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.
I posted the big Google Webmaster Report for April, catch up quick there. Reddit keeps removing the Google Search Liaison’s posts. Google is testing cruise packs in the search results. Google is testing replacing the notes button with comments button. Gary Illyes wants Google to crawl less.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
April 2024 Google Webmaster Report
After a relatively slow Google webmaster report last month, this month was the extreme opposite…
Reddit Moderators Keep Removing Google Search Liaison’s Responses
Reddit moderators in the SEO channel continue to remove the responses that Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, is posting in response to some SEO and Google Search-related questions. It is somewhat comical to see this, because you’d think any forum would want an official Google representative to reply to their users questions.
Google Search Cruises Results Pack
Google seems to be testing showing a special cruise search results pack. The pack shows you a date selector, cruise line, sail from location and sail to location.
Google Tests Comments Button (In Place Of Notes Button?)
Google seems to be testing a “comments” button in the Google Discover and Google Search interface. It might be Google testing replacing the notes button for search notes with comments, to see if it gets more engagement.
Gary Illyes From Google Wants Googlebot To Crawl Less
Gary Illyes from Google posted on LinkedIn that his mission this year is to “figure out how to crawl even less, and have fewer bytes on wire.” He added that Googlebot should “be more intelligent about caching and internal cache sharing among user agents, and we should have fewer bytes on wire.”
Here is one of those big YouTube signs that seems to be unplugged at the Google Hong Kong office. I am not sure why the sign is unplugged but there is something ironic about a YouTube sign being unplugged.
Other Great Search Threads:
AdSense Earnings and Observations – April 2024, WebmasterWorld
Previous searches is one of the signals broad match takes into account. This paper is a good resource — and page 12 summarizes the key signals that broad match uses, AdsLiaison on X
SGE Bug Search “Key Bridge clean-up” follow up “What did the New York Post say?” The links open text files, Brendan O’Connell on X
With continuous scroll the first page concept is less relevant. This particular change expands the definition of top ads (and associated metrics) to include ads that may appear below the top organic result., AdsLiaison on X
Y’all. I went deep into Google’s documentation for hours this weekend. Scouring every entry and combing through every help article. No stone left unturned *I finally understand what an Ad Format is!!* jk, I still don’t. april fools ht, Greg Finn on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Meta announces major audience targeting and insights update
Walmart Connect opens up to small and non-endemic advertisers
Report: Perplexity plans to sell ads
Google investigating Ad Manager Reach report error
Google expands Vehicle Listing Ads to new markets
ChatGPT makes links more prominent
Bulk product optimization: Tips and tools for ecommerce SEO
16 reasons why your page isn’t ranking on Google
Advanced tactics to maximize the SEO value of user-generated content
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
For Data-Guzzling AI Companies, the Internet Is Too Small, Wall Street Journal
Sam Altman no longer owns OpenAI Startup Fund, Axios
The Chess Master Trying to Propel Google’s AI Push, Wall Street Journal
Links & Content Marketing
50% of consumers can detect AI-generated content, Marketing Tech News
Local & Maps
Google Pledges to Destroy Browsing Data to Settle ‘Incognito’ Lawsuit, Wall Street Journal
Using Google Maps and Waze on Android Auto Is Suddenly a Nightmare, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
Apple researchers explore dropping “Siri” phrase & listening with AI instead, MIT Technology Review
How an iPhone Powered by Google’s Gemini AI Might Work, WIRED
Pixel 8’s initial Gemini AI snub was down to RAM, Google says, Tom’s Guide
Siri in iOS 18: An AI revolution, or a sometimes useful dumpster fire?, 9to5Mac
SEO
Shifting Signals: How GSC’s Inbound Links Report Can Reveal Third-Party URLs Being Canonicalized To Your Own, GSQI
27-Year Search Expert Shares 5 Steps To Boost Your SEO, Search Engine Journal
PPC
5 Strategies for PPC Success in a Cookieless World, WordStream
“Hey, This Isn’t the Right Site!” Distribution of Malware Exploiting Google Ads Tracking, ASEC BLOG
Google to suspend political ads in S. Korea ahead of elections, The Statesman
Max conversion value for search and other updates for April, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
4 ways to use Google Search to check facts, images and sources, Google Blog
How we’re helping people in Asia-Pacific better understand what they see online, Google Blog
Other Search
ChatGPT no longer requires an account – but there’s a catch, TechCrunch
Feedback:
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