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 more ranking volatility from the Google core update today. Google’s helpful content update is no longer, it is just a core update that has systems for determining helpfulness. Bing is testing dropping the estimated search results count in the search results. SEO is not about magic says Google. Google Ads has a new warning for location issues. Google Merchant Center published its annual product data specification.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
New Google March 2024 Core Update Ranking Volatility
As the Google March 2024 core update hits the 36th day of its rollout, we are seeing more ranking fluctuations and volatility being reported both by the Google tracking tools and within the SEO community through a spike in chatter. Maybe this is the last wave of the update before it is done?
Reminder: Google’s Helpful Content Update Is No More – It’s A Core Update
As a reminder, with the release of the Google March 2024 core update, the old Google helpful content update is no longer a thing. As we reported, Google has incorporated helpfulness signals into the overall core update, but that old helpful content update is no longer around.
Bing Search Tests Removing Estimated Number Of Results
Microsoft is testing removing the estimated number of search results count in the Bing Search results interface. This comes after Bing began testing removing the cache link from the search result snippets.
Google: SEO Is Not About Magic
Google’s John Mueller had another one-liner, this one he said, “keep in mind that SEO is not really about magic.” This was in response to trying to SEOs trying to find some magic by using various HTML elements and thus seeing some sort of SEO benefit to that “magic.”
2024 Google Merchant Center Product Data Specification Updates
Google has published its yearly update for its Merchant Center product data specification. Some of the changes listed below went into effect yesterday, April 9, while some go into effect on July 31, 2024, and others don’t go into effect until September 1, 2023.
New Warning Google Ads For Location Not Matching
Google Ads has a new warning notification within the Google Ads reports that reads, “The search location doesn’t match this campaign’s location targeting settings.” This is a way for Google Ads to target ads to geographic locations.
Eclipse Viewings At Google Offices
As you know, Monday we had many spots in the US to view the eclipse, some even got totality. Here are some photos from various Google offices of the eclipse. This one above is from the NYC office, which had about 90% coverage.
Other Great Search Threads:
Appreciate the feedback. Aware of these concerns. Have passed them on. Have been talking with the team about them. Here’s some of what I’ve shared on this, Google SearchLiaison on X
Anyone Ever See The Local Services Ads Equivalency Programme Before? Says It’s For US Businesses, But The Fact That Program Is Spelled Programme Makes Me Think This Started Across The Pond. https://t.co/yUZNrObq88 https://t.co/3Y, Anthony Higman on X
What happened to Google search? It has become nearly impossible to find relevant results., Reddit
Search Engine Land Stories:
Ads served on retailers’ websites ‘twice as likely’ to influence U.S. shoppers
4 YouTube Shopping updates, including Collections and Affiliate Hub
Google and world’s largest ad group announce landmark AI collaboration
LinkedIn’s most effective posting strategies unveiled by new study
7 ways to use generative AI in PPC
How to implement a full-funnel PPC marketing strategy
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
How to Implement Consent Mode with Cookiebot CMP, Measure Minds Group
Leveraging Google Analytics with Google Ads: A Step-by-Step Integration Guide, JXT Group
Industry & Business
A chance to ‘differentiate’ its offering: What analysts expect from Google’s cloud event, CNBC
Google Cloud Next 2024: News and updates, Google Blog
Google Expands In-House Chip Efforts in Costly AI Battle, Wall Street Journal
Google partners with Bayer on new AI product for radiologists, CNBC
Google Shows AI Model Is Enterprise-Ready After Gemini Mishaps, Bloomberg
Links & Content Marketing
Website content tip: Avoid simple answers, SearchLab Digital
How To Adapt Your SEO and Content Strategies for SGE and AI Experiences, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
Learn helpful tricks and tips to better utilize Google Maps, Fox News
The Key Bridge vanishes from Google Maps — but not Waze or Apple, The Baltimore Banner
Update Now: Google Maps No Longer Enforced on Android Auto, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
Apple shows how businesses are using the Apple Vision Pro, AppleInsider
CT scan shows insider the Apple Vision Pro headset, AppleInsider
Ferret-UI may help Siri understand iOS app interfaces, AppleInsider
SEO
How Google Search serves pages, Google Search Central YouTube
Some thoughts on why Reddit is all over your search results, Marie Haynes
The impact & influence of website structure on quality perception, Oncrawl
Word count and SEO: how long should a post or page be?, Yoast
New Title & Descriptions Requirements For AI Content in Google Merchant Center, FeedArmy
What’s your SEO maturity?, SERP’s Up SEO Podcast
Why did Google Switch from FID to INP?, Onely
PPC
3 Tricks to Localize Your Google Ads (With Examples!), WordStream
The Top 50 Most Influential PPC Experts of 2024, PPC Survey
Search Features
Gemini 1.5 Pro Now Available in 180+ Countries; With Native Audio Understanding, System Instructions, JSON Mode and More, Google for Developers
Google releases Imagen 2, a video clip generator, TechCrunch
Google’s AI Search experience is an utter mess I can’t stand, Android Police
Reverse image on Bing Visual Search may be getting smarter, latest Microsoft patent reveals, MSPoweruser
Other Search
Google Vids is the latest AI-powered app in Workspace, The Verge
Google’s Gemini Pro 1.5 enters public preview on Vertex AI, TechCrunch
OpenAI makes GPT-4 Turbo with Vision generally available in API, VentureBeat
Poe introduces a price-per-message revenue model for AI bot creators, TechCrunch
Over 50% of Americans trust Google more than what they learned in school, Yahoo News
Feedback:
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