The week between Christmas and New Years is general slow and it was but we did have some Google search ranking jolts and tremors this week. The tremors make sense, as Semrush data showed, December was the most volatile month of the year and this year was the most volatile year of many years with Google Search. Google said it does keep track of its algorithm changes but it is hard to use to pinpoint specific URL changes. Google said most search algorithms work across all languages but not all, like the product reviews update is supposedly only English now but that might change in the future. Google Business profiles now let some business mark products as special to move them to the top. Google will not rank G-rated sex toy companies by their name in organic search but will in Google Ads. Google Search Console’s link report is not a priority for Google. Google Search Console tested an announcement bar. Google said there is no difference in SEO value between nofollow, ugc or sponsored link attributes. Google Ads still has a serving issue for Gmail desktop browser ads. Google Ads is testing excluding placements in smart shopping campaigns. Google Ads is rolling out the asset library directly in Google Ads. SEOs seemed to have mostly taken off for the holidays. John Mueller of Google did not, he worked helping with Google Search questions over the holidays, like he does year after year. Bing has a Santa hat on its videos in search. Google has its new years confetti and new years eve Doodle. I also published a list of the top people we cited over 2021 in our stories – thank you all so so much. And if you want to help sponsor those vlogs, go to patreon.com/barryschwartz. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

SPONSOR: This week’s video recap is sponsored by Duda, the website building platform ranked #1 in Google’s recent CWV report, is offering 15% OFF their annual plans with a special promo code for you at agency.duda.co/barry.

Make sure to subscribe to our video feed or subscribe directly on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or your favorite podcast player to be notified of these updates and download the video in the background. Here is the YouTube version of the feed:

For the original iTunes version, click here.

Search Topics of Discussion:
December 27 & 28 Google Search Ranking Algorithm Jolt?
Semrush: December The Most Volatile Month For Google Search Of 2021
Google Keeps Track Of Algorithm Changes But It’s Hard To Use Even Internally
Google: Most Of Google’s Search Algorithms Work For All Languages But Not All
Google Product Reviews Update Likely Will Expand To Other Languages
Google Business Profile Products “Mark As Special” For Top Placement
Google Search Won’t Rank Sex Toy Companies For G-Rated Brand Names But Google Ads Will For The Money
Google Search Console’s Link Report Not A Priority For Google
Google Search Console Announcements Bar Test
Google: No Difference In SEO Value Between Nofollow, UGC Or Sponsored Link Attributes
Google Ads Serving Issue For Ads On Desktop Gmail
Google Ads Exclude Placements Coming To Smart Shopping Campaigns?
Google Ads Now Has Asset Library
Google Ads Past Violations Can Limit Your Ads
Poll Results: Did SEOs Work Over The Christmas Holiday Break?
John Mueller Of Google Providing Webmaster Support on Christmas Again
Bing Search Santa Hat Video Play Button Easter Egg
Google Search New Years Confetti Again & New Years Eve Doodle
Top Contributors To The Search Engine Roundtable In 2021

Please do subscribe on YouTube or subscribe via iTunes or on your favorite RSS reader. Don’t forget to comment below with the right answer and good luck!