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.
I posted the weekly video recap, hope you enjoy it and if you do, please subscribe on YouTube. Google Ads has a new label named “signal” that shows if optimized targeting is enabled. Google is testing a local pack without a map image and Google is also showing Google Number in addition to your business number. John Mueller from Google said forum links don’t work and your job as an SEO is not to confuse search engines. Hope you all have a nice and safe weekend.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google July Core Update Done, Posts Gone From Knowledge Panels, Microsoft Advertising Video Extensions & More
Google has confirmed the July 2021 core update is ‘effectively complete’ rolling out but what does that really mean. We saw spikes for the July core update on July 2nd and July 9th and maybe even on the 12th. Google confirmed that local results are not impacted by core updates…
Google Ads Signal Label Indicates Optimized Targeting Is Enabled
Earlier this week, Brett Bodofsky spotted a label in the Google Ads demographics tab that said “signal.” He wasn’t sure what it was, and honestly, it seems no one else was either. So we asked Ginny Marvin of Google what it means and she said “it indicates optimized targeting is enabled.”
Google: Forum Links Do Not Work For SEO
Google’s John Mueller again said that dropping links in forums for SEO purposes won’t help you rank better in Google. In response the the Reddit thread question “Is Forum Posting Still Work As Link Building Method in SEO?” John Mueller said “No.”
Google: Your Job As An SEO Is Not To Confuse Search Engines
As you know, John Mueller of Google has consistently preached out important consistency is when it comes to your web site for SEO purposes. He has said this numerous times. The purpose is for you not to confuse search engines and tell search engines clearly and consistency about your site content, architecture, URLs and all those yummy SEO signals.
Google Business Listing With Google Phone Number Alias
Google is testing, I think again, showing a Google phone number, instead of the actual business’s real phone number, in the business local listing in Google Search. In this example, Google is showing both numbers actually but lists the Google number first.
Google Local Pack Without A Map – Bug Or Test?
Have you ever seen Google show a set of local pack results in the web search results but without displaying a map with it? Likely not. Well, Justin Moseback noticed it and shared some screenshots of this on Twitter.
Google Cofounder, Sergey Brin Learning Robotic Surgery
Here is a photo from 2016 of the co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, learning robotic surgery. Santiago Horgan posted this photo, he is an MD who is an expert in esophageal disease, weight-loss surger
Other Great Search Threads:
Google is definitely testing a new bold font. Cc @rustybrick https://t.co/1YSGRbk8Dq, Shalom Goodman on Twitter
I don’t know off-hand, but some of these rich results can be shown in multiple ways, so it’s good to provide different images to pick from to cover the common ratios & sizes (picture element / list images in structu, John Mueller on Twitter
I think we resolved the previous issue with featured snippets. This is a different system with Knowledge Panels. Apologies for this. Looks fixed in this case now; appreciate the other examples, and we’ll lo, Danny Sullivan on Twitter
People Also Ask no longer appearing, WebmasterWorld
Search Engine Land Stories:
Google Ads optimized targeting gradually rolling out
Would your job be easier or more difficult if Google wasn’t the dominant platform?; Thursday’s daily brief
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Tech Workers Swore Off the Bay Area. Now They’re Coming Back, New York Times
Google separates with Cloud VP after employees complain about manifesto, CNBC
Links & Content Marketing
Why Long-Form Content Is Critical to Rank in Search Results: 6 Data-Driven Reasons, Business 2 Community
Local & Maps
Google Maps users say it offers ‘potentially fatal’ routes on UK’s highest mountain, CNN Travel
Mobile & Voice
Apple’s Siri is no longer a woman by default, but is this really a win for feminism?, Yahoo News
Google Workspace users can now use Assistant on Nest Hub, 9to5Google
SEO
Schema.org v13 Release: Products, Healthcare, Videos, and more!, Schema App
SEO Certifications: Are They Really Worth It?, Ahrefs
SEO Insights from John Mueller’s Google Search Central Office Hours Hangout 07/02/2021, I Love SEO
Top FAQs for SEO Split-Testing with SplitSignal, Semrush
What is Your Best SEO Solution: Agency, Software, or Tool, Conductor
Does your SEO reporting give you what you need?, Vertical Leap
PPC
Introducing Mobile Web Certification, Google Blog
Best Digital Marketing Tools in 2021, SunHouse Marketing
What is Data-Privacy Marketing?, Hallam
Search Features
A new tool (and some tips) to search safely with Google, Google Blog
Google Featured Snippets Update: New Bolding Function for Relevant Content, Brodie Clark Consulting
Feedback:
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