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: Google May Core Update, LinkedIn’s Google Mistake & News Changes
It was a busy week because Google released a big core ranking update named the Google May 2020 Core Update. This update was big, really big and many are reporting major changes to their sites. Google Discover traffic, like with any core update, may have been impacted as well with this update…

Google: Core Updates & Search Console Reporting Lags Are Unrelated
There has been some speculation that whenever there is a Google core update that Search Console’s reporting and data begin to lag and slow. I have not seen too many theories floating around like this but even so, John Mueller of Google said that any data slowness or lag in Search Console would be unrelated to core updates.

Google Product Listings Ad Mixed With Organic Listing?
SEMRush shared a screen shot of a Google Product Listing Ads unit that has with it an organic snippet listing right below it. It is unusual, might be a bug, might be some sort of Google user interface test. I just wanted to share this with you all.

Google AdSense Ad Balance Tool Going Away On May 20th
Google announced it is retiring the Ad Balance slider tool from Google AdSense. This tool that launched in January 2017 is going away on May 20, 2020. Google said “based on feedback from our publishers, we’ve decided to retire the ad balance feature. Going forward, we’ll focus on developing our suite of blocking controls instead.”

Should Google Remove The URL Parameters Tool From Search Console?
Gary Illyes from Google hinted he might consider deprecating the URL parameters tools in Google Search Console. He said on Twitter “maybe we should deprecate that cannon” when Glenn Gabe asked him “you said to be careful with the url params tool in GSC, because you can blow off your leg with that cannon”

Google: International Targeting Won’t Affect Other Regions
Google Search Console, in the old version, has a feature for international targeting. It lets you communicate to Google that your site is more relevant in a specific region. Gary Illyes from Google said on Reddit that this is a strong hint that “may help a little in that particular region, but won’t affect your site in other regions.”

Google View While Working From Home
Here is a photo from a Googler who showed off his work from home set up, with a bunch of shoe boxes to hold up his laptop on a balcony maybe over looking the Google Dublin office.

Other Great Search Forum Threads:

Keep a close eye on your Security Issues report 👀 In part 2 of this two-episode Search Console Training special, we cover common types of hacks, social engineering tactics and other security issues that might make yo, Google Webmasters on Twitter
Nothing on the web is ever "totally ok", but yes, I do think it should remain possible for sites to "pop up and dominate" (your words). Go make something awesome that pops up in your niche! The we, John Mueller on Twitter
Sure, but that’s *always* the case on the web, or in business in general, regardless of the topic, at some scale. Being big makes some things easier, and makes *many* other things much, John Mueller on Twitter
Y’all! Do you know the origins of the term ‘hyperlink’? If not, this cartoon explains it quite well. Like it? Follow the artist: rel="dofollow" href="https://t.co/k7qNTt0q51" https://t.co/ejZfogDwrc, Gary Illyes on Twitter
Zoom to Acquire Security Startup, Keybase, WebmasterWorld
Just to be direct: that sounds like a terrible kind of website. I doubt any amount of time spend on the titles of your pages will make it any better., John Mueller on Twitter

Search Engine Land Stories:

Google’s got a new Shopping ad test — and it’s a weird one
What to Expect When Migrating Marketing Automation Platforms
For better SEO, don’t put all your eggs in the SEO basket
Google’s May 2020 core update was big and broad, search data tools show

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

Data Studio Template for Monitoring Cross-Channel Regional Trends, Seer Interactive
Multi-Touch Attribution and the Customer Journey, DELVE
Reporting on Assisted Conversions Through Google Analytics, Portent
How to Measure Free Google Shopping Performance and Its Impact on Paid Shopping Campaigns, Go Inflow
How To Track Clicks On A Link In Google Analytics, Koozai

Industry & Business

Google Parent Alphabet Drops Controversial ‘Smart City’ Project, Wall Street Journal
News Brief: April updates from the Google News Initiative, Google Blog
Take the COVID-19 Local Search Marketing Business Impact Survey, Moz
Google will let employees work remotely throughout 2020, 9to5Google

Links & Content Marketing

The 7 Worst Link Building Myths Holding Back Your Campaign, Search Engine Journal
Content Analysis with XML Sitemaps and Python, SEM Rush

Local & Maps

April 2020 Local Algorithm Update, Local University

Mobile & Voice

Coronavirus Lockdown is Upping Voice Assistant Interaction in the UK: Report, Voicebot
Google Can’t Shake Privacy Lawsuit Over Voice-Activated Assistant, MediaPost
How VoiceTech can relieve stress on healthcare post COVID-19, Healthcare Global
Microsoft’s New Surface Book 3 Laptop’s Microphones Make for an Ersatz Smart Display, Voicebot

SEO

Google Core Update May 2020: All you need to know, Search Metrics
How Wikipedia Lost 3 Billion Organic Search Visits To Google in 2019, Similarweb
SEO 101 Episode 381: Bad Advice, JavaScript Don’ts, and Common Issues Found During SEO Audits, StepForth
SEO Best Practices | What you Need to Rank High on Google in 2020, Cognitive SEO
SEO Data Science: A Study of 112K Personal Injury Law Firms, Rankings.io
Starting a Local SEO Strategy in 7 Steps, Seer Interactive
What is HTTPS? Everything You Need to Know, Ahrefs
Google Core Update May 2020 – Whirlwind Through The SERPs Despite COVID-19, SISTRIX
Google’s May 2020 Core Update, SEM Rush
Winning SEO with Keyword Research – Whiteboard Friday, Moz

PPC

Microsoft Advertising loves SMBs – Five free resources to help you, Microsoft Advertising

Search Features

New Google Lens features to help you be more productive at home, Google Blog