Daily Search Forum Recap: October 30, 2023

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 kind of warned recipe bloggers to get to the point. Google explained why they make algorithm changes: because the web changes. Google said schema does not help you rank better. Just a reminder, Google’s helpful content update uses schema. Google Ads will soon enforce certified click trackers. And I posted another vlog with Chris Long, this on technical SEO. Oh and the weekend Google Search volatility is still heated.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google To Recipe Bloggers: We’ve Heard Complaints, Ensure Key Parts Of Recipe Have Easy Access
Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, posted that he is aware of the complaints about recipe pages being too long and hard to find the ingredients and directions. He added that this is something content producers might want to keep in mind. “If you want to appeal to that audience, you might want to ensure your recipes are helpful in that way, easy access to the key parts,” he added.

Google On Algorithm Updates: The “Web Changes. Content Changes. People’s Expectations Change”
Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, defended why Google pushed out search ranking algorithm updates, saying on X, “The web changes. Content changes. People’s expectations change. That’s why we keep looking at ways to improve the search results we show.”

Google Again Says Schema Does Not Make Your Site Rank Better
Google once again said that adding schema or structured data markup to your pages will not result in those pages ranking better in Google Search. Danny Sullivan, the Google Search Liaison, said this on X, “using schema doesn’t give you a ranking boost,” adding, “Schema doesn’t make you rank better.” He even said that “Schema has nothing to do with rankings.”

Google Helpful Content System Uses Machine Learning To Understand If Content Is Helpful
This is just a reminder that Google uses machine learning to understand if content is helpful or not within the Google helpful content system. This is not new, we’ve known this for over a year, but it seems many of us keep forgetting.

Google Ads To Enforce Certified Click Tracker Policies Soon
A few months ago we reported that Google Ads may disapprove some ads for using third-party click-tracking services that are not on their approved list. Google updated us and now is telling us that “full enforcement will continue to roll out over the next 12 to 18 months” around this policy. Google said advertisers are “required to use a certified click tracker or their ads may be disapproved.”
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