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.
If you use Google Ads Scripts, the Google Ads or AdWords API, you may have some data issues – there was a data glitch the other day. Google added new travel search features, some are pretty useful. Microsoft Advertising announced a slew of new features and extended the RSA deadline. Did removing support for the URL parameter tool cause some crawl spikes? Finally, Google contiunues with its user interface tests. May the 4th (Schwartz) be with you 🌌🔫.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google Reporting Issue With Google Ads, AdWords API & Google Ads Scripts
Google has confirmed that between April 25th 5:32PM ET and April 26th 3:24 PM ET there was a data reporting issue with those who pulled in data from the Google Ads and AdWords API or Google Ads Scripts.
Microsoft Advertising RSAs Deadline Extended, Auto-Generated Remarketing Lists & More Updates
Microsoft Advertising posted its May 2022 update showing what is new and changing with the ad network. What is new is that the deadline for Responsive Search Ads was extended, auto-generated remarketing lists, you can manage images for your Audience Ads within the Editor tool, DSAs expanded and more.
Was There Crawl Spikes From Google After URL Parameter Tool Went Offline?
As you know, last week, on April 26th, Google disabled the URL parameter tool within Google Search Console and stopped respecting any of the rules added to that tool. Some are asking if the recent crawl spikes they saw with Googlebot was related to this change.
New Google Travel Search Features
Google announced a bunch of new travel search features the other day across flights, hotels, destinations of interest and more. These new features aim at helping you “get inspired and research your options so you can book with ease when the time is right,” Google wrote.
Google Search UI Tests Continue With Full Width Videos & Grid Formatted Results
Google is continuing its mobile search user interfaces with more variations of its grid search results format and full width video search result snippets.
Facebook Meta North Face Swag
We post mostly Google photos, swag, etc but here is a new Facebook Meta branded North Face jacket. I kind of like it but I doubt I would wear it – who knows what type of trackers are on it…
Other Great Search Threads:
Apparently you can now use categories in the business name, Local Search Forum
Here’s another variation of grid formatted search results test I spotted last week. The difference with this test is that it leads users directly to the site vs just sending them to G images (yay!). https://t.co/h8Otc, Brian Freiesleben on Twitter
I wonder how my new website got 200+ unique visitors without ever advertising it, Reddit
I wouldn’t worry about the difference, but I am curious to read more about what you found out in terms of chatbots, so I’d love to see a link when you’re done 🙂, John Mueller on Twitter
Some Tweets are for everyone & others are just for people you’ve picked. We’re now testing Twitter Circle, which lets you add up to 150 people who can see your Tweets when you want to share with a smaller crowd. Some o, Twitter Safety on Twitter
The API uses the same data as the UI, and Search Console generally doesn’t filter bot traffic., John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Twitter Circle: Limit who can view your tweetsGoogle Ads reporting issues with APIs and Ads ScriptsMicrosoft Advertising is rolling out Auto-generated remarketing lists and moreGoogle Responsive Search Ads: What you need to know
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Customer Acquisition vs. Retention: What Matters Most?, PPC Expo
Industry & Business
Senators Seek to Loosen Google’s Grip on Digital Ad Market, Bloomberg
A niche job board for SEOs, tl;dr Marketing
Are You Fluent In Acronyms?; Google And Microsoft Could Face Search Engine Suit, AdExchanger
Google Gets Green Light For Quick Appeal In $2B Ads Suit, Law360
Links & Content Marketing
Hub & Spoke Content Marketing: What Is It, Conductor
Influencer Marketing Experts Pick Their Favorite Tools To Manage Their Programs, Content Marketing Institute
Can NLG tools be useful for copywriting?, Builtvisible
7 Blog Title Formulas That Get Clicks (With Examples), Ahrefs
Account-Based Link Building: Why Relationships Trump Outreach Tactics, Semrush
B2B Content Marketing Metrics: Tracking What Matters, KoMarketing
Product-Led Content: What It Is, Why Use It, and How to Get Started, Ahrefs
We Paid Over $5000 For Link Building – What Happened?, Search Engine Journal
Local & Maps
New Google Maps Update Now Available on iPhone and CarPlay with Big Changes, AutoEvolution
Android Auto widescreen support arrives on Hyundai cars, 9to5Google
Apple hires Ford veteran for ‘Apple Car’ project, AppleInsider
Google Maps tests preferred transport modes for directions, 9to5Google
Mobile & Voice
Google Assistant can auto-change breached passwords, 9to5Google
SEO
Are Meta Keywords Bad For SEO?, SEOSLY
Pace Layers of SEO, The SEO MBA
Product-Driven SEO: What Most SEOs Are Missing Out These Days with Rand Fishkin, Internet Marketing Ninjas
Real-life SEO at Largow: Focusing on SEO and digital strategies, Oncrawl
Yoast SEO 18.7: Schema improvements, Yoast
PPC
Amazon Ads Cost 68 Percent Less Than Google Ads and 44 Percent Less Than Facebook Ads, Sellics Study Says, MarketScreener
Google critics say ads, spam sites are killing search, NY Post
Search Features
GPT-4: what the heck is it and what is it for?, Hallam
How Google can identify and interpret entities from unstructured content?, Kopp
Other Search
Generic Content Ratings Based on Location, SEO By The Sea
US Teacher Appreciation Day 2022!, Google Doodle
Alpa: Automated Model-Parallel Deep Learning, Google AI Blog
Update on cyber activity in Eastern Europe, Google Blog
Watch: Google CEO Sundar Pichai fact checks Wikipedia about his school in India, Money Control
Feedback:
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