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 am seeing signs of a Google search ranking algorithm update, it might be too early to know for sure. Bing Chat is now showing images and videos, got better at local results and so much more, plus more is coming. Meanwhile, Google said Bard got a lot better by using PaLM late last week. Microsoft said more content indexing controls are coming from Bing for Search versus Chat. Bing Chat gets hit and hurt by scrapers as well. Google Maps released its spam prevention data, showing it blocked 20% more fake reviews in the past year. And I posted the final vlog interview with Sam Michelson.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Seeing Early Signs Of A Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update
I am starting to see early signs of a possible Google search ranking algorithm update touching down this morning, April 3rd. The automated tracking tools are not picking it up yet, but I am seeing some chatter from SEOs who are up already checking their traffic.
Google Bard Now Better At Math & Logic By Using PaLM, Google Says
Jack Krawczyk from Google, who is the lead on Bard, said on Friday that Bard just rolled out improvements around math and logic. It did this by incorporating PaLM, Google’s language model, into Bard.
Bing Chat Adds Images & Videos, Improves Local Results & More Changes
Microsoft has been busy making improvements to Bing Chat. It not only increased chat limits, is exploring ad revenue sharing, and nicer math formats, but also added image and video responses, improved the local results, and more.
Microsoft Working On Content Controls For Bing Search vs Bing Chat
The other day I reported on how some are upset that Bing Chat is surfacing content that is behind paywalls, raising suspicions that Bing Chat is not respecting the robots.txt directives. While that is probably not true, as I reported earlier, Fabrice Canel from Bing did hint that Bing will be adding more controls around crawling, indexing, and serving for Bing Search vs. Bing Chat.
Google Maps Blocked 20% More Fake Reviews In 2022
Google released spam and fraud prevention stats for Google Maps and local search. In short, Google blocked 21% more reviews, 5% more photos, 40% more videos, and 5% more fake business profiles in 2022 than they did in 2021.
Bing Chat Gets Hit By Robot Scrapers Too
Since there have been webpages on the internet, scrapers have been out there scraping content off those sites for one reason or another. Well, even Microsoft’s Bing Chat has to deal with scrapers and yes, those scrapers can even cause sites hosted by Microsoft to slow down.
Vlog #217: Sam Michelson On Client Emotions With Online Reputation Management
In part one, we spoke about who Sam Michelson is and his business development techniques. In part two, we dove into CRM software and how they use it, including looking at a new piece of software for partner management…
Japanese Calligraphy Lessons At Google Tokyo
Google may have hired someone to do Japanese calligraphy lessons at the Google office in Tokyo, Japan. I am not 100% sure, but the photo from Instagram says “Japanese lesson at the Google office” and
Other Great Search Threads:
Experimenting with this seems fine to me, I’d just try things out on a small set of pages and monitor them carefully. Don’t experiment with the whole site: there’s always risk, and you don’t have a control group to compare your results to., John Mueller on Mastodon
there’s no fixed percentage, John Mueller on Mastodon
Would you want websites to disclose if the content on a given page was AI-generated? I see at least three kinds of possible disclosures: 1. “AI-generated” (90%+) 2. “AI-based” (40-80%) 3. “AI-enhanced” (<20%) What are, Tim Soulo on Twitter
Google creates duplicate listing and strips out owner submitted information, Local Search Forum
Some of that might come from the various factors around crawl budget, quite often it’s driven by the site’s overall perceived quality. A site’s quality isn’t defined by a new post it might have, it’s more of an overall view of the site. If you feel a new , John Mueller on Mastodon
Twitter Verified Organizations $1k pm, WebmasterWorld
We noticed that chat.openai.com appeared to stop passing referral data on the 15th February and this is now classified as “Direct” within Google Analytics (tested using Realtime in GA)., MikeW on Twitter
Site hacked – lost all rankings, what can be done?, Reddit
If you had an important legal case, would you want your lawyer to use chat gpt and Google translate to make the argument before the judge?, John Mueller on Twitter
Using automation—including AI—to generate content with the primary purpose of manipulating ranking in search results is a violation of our spam policies., John Mueller on Mastodon
Delete Property Then Resubmit?, Reddit
If you do a POST request to a URL that does a 301, afaik it may get turned into a GET request. Forms that use POST probably wouldn’t use redirecting URLs, API end-points might. Probably best to alw, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Google updates Bard to improve math, logic responses
The latest jobs in search marketing
Google Maps can detect fake phone numbers in photos and remove them
These 44 hilariously terrible BuzzFeed travel articles were AI-assisted
Search marketing: Evolving roles, responsibilities, challenges
How paid placements will evolve alongside AI-powered search
How to write a content marketing mission statement
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) vs Universal Analytics, Techerati
Industry & Business
Apple wins appeal against UK’s decision to investigate its mobile browser, Reuters
Google Asks Judge to Dismiss DOJ’s Digital Ad Antitrust Case, Bloomberg
Google hit by $4 billion lawsuit from UK publishers, AppleInsider
Rival lawsuits vie to represent publishers in Google class action, Press Gazette
The Contradictions of Sam Altman, the AI Crusader Behind ChatGPT, Wall Street Journal
Links & Content Marketing
AI-Generated Content is the New Floor, SparkToro
Does Going Viral Help With SEO? Not Really, Ahrefs
Local & Maps
GM ditching CarPlay & Android Auto for Google-built infotainment system, AppleInsider
5 easy ways you can help the environment on Google Maps, Local Guides Connect
Unlocking the Secrets of Google Business Profile Performance: Query Insights, Sterling Sky Inc
Mobile & Voice
7 Siri commands every iPhone owner should be using, Tom’s Guide
Apple wins appeal over UK mobile market competition probe, TechCrunch
Hey, Siri! You Worried ChatGPT Will Take Your Job?, IEEE Spectrum
Pichai: AI to build ‘your own personal Google’ Assistant is here, 9to5Google
Siri Can Start a Screen Recording in iOS 16.5 Beta 1, MacRumors
SEO
How to Use Google’s Tools to Improve FAQ Schema, Hill Web Creations
Identifying and Filling Your SEO Skill Gaps — Whiteboard Friday, Moz
Input Metrics for SEO, The SEO MBA
How the best companies measure content quality, Kevin Indig
How To Name Images For SEO, SEOSLY
AI Prompts: A Free Generator for Digital Marketing & SEO in Google Sheets, Aleyda Solis
Semantic SEO Explained: Why Connected Schema Is the Missing Piece In Your SEO Strategy, Daniel Cheung
Video SEO: How to optimize embedded videos for search, Vimeo
PPC
Image and Location Auto-migration in Google Ads API Postponed, Google Ads Developer Blog
Policy update: Shopping ads policies, Google Merchant Center Help
SEO vs. PPC: Which Option Should You Choose?, Go Fish Digital
Become a Celebrated Partner Global Award winner!, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
Reverse Video Search, SEOSLY
Other Search
Scaling vision transformers to 22 billion parameters, Google AI Blog
ChatGPT, Bing and Bard Don’t Hallucinate. They Fabricate, Bloomberg
Microsoft vs Google battle: LLM as weapon? Too deadly to use, The Register
Feedback:
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