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: Bing New Snippet Controls, Google EAT, COVID Searches & Core Updates
Catching up on two weeks with this video, I start with the news that Bing added support for snippet control meta tags…
Google: It Is Good Practice To Specify A Canonical
Google’s John Mueller said it is good practice to specify a rel=canonical. John said this is regardless of framework and is espesially true when “you have preferences regarding the URL shown.”
Will The Next Google Broad Core Algorithm Update Be Delayed?
Some webmasters and SEOs are asking if Google will be delaying the next broad core algorithm update. Google generally pushes out one of these core updates every quarter or so, and it has been a few months since the last core update – January 13, 2020 to be exact. So will Google be releasing one soon or will it be delayed?
Coming Soon: Google Webmaster Conference Lightning Talks
Google announced a new YouTube series, Google Webmaster Conference Lightning Talks. This is to provide Google Webmaster Conference event-like content, in shorter form, since we cannot go to events in the near term.
New Google Government Benefits Schema For COVID-19 Announcements
Google now supports new schema markup for COVID-19 announcements around government benefits. This is in the realm on GovernmentService schema where you can add schema that documents a service provided by a government organization, e.g. food stamps, veterans benefits, etc.
Google Claw Game
Here is a photo I found this morning on Instagram of a claw arcade game, you know, the game where you try to drop a claw, it goes down, tries to grab something and take out a prize with it. Well, her
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
Looking to connect with or share updates with your customers on YouTube? With YouTube Video Builder, you can build a short video in a matter of minutes. Here’s how to get started: https://t.co/v4d2mbxmVp https://t.co/168mX95, Google Ads on Twitter
This Apple Tool is pretty cool to show how people are staying at home https://t.co/Ti1ZkBKtn6 https://t.co/TMx3mATQRC https://t.co/VVf7SRcqlj, Barry Schwartz on Twitter
Where does the obsession with the google cache come from? Why are people treating it as a tool to check their pages w/ JavaScript content when 1.) It doesn’t work as a testing tool 2.) It doesn’t tell you an, Martin Splitt on Twitter
Amazon Affiliate Payouts Slashed By Up To 80%, WebmasterWorld
Changes in rankings can have lots of reasons, I wouldn’t blame any particular change on a core update. Maybe the other site is just doing better overall? Sometimes it just makes sense to rank affiliate, John Mueller on Twitter
Dentist Algo Change?, Local Search Forum
Google Alphabet to Slow Down Staff Hiring for The Rest of 2020, WebmasterWorld
YouTube launches Video Builder, an ad creation tool for businesses, WebmasterWorld
Link Building: Quality over Quantity and Diversification is a Myth, BlackHatWorld
Search Engine Land Stories:
SMX Overtime: Selling with YouTube’s TrueView Discovery and TrueView for Shopping ads
Google Ads Data Hub testing audience lists for display campaigns, adding new features
How SEOs are approaching traffic and budget disruptions [Video]
Are you effectively monetizing, measuring and maximizing your inbound call volume?
Adapting your SEO strategy to soften the impact of COVID-19 on organic traffic
SMX Overtime: Schema and structured data — hidden gold for SEOs
TikTok vs. Snapchat: A guide for marketers
Big Amazon affiliate commission rate cuts among latest program changes
Search Engine Land Awards deadlines extended until July 2020
CDP Pro Tips: How to Create a 360° Customer View
The White House wants us to use Schema for COVID-19 announcements
What top SEOs are telling their clients now [Video]
A simple script to compare search behavior before – and during – COVID-19
FAQ: Google’s Popular Products and how to increase your organic product visibility
YouTube launches Video Builder, a lightweight ad creation tool for businesses
Bookmark this: Commerce panel up next on Live with Search Engine Land
SMX Overtime: Advanced LinkedIn Ads strategies and tactics for B2B advertisers
5 reasons why your Facebook Ads campaigns are failing
8 ways retailers can move surplus inventory during COVID-19
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Expanding Google Analytics Data With Google Tag Manager Variables, Medium
How to extract a report theme from an image in Google Data Studio?, Data Studio
Top 6 Ways To Optimize Google Analytics Today, DELVE
What is a Metric in Google Analytics?, Search Engine People
Industry & Business
A milestone to celebrate: 10 years of GCI!, Google Open Source Blog
Even Google and Facebook May be Facing an Ad Slump, New York Times
Google awarded PETA’s ‘Proggy’ award for its 3D animals AR feature, 9to5Google
Google wants to hire the creator of ‘Killed By Google’, 9to5Google
Google to Slow Hiring for Rest of 2020, CEO Tells Staff, Bloomberg
Journalism Relief Fund for coronavirus reporting, Google Blog
Google told to follow Europe’s privacy rules on virus tracing app, CNBC
Matter. How SEOs Can Help… Now – Whiteboard Friday, Moz
Local & Maps
Coronavirus: Apple tool how well people are social distancing, CNBC
How local journalists can map coronavirus cases, Google Blog
Why Don’t I See The Option to Write a Review on Google?, Sterling Sky Inc
Verification FAQs for Google My Business, Online Ownership
Mobile & Voice
Smart Speaker Sales Rose 6% in Q1, Despite Uncertain Coronavirus Impact, Voicebot
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) in AMP, The AMP Blog
SEO
How the Coronavirus Has Impacted SEO Visibility Across Categories, Path Interactive
JavaScript SEO Office Hours Notes: March 25th 2020, DeepCrawl
Optimizing for SEO Using PPC Quality Score Components, Seer Interactive
Opting Out of Google Featured Snippets Led to 12% Traffic Loss [SEO Experiment], Moz
SEOs Are Breaking Pagination After Google Changed Rel=Prev/Next: Here’s How to Get It Right, Ahrefs
PPC
How Excel Macros Save Digital Marketers Time, PPC Hero
Use Floodlight Goals in Google Ads with Default Conversion Goals, Seer Interactive
Video creation is fast, easy and free with YouTube Video Builder, Google Blog
3 Connections Between Paid Search and CRO, PPC Hero
5 Tips to Adjust PPC Campaigns Due to Coronavirus, SEM Rush
COVID-19 insights & trends – April 14 edition, Microsoft Advertising
It’s faster and easier to use Ads Data Hub, Google Blog
Webcast: SEM strategies for unprecedented times, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
Google Returning Video Search Results Using Machine Learning?, Go Fish Digital
