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.
We are seeing a lot of Google search ranking volatility and it might be related to the tail-end of the Google product reviews update. Google said it doesn’t really know the difference between outsourced content and in-house content, it is all about quality. Google said thin content issues are mostly site specific and not on a page by page basis. Google Ads has ongoing latency issues with the Google Ads console. Google Maps added a bunch of cool navigation features, like traffic, toll prices and better iOS integration.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Immense Google Search Ranking Volatility; The Tail End Of The Product Reviews Update?
As of yesterday afternoon and certainly today, I am seeing signs of some really large Google search ranking volatility and ranking changes. The question is, are these fluctuations from the tail-end of the March 2022 product reviews update or is this some sort of new update?
Google Does Not Care If You Outsource Content As Long AS It Is Quality
Google’s John Mueller was asked if it matters if your publish content written by outsourced resources versus in-house resources. John said it does not matter, Google does not differentiate between outsourced content versus in-house content. For Google, what matters is if the content is quality, no matter who writes it.
Google: Thin Content Issues Are Site Specific, Not Always Page Specific
Google’s John Mueller was asked about thin content issues on the last webmaster hangout and John explained this generally applies to the site as a while and not a page by page basis. So it seems a site in general can be labeled as having thin content but not because of single pages here or there?
Google Ads Latency Issues Started On April 1st
Last Friday, about five days ago, Google confirmed there were some latency issues with the Google Ads console. It was specific to the Responsive search ads (RSAs) ad review process. But still, five days later, it is not resolved.
Google Maps With Deeper iOS Integration, Toll Prices & Traffic Lights/Stop Signs
Google Maps announced a bunch of updates for the iOS and Android app including the prices of tolls, displaying traffic lights and stop signs on the map and additional iOS integrations. These are also rolling out on Android Auto and CarPlay.
Sick View Of Google Dublin Office
Just look at this view from the Google Dublin office, how sick is it? This was shared on Instagram by Marc Liebernberg who said it is “good to be back.” I guess another Google returned back to the o
Other Great Search Threads:
How long were you creating on YouTube before it became your full-time job?, YouTube Creators on Twitter
I’ll pass this on for review. Also, it looks like that’s appearing in a knowledge panel we have for PLDI. Claiming that can help us process feedback faster (though apologies we don’t have it right). More on claiming, Danny Sullivan on Twitter
It looks like the reports of Bounce Rate being dead in Google Analytics 4, may have been premature. Looks who showed up in the Reporting API, Charles Farina on Twitter
New reporting breakdowns in Google Ads. Some nice segmentations to be had here – segment > conversions > choose your action Screenshot showing logged in vs not logged in users. #PPCChat, Boris Beceric on Twitter
April 2022 AdSense Earnings and Observations, WebmasterWorld
How did you get the best SEO client you’ve ever worked with (not necessarily the biggest)? Mine was at an SEO event. Was chatting with an in-house Growth Marketer, who then eventually recommended me internally for a consulti, Brodie Clark on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Get started on achieving real-time customer engagement at scale
Twitter for Professionals: How to switch to a Professional Account
Grab your FREE SMX Advanced pass and join us online this June!
Google’s March 2022 product reviews update was smaller than the December 2021 product reviews update, say data providers
Google Business Profile review management tool expands support to those with many local listings
Microsoft Advertising announces open beta for RSA ad customizers
Why first-party and zero-party data should be a marketing priority
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
How to Prepare for the Switch to Google Analytics 4, CMSWire
Top 5 Challenges of Analyzing Marketing Performance (How Agencies Solved Them), Databox Blog
Track & Visualize Data from Google Sheets Easily with New Setup Wizard, Databox Blog
Survey Says: 2022 B2B Marketing Insight From Social Media Polls, Online Marketing Blog
Industry & Business
Bill Would Let Small Publishers Use Baseball-Style Arbitration to Settle Disputes With Google and Facebook, Wall Street Journal
Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt on why people should return to the office, CNBC
Liberal government tables legislation to force online giants to compensate news outlets, CBC News
Google Fights Dragnet Warrant for Users’ Search Histories Overseas While Continuing to Give Data to Police in the U.S., Electronic Frontier Foundation
Links & Content Marketing
Internal Linking: The SEO Superpower, SEO for Google News
Local & Maps
At long last, web3 makes a push to fight Google Maps, TechCrunch
Google silently dumps Schedule Explorer from Google Maps, BGR
Google Silently Removes a Google Maps Feature Because Nobody Was Using It, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
Alexa Rolls Out Custom Tasks in Routines to Streamline Third-Party Skill Activation, Voicebot
Weird Android Auto bug causes the Assistant to switch between regional variants of some languages, XDA Developers
SEO
5 Pro Tips on Conducting Technical SEO Audits, RankRanger
How To Calculate Your Online Reputation Score, Go Fish Digital
How to make a video to promote your business, Yoast
SEO best practices for React eCommerce websites, Oncrawl
What’s New at Advanced Web Ranking? (March 2022), Advanced Web Ranking
How to Learn SEO (Complete Roadmap), Ahrefs
How To Use List Mode In Screaming Frog, Koozai
Ranking Correlations with Other Reputation and Search Metrics Are Not Linear, Street Fight
PPC
Responsive Search Ad Template – 5 Steps to Great Ad Copy, WordStream
RSA Optimization Series: Part 3 – Everything You Need to Know About Ad Strength, Adalysis
Other Search
Google autocomplete helps legitimize conspiracy theorists, study says, WJBF
Reproducibility in Deep Learning and Smooth Activations, Google AI Blog
Feedback:
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