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:
Possible Google Search Algorithm & Ranking Update June 19th
I have been watching the chatter this morning from the SEO community on WebmasterWorld and social media and I am seeing an increase in signals that there may be a Google algorithm and ranking update rolling out this morning.
Google Removes Preferred Domain Setting From Search Console
Google announced it has removed the preferred domain setting from the old Google Search Console interface. It is gone – I don’t see it anymore and you can no longer set this in Google Search Console.
Google Does Show Hidden Content In Accordions & Tabs As Featured Snippets
The other week we asked if Google shows content within tabs or accordions or other forms of hidden areas in the featured snippets section. We asked this because Google said for the normal search results snippet, Google said they don’t show this type of content but for featured snippets they would. The answer is – they do.
Complaints Over Google My Business Reinstatement Delays
There are many local SEOs who are complaining about the delay with Google My Business in reinstating businesses that were suspended. I am seeing numerous complaints in the forums and on Twitter about this.
SEO Poll: Many SEOs Still Focusing On Desktop Page Analysis
Alyeda Solis posted a Twitter poll that received almost 1,000 votes that showed that many SEOs are still pretty focused on the desktop analysis of their web pages. So while Google is taking a mobile-first approach, SEOs still seem to spend a considerable amount of effort on desktop.
Google To Genius: From Now On, We Will Show You Who Is Stealing Your Lyrics
Got to love this exchange – you have Genius coming out saying we caught Google red handed stealing/scraping our lyrics from our web site. Google then yesterday says, we didn’t do it, we paid for LyricFind to give us these lyrics they may have stolen from you guys – so blame them. Then LyricFind is like, we asked Genius for more details and they didn’t get back to us – so what do you want from us.
Google: Pages Can Rank For Image Alt Text Content In Web Search
John Mueller from Google stated on Twitter that your web pages can rank in Google web search for content that you put within image alternative text. He also added this is easy to test, and SEOs have over the years, by putting a unique string of text in their alt tags and seeing if Google will show the page in the search results after that page is indexed.
Google Jokes: Neural Networks For Babies Book
John Nack, a Product Manager, Digital Photography at Google, posted a photo of someone giving him a new book titled Neural Networks for Babies. Why? I don’t know why but I guess there is some joke th
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
This is the first time I’ve looked for home solar power systems and thought this was a cool calculator that shows up in Google’s serp. Have you seen this before @rustybrick or @dr_pete? (I’m 0 for 50 on these)… https://t.co/h, Matt Lacuesta on Twitter
If you enjoyed the #javascript #SEO videos (if you haven’t seen ’em, read 👉 https://t.co/00av5rt28T) NOW ⏱️is the time to suggest new topics for Season 2! 📥https://t.co/mFiEi1bSzl 📥… https://t.co/4, Martin Splitt on Twitter
We do show links in Search Console even when they’re nofollow links (also disavowed links). That doesn’t mean they’re used for passing signals for search, but they’re still links, which is why we list them.… https://t.co/HDq3, John Mueller on Twitter
We’re taking #WMConf to Hokkaido!!! \o/…, Gary Illyes on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
New edition of SEO success factors reinforces the importance of content
Understanding the role of branded and unbranded search in the customer journey
Leaning into SEO as Google shifts from search engine to portal
Google to add attribution to licensed lyrics providers
Why search needs to be combined with awareness for maximum impact
SMX Overtime: When to use automation to improve account performance
Google Search Console drops preferred domain setting
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Data-inspired advertising is creativity, Think with Google
How to Use Google Tag Manager to Make Sense of Your Analytics, ThriveHive
The 10 Most-Tracked Google Analytics Metrics [Original Data], Databox Blog
What Are Events, Tags and Triggers in GTM?, Fast Web Media
Mumzworld reaches a 300% return on ad spend with Google Analytics, Google
Industry & Business
$1 billion for 20,000 Bay Area homes, Google Blog
How Much of Google’s Search Traffic is Left for Anyone But Themselves?, SparkToro
What the Google-Genius Copyright Dispute Is Really About, Wired
Faltering German Hands Vestager Chance to Claim Europe’s Top Job, Bloomberg
Opinion | Facebook and Google Don’t Need Your Data to Make Lots of Money, New York Times
Links & Promotion Building
Don’t Get Technical: What Link Building is Really All About, The Upper Ranks
Local & Maps
Bringing slave dwellings out of the shadows with Google Street View, Google Blog
Users Accuse Yelp of Hiding Positive Reviews, NBC Chicago
Mobile & Voice
Desert Financial Credit Union unveils voice banking for members, AZ Big Media
How to Optimize Your Small Business Site for Voice Search, Small Business Trends
Real Estate Giant JLL Debuts Google-Powered Voice Assistant, Voicebot
SEO
Breadcrumbs & SEO: What Are They and How Their Important for SEO, HigherVisibility
Google Webmaster Hangout Notes: June 14th 2019, DeepCrawl
Google’s neural matching: Why it matters and how to optimise for it, Vertical Leap
Question Answering Explaining Estimates of Missing Facts, Go Fish Digital
Did Google’s Site Diversity Update Live Up to its Promise?, Moz
PPC
Deliver more interactive ad experiences with Display & Video 360, Google Blog
How to Do Keyword Research (Create Keyword Strategies in <1 hour), Raven Tools
Why Your Average Cost Per Click is So High and How to Fix It, Portent
Price Extensions in Microsoft Advertising Editor, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
New Chrome Protections from Deception, Google Online Security Blog
Art Zoom: Masterpieces up close through the eyes of famous musicians, Google Blog
Other Search
Chrome extension caught hijacking users’ search engine results, ZDNet
Google Turns to Retro Cryptography to Keep Datasets Private, Wired
