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:
Search Buzz Video Recap: Google Algorithm Update, COVID-19 Search Changes & Google SEO Topics
This week we had another possible but still unconfirmed Google search ranking update. Google said they do not penalize for weird brand or site names. Google said it is a myth that it prioritizes AMP pages in search. Google is sending out Search Console notices about event markup issues…
Google Featured Snippets Showing YouTube Timestamp Links
We know Google has this neat feature to show “key moments” in the Google search results that show timestamps of sections of videos. But here is an example of a featured snippet showing this in text, with hyperlinks to those timestamps.
Google: No Such Thing As Two Waves Of Indexing Or Crawling
We have heard Google talk about two waves of indexing or crawling, espesially when it comes to processing JavaScript. But now Martin Splitt from Google says there is no such thing. He did hint a while back that it is going away but now says there was really no such thing.
Google My Business Offers Tips For Clinics & Medical Offices
Google My Business created a new help document giving guidance to how healthcare providers like clinics and medical offices should keep its patients informed during COVID-19.
Google Ads Report Editor Now Supports Up To 200 Accounts
Google announced the Google Ads Report Editor can manage up to 200 accounts. That means if you manage a ton of accounts, you can see all of them, well, up to 200, in a single report.
Google On How To Technically Pause Your Online Business
As promised, Google has put together both a blog post and a detailed developer document on how to pause your online business. This document helps you manage and retain your search rankings while not accepting business online.
Google NYC Relaxing Cubes
Last time I visited the Google New York City offices I saw these cube like cut outs, so when I interviewed Martin Splitt of Google for my vlog (not yet released) we sat in one together while recording
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
Link-rel-alternate-hreflang (I assume that’s what you mean :)) doesn’t change ranking, it’s meant to swap out the visible URL against the best-matching one. Using hreflang within or across domains is fine., John Mueller on Twitter
I’m not aware of any immediate plans, sorry!, John Mueller on Twitter
We don’t guarantee showing rich results, and we don’t show them for all types of items ( https://t.co/SfBXgZaTY6 ). In your case, it looks like you’re reviewing websites, which is not a supported type, John Mueller on Twitter
But in general, users don’t care why a site is slow, they don’t care where the slowness came from. If you see that anything causes your site to be "too slow, John Mueller on Twitter
For image search, it definitely makes sense to have unique & compelling imagery. Even in web search & discover, images can be quite attractive for users., John Mueller on Twitter
There are a handful of rare edge cases behind the word "usually" (which would just make the post harder to read), things like anchors to a robotted URL, when robots.txt was reprocessed, when t, John Mueller on Twitter
We don’t guarantee indexing — it can happen that we end up not indexing content at all. Without knowing your site, in general, making sure that a site is unique, compelling, and of high quality is a good appr, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Businesses should limit, not disable, their sites during temporary closures, Google says
SEL 20200326
Now, analyze more accounts in Google Ads Report Editor
Compare ad management software for Google Shopping, Amazon, and more
Explaining the Chrome ‘explainers’ for advertising without third-party cookies
Small agencies brace for impact, but say remote work isn’t slowing them down
Pinterest rolls out new commerce features for retailers as search volume climbs
EU Android search choice screen’s impact delayed due to COVID-19
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
3 awesome examples of Google Data Studio community visualizations, Super Metrics
A/B Testing 101: Why your Gut is Wrong, Whole Whale
What is URL Variable in Google Tag Manager?, Analytics Mania
Industry & Business
5 Steps to Take When Your Pitch Isn’t So Perfect, Go Fish Digital
Identifying vulnerabilities and protecting you from phishing, Google Blog
EU industry chief: Coronavirus crisis could be turning point for Big Tech, POLITICO
Keeping our network infrastructure strong amid COVID-19, Google Blog
Why do we need Women’s History Month?, Microsoft Advertising
Links & Promotion Building
Manual Link Penalties Still Happen, Make Sure You Regulate Guest Posts, BruceClay
Local & Maps
iOS 13.4 introduces CarPlay Dashboard support for third-party map apps, Apple Insider
Generating Local Content at Scale – Whiteboard Friday, Moz
How to book a flight on Google Flights for your next trip, Business Insider
Mobile & Voice
Huawei ‘Celia’ voice assistant tries to replace Google, 9to5Google
Supposed Apple CarKey screenshots reveal how digital key feature works, Apple Insider
SEO
Alt Text for SEO: How to Optimize Your Images, Ahrefs
Industry Insights: Coronavirus’ Impact on Search, SEO Clarity
Market Winners and Losers of COVID-19: Data by SEMrush, SEM Rush
Multi-Domain Strategies: Making the Best Choice for Your Business, Search Metrics
Ten Robots.txt Mistakes to Avoid, Koozai
Zero-Click Searches, SERP Features, Getting Traffic by Kevin Indig, SEM Rush
PPC
eCommerce PPC Data Analysis Case Study: How We Maximized Profit Without Maximizing ROAS, Go Inflow
Managing Your Digital Strategy During COVID-19, Hallam
Methods for PPC Success in Times of Uncertainty, PPC Hero
Why You Should Bid on Your Brand on Paid Search, Metric Theory
Search Features
Resources to help Aussie businesses manage through COVID-19 uncertainty, Official Google Australia Blog
Other Search
Chrome and Chrome OS release updates, Chromium Blog
