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.
The Google March 2024 core update is still rolling out and the SEO chatter is super heated despite the tools calming. Google Ads API version 16.1 is now out. Google’s John Mueller says splitting and merging sites takes longer than normal site moves for Google to process. Google updated its favicon documentation. And a scathing report on how Google executive Prabhakar Raghavan killed Google Search.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google March Core Update Stilling Rolling Out & Heated SEO Chatter Continue
Over the past few days, while I was offline, the SEO chatter around the Google search ranking volatility continued to be super heated. The Google tracking tools seemed to calm down a bit, but the chatter is still very heated. This is all while the Google March 2024 core update is still rolling out 51 days later.
Report: How Prabhakar Raghavan Killed Google Search
Ed Zitron wrote a piece named The Man Who Killed Google Search. It goes through in detail how Prabhakar Raghavan, Google’s former head of ads – led a coup so that he could run Google Search, and how an email chain from 2019 began a cascade of events that would lead to him running it into the ground, he said.
Google Favicon Documentation Adds Rel Attribute Value Definitions
Google has updated its favicon documentation for Google Search to add definitions for each supported rel attribute value in the Google Search favicon documentation.
Google Ads API Version 16.1 Now Available
Google released version 16.1 of the Google Ads API yesterday. The update includes query assets for Demand Gen, more location service details, more support warnings, Target ROAS bid simulation and more.
Google: Splitting & Merging Sites Takes Longer Than Normal Site Migrations
Want to scare an SEO? Just tell them they need to manage a site migration. Want to make an SEO faint? Tell them they need to manage to split a site into two or more sites while merging content on those sites. John Mueller from Google said it takes Google longer to process site splits and merges than normal site migrations.
Here is a photo I found on Instagram of a bunch of chefs at the Google office in Dublin. I am not sure if this was for some event or if Googlers were doing some sort of cooking class but it was a photo that caught my eye.
Other Great Search Threads:
Interested in AI assistants within YouTube? -> The new experimental “Ask AI” feature in YouTube is pretty cool. Just tap the button and ask any question about the video you’re watching. Note, AI can’t control the video player as of n, Glenn Gabe on X
What skeleton do you have in your closet?, WebmasterWorld
Googlebot will crawl from one location (often the US), and if you redirect it based on its location, Googlebot would only see (and index) that country version. It’s better to use something like a banner., John Mueller on X
I don’t know your sites, but even if the content’s the same, they’re essentially different sites (especially with ccTLDs), so it would be normal for a migration to affect them differently (and this seems to be quite a way back in the meantime)., John Mueller on X
Search engines recrawl URLs at different rates, sometimes it’s multiple times a day, sometimes it’s once every few months. The verified removal tool is fastest, the public removal tool takes a few days because it needs to verify the URL properly., John Mueller on X
You are now a Google Search Engineer. How do you fix organic search?, Gareth Boyd on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
TikTok sell or ban bill becomes law
Head of Google Search demands urgency as growth slows
Reddit introduces Dynamic Product Ads
What does Google want from SEOs? What is the future of PPC?
LinkedIn advertising: A comprehensive guide
Google delays third-party cookie phase-out to 2025 (maybe)
3 ways to target your PPC competitors’ audience
Report: Google Search CPC up 13% YoY; ad spend growth slowing
Best of SearchBot: Create a recovery strategy for a site hit by a Google core update
Google accused of anti-competitive tactics by Japanese regulator
TikTok SEO: The ultimate guide
6 vital lenses for effective keyword research
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
What is Google Consent Mode V2 & How to Implement It, Measure Minds Group
Industry & Business
Google Wins Motion to Block DOJ, State Coordination on Ad Tech, Bloomberg
Google working with startups on climate solutions using AI, Google Blog
Google search boss Raghavan warns employees of ‘new operating reality’, CNBC
The Man Who Killed Google Search, Wheresyouredat
Links & Content Marketing
Find Bloggers and Creators with Influence and Authority with Author Explorer, Majestic
AI Content Optimized for E-E-A-T, Moz
How Content Creators Build Brand Culture, Amsive
Influencer marketing & SEO for evergreen campaigns, Wix SEO Hub
InLinks launches Internal Linking Audit Tools, InLinks
Local & Maps
How To Request Ownership of a Business Profile, Sterling Sky
We Lost a Local SEO Client — How We Solved It, Moz
Mobile & Voice
Apple Vision Pro shipments cut as demand wanes, AppleInsider
New Ray-Ban | Meta Smart Glasses Styles and Meta AI Updates, Meta
Google Podcasts’ export tool is rolling out worldwide ahead of June shutdown, Android Police
SEO
‘Social SEO’ trend increases online visibility, DMNews
7 Ways SEO and Product Teams Can Collaborate to Ensure Success, Moz
An Easy Explanation of Entities and SEO, Adam Riemer
Is Google laying the smackdown on affiliate marketing?, SERP’s Up SEO Podcast
What Are Sitelinks? How to Get Them & Why They Matter, Semrush
Why SEO testing matters even more for YMYL businesses, SearchPilot
Why tech SEOs should collaborate with brand, social and digital PRs for E-E-A-T, Oncrawl
Wix Studio: Top 5 features for SEOs & digital marketers, Wix SEO Hub
PPC
PPC for Retail: Biggest Trends, Challenges, & Strategies for Success, WordStream
Unlocking Success with Performance Max Campaigns, Location3 Media
Discovering and Diagnosing a Google AdSense Rendering Bug, Merj
Google delays third-party cookie demise yet again, Digiday
How to Find and Use Competitor Keywords, Ahrefs
Q&A: Promoting your app or game with Apple Search Ads, Apple Developer
Updates to Healthcare and Medicines Policy (May 2024), Google Advertising Policies Help
Windows 11 Start menu ads are now rolling out to everyone, The Verge
Search Features
Which Copilot Plan Is Right for You?, Microsoft Bing
Why Google’s AI search could have positives for publishers, Press Gazette
Other Search
Apple releases OpenELM: small, open source AI for devices, VentureBeat
Microsoft Makes a New Push Into Smaller A.I. Systems, New York Times
OpenAI shrugs off Llama 3’s ascent with new enterprise AI features, VentureBeat
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