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.
Google and Microsoft announced financial earnings, both showed a lift in ad revenues, I dig in below. Google’s John Mueller said programmatic SEO is a fancy banner for spam. Google Business Profile appointment links has been moved to a new location. Google Ads Performance Max campaign self upgrade tools are more available. Google is testing more visual elements in search.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google Ads Performance Max Upgrade Tool Now Available For Dynamic Search Ads (DSA)
Google announced that the self-upgrade tool for “upgrading” your Google Ads to Performance Max campaigns is now available for Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) campaigns and Google Display campaigns.
John Mueller: Programmatic SEO Often A Fancy Banner For Spam
Google’s John Mueller had another one-liner – this one was posted on Twitter and it reads, “programmatic SEO is often a fancy banner for spam.”
Google Ad Revenue Up 3.3% & Bing Ads Revenue Up 8%
Both Google (Alphabet) and Bing (Microsoft) reported earnings last night and both showed that their ad revenues grew. Google Ad revenue was up 3.3%, with overall revenue up 7%. Microsoft Advertising revenue was up 8% with overall revenue up 8% as well.
Google Business Profiles Appointment Link Moved To Booking Section
Google has moved the way to add an appointment link in your Google Business Profile. It use to be within the edit profile section and is now available in the main “Booking” section.
Google Search Tests More Visual Elements For Featured Snippets, Top Stories, Products & More
Over the past few days I’ve seen reports of Google Search testing more visual elements. These visual elements are across featured snippets, top stories, products and likely more.
Space Google Android Statue
Here is one of the many Android statues around the GooglePlex, the Mountain View, California office. This one is of an Android figure in a space suit. Pretty out of here, don’t you think?
Other Great Search Threads:
Google has provided an updated page detailing how the traffic source dimensions in GA4 work. This further illustrates how these dimensions won’t show you the impact of true direct traffic or sessions with multiple traffic, Charles Farina on Twitter
It says the page is indexed. To un-index it, I’d use the robots meta tag., John Mueller on Twitter
If the embedded HTML page has a noindex robots meta tag, it won’t be used as a part of the embedding page for indexing (also if it’s disallowed by robots.txt)., John Mueller on Twitter
What are your biggest regrets in the SEO field so far?, Reddit
Search Engine Land Stories:
Google search revenue rises 5%, slight increase in total ad revenue
Instagram rolls out subscription feature to 10 more countries
Google Display Ads and Dynamic Search Ads upgrades rolled out in PMax
Information gain in SEO: What it is and why it matters
How to 10x rankings in competitive spaces using the ‘beachhead principle’
Bing Chat not yet available on Chrome or Safari browsers
How to optimize your content strategy for Google SERP features
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Is Google Analytics Illegal? 10 Steps to Make GA4 Legal, Measure Minds Group
Industry & Business
AI lesson for Microsoft and Google: Spend money to make money, Reuters
Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat leaving role to become president and chief investment officer, CNBC
Bing Chat’s popularity plunges to less than 1% of ChatGPT amid user complaints and feature comparisons, OnMSFT
Google and Microsoft Paying Big to Play in AI, Wall Street Journal
Google shows it can prevail despite AI threats as cloud business booms, CNBC
Links & Content Marketing
An Employee’s Guide to Building a Personal Brand, SparkToro
Repurposing your content for search, SERP’s Up SEO Podcast
Local & Maps
10 tips to help you make the most of Google Maps, Google Blog
7 Google tools to plan a hiking, camping or backpacking trip, Google Blog
Google Maps’ eco-friendly routing: Like taking 250,000 cars off the road?, Green Car Reports
Google Street View to Post First New Pictures from Germany in a Decade, Bloomberg
Mobile & Voice
Apple’s app tracking triggers statement of objections from French competition authority, TechCrunch
Google abandons work to move Assistant smart speakers to Fuchsia, 9to5Google
Google is ending support for Android 4.4 KitKat, XDA Developers
SEO
Accessibility and SEO: How they’re related and why it matters, Wix SEO Hub
How To Create an E-Commerce Webpage That Drives Organic Traffic and Conversions, BruceClay
Yoast SEO 20.12: Improvements and fixes, Yoast
Foot Locker Image SEO Case Study: 228% Increase for Google Image Thumbnails, Brodie Clark Consulting
Looking for Affordable SEO Services? Here’s What You Need to Know, Ahrefs
PPC
What Google and YouTube’s alleged ad scandal says about the industry, Marketing Dive
What’s New with Local Service Ads? Google Expands LSAs, Dagmar Marketing
How to Research Your Competition With Google Ads Transparency Center, Social Media Examiner
Search Features
How we’re making it easier to find results on women’s sports, Google Blog
Other Search
Adam Selipsky: There will not be one generative AI model to rule them all, Financial Times
Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and OpenAI launch Frontier Model Forum, Google Blog
Frontier Model Forum, OpenAI
Google’s 20 year lead in search will inform better A.I. decisions, says Deepwater’s Gene Munster, CNBC
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