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 said it probably won’t penalize your site if you forget to nofollow the affiliate links on your site. Google local maps results are still shaking up, some call it more spammy, some say less. Google said links are not mandatory for ranking, Google said that before. Google says special characters in your content do not influence your rankings. Finally, there is a new SEO who landed a huge SEO project and is now asking other SEOs how to do SEO – I guess you have to start somewhere.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
Google: We Won’t Penalize Your Site For Not Nofollowing Affiliate Links
Google’s John Mueller confirmed again that Google won’t likely penalize or give your site a manual action if you do not add a nofollow or rel sponsored attribute to your affiliate links. He said this at the 31:58 mark in this past Friday’s video.
Google Local Maps Spam Big Cleanup Or Big Mess?
There has been a lot of local SEOs talking about the big shake up in the local results over the past week. It might be related to a local search algorithm update (Google has not confirmed it yet) or might be some spam fighting efforts. But I am seeing both complaints about there now being too much local spam and also folks saying Google has cleaned up a lot of spam.
Google: Links Are Not Mandatory For Ranking In Google Search
Google’s John Mueller said again that having links to your site is not a requirement and not mandatory for ranking in Google Search. He said this back in 2015 as well, but said again in 2021 that links are not a requirement to rank.
SEO Who “Learned A Few Tricks” Landed Large SEO Publisher Job Now Asks How To Do SEO On Reddit
This is somewhat both sad and funny and I thought I should share it here. Via Joe Youngblood, an SEO who has said he “learned a few tricks” was able to sign a contract for SEO work with a big publishing company. But the sad part is, it seems he has “no idea how to do SEO for a large news website and wants tips on what to do next,” Joe explained.
Google: Special Characters Do Not Affect Google Search
Google’s John Mueller said that special characters on your page “doesn’t affect Google” Search rankings. This is in regards to like checkmarks such as ‘” or other special characters.
New Google Washington, D.C. Lobby
Google seems to have opened up a new lobby and some new renovations at the Google Washington, D.C. office. In fact, it seemed like they had some opening event with a bunch of masked attendees last we
Other Great Search Threads:
Google forces to migrate to Google Ads API where fields are not still available. Same for Google MyBusiness API. What a hell to update our apps and scripts. https://t.co/ieYRSvHQLl #ppcchat, Bastien on Twitter
That would fall under the broader “don’t be a jerk” webmaster guideline. Technically I think it’s called Sneaky Redirects. If you run across anything like that which I can forward, ple, John Mueller on Twitter
We don’t care about the underlying CMS content type. There *might* be indirect effects of how the CMS integrates the content (RSS feed? sitemaps? internal linking? dates? structured data?) but those are implemen, John Mueller on Twitter
When trying to update your special hours as @GoogleMyBiz requested and then it goes to a 500 error, Barry Schwartz on Twitter
Sure you can compete with big sites. But that’s often not a smart business strategy, they worked very hard & long to get there, you’ll have to do the same. Often it makes more sense to find places where your wo, John Mueller on Twitter
Yep, 2022 will likely be the year of the “full-width” SERP on Google. Earlier this week we saw the rollout of the Local Pack and Image Packs take on the full-width treatment. Now I’m seeing heavy testing with Featured Snippets on, Brodie Clark on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
How to effectively deliver the results of your work to clients
YouTube to automatically link to places mentioned in videos
Google Analytics vs. Google Analytics 360
How marketers can prepare for what’s next in page experience
Google Ads unaffected by Log4j vulnerability
Google Review Snippets rich results report updated
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Digital Debrief – Step-by-Step: Integrate Google Search Console with GA4, Krista Seiden
The Quick Reference Guide to GA4 Ecommerce Data in Data Studio, ClickInsight
Industry & Business
Alphabet backs a different 5G business model, Axios
Google employees to lose pay if don’t comply with vaccination policy, CNBC
Google, Facebook Face Online Tracking Curbs That Could Limit Ads, Bloomberg
Google’s Manifest V3 still hurts privacy, security, and innovation, Electronic Frontier Foundation
New European research on the privacy-focused future, Google Blog
Google submits proposals to French antitrust in copyright row, Reuters
SEO 101 Ep 421: Remembering John Carcutt with Special Guests, StepForth Web Marketing
Links & Content Marketing
How this travel blogger pivoted during the pandemic, Google Blog
Best of B2B Marketing: Learn & Refine With Insight From Our Top 10 Content Marketing Posts, Online Marketing Blog
Changing the way External Backlinks are Reported – Update –, Majestic Blog
Local & Maps
How to use the new ‘busy area’ icon on Google Maps, Popular Science
iOS 15.2 Features: Everything New in iOS 15.2, MacRumors
Unannounced Google Maps Change on Android Auto Makes Traffic Information Almost Useless, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
Wear OS 3 gets another preview, shows off the new design, 9to5Google
Google Pixels beat the iPhone and Galaxy in 2021 — here’s how, Tom’s Guide
SEO
Indexing SEO 101: How To Create an Indexing Strategy for Your Website, Onely Blog
SEO Clinic Episode III: How to Analyze Your Place in the Online Market and Unwrap New Growth Avenues, Semrush
YouTube SEO: Video Optimization in 2022, 3Q Digital
Free SEO Templates from the SEO Community: Kickoff & Improve SEO Work, The Gray
Severe Vulnerabilities Fixed in All In One SEO Plugin Version 4.1.5.3, Jetpack
What is SEO – A Basic Guide, RankRanger
PPC
Updates to Chromecast integrations with Interactive Media Ads, Google Ads Developer Blog
Warning: deprecation and sunset of Feeds, Google Ads Developer Blog
Why Americas publishers are prioritizing first-party data, Google Blog
2021 success stories with Microsoft Advertising, Microsoft Advertising
Using Search Operators To Find Out Your Best Content & Keywords, Koozai
Search Features
Clustered News Results at Google, Go Fish Digital
Other Search
Faulty DMCA Takedown Notice Makes American TV Network Unfindable in Google, TorrentFreak
Feedback:
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