabet non-bull says Wall Street has overreacted on Google AI woes, MarketWatch
OpenAI says New York Times ‘hacked’ ChatGPT to build copyright lawsuit, Reuters
OpenAI Seeks to DismissParts of The New York Times’s Lawsuit, New York Times
Baidu’s Fourth-Quarter Net Profit Fell Despite Higher Revenue, Wall Street Journal
Baidu’s Revenue Climbs after AI Helps it Weather China Downturn, Bloomberg
Google CEO: Gemini AI photo diversity scandal ‘offended our users’, The Verge
Google Left in ‘Terrible Bind’ By Pulling AI Feature After Right-Wing Backlash, Bloomberg
Links & Content Marketing
How to measure success in Digital PR, Hallam
Impact of Scaling Entity Linking, Schema App
The great balance between evergreen & trending content for SEO & beyond, SERP’s Up SEO Podcast
Local & Maps
Google Maps is finally making glanceable directions widely available, Android Police
Is Google’s DMA Compliance DOA for Local Searches in Europe?, Near Media
New elements of Google local search results in Europe: A visual glossary, Near Media
Mobile & Voice
Apple Cancels Work on Electric Car, Shifts Team to Generative AI, Bloomberg
Delete pre-installed Apple apps with visionOS 1.1, AppleInsider
Does Gemini completely replace Google Assistant?, 9to5Google
Microsoft’s Copilot AI can now replace Google Assistant on Android, Android Police
SEO
10 Completely Free SEO Training Courses, Ahrefs
Hobo SF Multi-Site for Google Sheets, Hobo
Why and how to create an SEO hypothesis, Oncrawl
Keyword Research for SEO: What It Is & How to Do It, Semrush
PPC
Automate and share your Wix customer data with Google Ads, Wix SEO Hub
14 Paid Search Best Practices for Success in 2024, Semrush
Inclusive prompt engineering, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
The SGE Snippet Study by SE Ranking, SE Ranking
Other Search
Google Is Paying Publishers Five-Figure Sums to Test an Unreleased Gen AI Platform, AdWeek
Google Search rolling out settings redesign on the web, 9to5Google
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