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:
Early Signs Of A Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update
I am seeing very early signs of a Google search ranking update that started last night and has been fluctuating in and out this morning into the various Google data centers. The automated tracking tools aren’t really showing much yet but the WebmasterWorld forums has some early chatter from the SEO community.
Google Hints That Favicon Removals From Search May Be Automated
I am really trying hard to understand the process webmasters and SEOs can take when it comes to first learning that their favicon was removed from Google’s mobile search results page because it violated the guidelines and then if it was, how they can make a change and then notify Google of the change so their new favicon can show back up in search.
Google To Notify Old Sites Not On Mobile-First Indexing But Maybe Not New Sites
I asked Google’s John Mueller in yesterday’s Google hangout if Google will be notifying new sites after the July 1st change over if those sites are not ready for mobile-first indexing. The issue is, by default, all new sites on July 1st will be indexed using mobile-first indexing – even in the rare case that site is not really ready for mobile-first indexing.
Google Knows How Changes Impact Billions Of Queries
We know that when Google changes even a pixel on their web site, there are going to be vocal complaints about that change. But one thing Google doesn’t seem to be afraid of, in fact, they seem to embrace it, is change. And when Google makes a change, millions and millions of people see it and feel it.
Google Busy Updating Developer Docs For SEOs & Webmasters
Google has been very busy updating their developer documents related to structured data, mobile-first indexing, and more topics related to Google search. In fact, it seems like Lizzi Harvey, a technical writer who works at Google for over three years, has been trying to communicate about these updates on Twitter.
Google Retirement Home
Louis Gray from Google shared a fun picture of a porch with wooden rocker chairs and benches and said “I think I found where they send Googlers after they retire.” Can this be the Google retirement ho
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
No. Structured data isn’t a ranking factor, regardless of the format.…, John Mueller on Twitter
Thanks — I’ll pass it on to the team here.…, John Mueller on Twitter
True. On the flip side, we also have to think about not breaking the internet 🙂, Gary Illyes on Twitter
Twitter thread alert: Ever year I present to local schools in my area about digital marketing, Search, social media, paid search, & more. I love hearing their thoughts. I always learn something from them. I presented on Friday to 8, Glenn Gabe on Twitter
GDPR a Year on: 200,000 Cases Received By Data Protection Authorities, WebmasterWorld
I imagine that could be from the way we do "frame expansion" (start with a large viewport and try to get the full content into it). Sometimes sites do strange things with the assumption that viewports aren’t "tall"..… https:, John Mueller on Twitter
My guess is there are more people searching with apostrophe now than before — because of the way voice transcriptions include them by default. I don’t think that changes anything for SEO though :).… https://t.co/IS2pJ9Tjk0, John Mueller on Twitter
We are so going to write a serialized long form piece about the impact of cheese in ranking / indexing. We’re thinking of a title like: "John Mueller reveals a top ranking element, and you won’t brie-lieve what it is!"… https://t.co/, WTFSEO on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
Yoast SEO 11.3 lets you add an image of a person to its structured data graph
Content goals: Links, keywords and conversions
Bing turns 10: Why it’s been more disruptive than you think
The Ultimate Guide to Selling SEO
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
New Data Studio developer tools make building connectors and viz easier, Google Blog
Data-driven attribution modelling explained, Vertical Leap
Industry & Business
Google’s Chrome Becomes Web `Gatekeeper’ and Rivals Complain, Bloomberg
How AI could tackle a problem shared by a billion people, Google Blog
How foster care advocacy led a Googler to her family, Google Blog
Google CEO Turned Down a Big Stock Award After Lavish Payouts, Bloomberg
Links & Promotion Building
5 Ways to Use Trending Topics for Link Building, Search Engine Journal
Local & Maps
A challenge to stimulate local news in North America, Google Blog
Google Maps inspired QBS boss to create technology to help city’s visually impaired find their way around, earning him a Spirit of Hong Kong Award nomination, South China Morning Post
Google rolls out dining and translation filters to Lens, TechCrunch
Mobile & Voice
Introducing Data Studio Community Visualizations as Chart Interaction Filters, Google Blog
Google says its Digital Wellbeing software isn’t affecting performance on Pixel phones, The Verge
SEO
How Google Thinks & Why it Matters When Writing Copy, Adam Riemer
Semantic Frames and Word Embeddings at Google, Go Fish Digital
Subdirectories vs. Subdomains for 2019 and Beyond, Portent
The 6-Step Technical SEO Health Check, WordStream
Yoast SEO 11.3: Even more enhancements, Yoast
PPC
Google Marketing Platform Partners now available globally, Google Blog
Top Ways To Improve B2B PPC Performance, PPC Hero
Search Features
Google’s Image search has a massive sexism problem, WIRED
New Google Lens w/ filters coming to Android, iOS this week, 9to5Google
Visual Search Moves Beyond Experimentation and Into Prime Time, Street Fight
