March 2024 Google Core Update / Judgement Day for independent publishers
For the small publishers who even made it to March 2024, the March 2024 Google Core Update brought together all of Google’s corrective algorithms launched in 2022 and the ones in the news in late 2023 into one update period. By the last Spam algorithm …
December 2024 Google Spam Update Analysis
The December 2024 Google Spam update followed in the wake of the October 2023 and March 2024 Google Spam updates. From analysis on 100+ Search Console accounts I have had access to, this too looks to have targeted unknown, or disconnected entities in G…
Unannounced February 2025 Google update activity
I’m looking into noticeably impactful and unannounced Google update activity in February 2025, on the surface, unrelated to the entity issues (Google’s understanding and representation of entities in Google Search) I’ve been sharing in the Discon…
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Search Volatility, Google Sued Over AI Overviews, Google Ads Auction Changes & Bing and Apple Intelligence
Another week and more Google search ranking volatility hit mid-week, did you notice? Google’s crawler might be causing issues on your site this week. Google still is making its crawling more efficient and better. Google Search Console’s API had delayed…
Bing Copilot Answers With Map & Local Results (with Ads)
Microsoft Bing Search’s Copilot Answers now can show maps and local results, including local ads. The AI answer has a map on the left side and then on the right side it has local organic and paid listings with the company name, address, phone, website…
Google Emails Reminder About Business Profile Policies
A couple of days ago, Google sent out an email to owners of Google Business Profile listings. The email was a reminder about the Google Business Profile policies, and it highlighted policies around reviews.
Google iOS App Drops Gemini Toggle
A year or more ago, Google added a toggle switch to use Gemini directly in the iOS Google Search app. Well, that was removed this week and you now need to go to the native Gemini app to use Gemini, you cannot use the Google app.
Bing Tests Outlining Search Result Snippets
Microsoft is testing outlining the individual search result snippets within Bing Search. So when you look at a snippet, it has this outline around it, and then when you hover your cursor over it, it highlights more.
Google Shopping Adds Search Google Button For Some Queries
If you go to Google Shopping and enter a query that is not shopping related, Google will add a button above the shopping results asking you to search Google for that query.
Daily Search Forum Recap: February 27, 2025
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.
We are seeing new shuffling with the Google search results…
Google Search Ranking Volatility Chatter Spiking Feb 26th & 27th
I am seeing the SEO community starting to chatter around a lot of Google Search ranking volatility. Keep in mind, the third-party tracking tools currently seem relatively calm. Often, I see the chatter kick in before the tools catch on but not always.
Google Ads Runs Different Auctions For Each Ad Location, Doc Update Says
Google has updated its “How the Google Ads auction works” page to add a line that says that Google will run different auctions for each ad location.
Google Ads API Version 19 Now Available
Google has released version 19 of the Google Ads API, v19 adds enhanced video assets for Performance Max campaigns, updates to brand guidelines and tons of other additions, changes and removals.
Bing From Sources Across The Web Shows Sources Used By AI
Microsoft is now showing the sources it used to generate its AI-based “from sources across the web” section in Bing Search. If you click on the little i icon, Bing will show you where it pulled the list together from.
Google Top Search Definitions Under Auto Suggestions
Google is now showing a “top search” definition box below the auto suggestions within Google Search for some searches. I guess it is a quick way for Google to give you a definition for a word.
Google Ads High Value New Customer Mode Live For Some
Google may be rolling out the high value new customer mode for Google Ads advertisers, after it has been in beta for some time. This setting lets you set different bidding priorities for high value new prospects, regular new customers and existing ones.
Daily Search Forum Recap: February 26, 2025
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 Local Service Ads opts advertisers into booking links, by default…
Google Ads Sitelinks Creation Page Bug With Prefill Functionality
Google Ads had a bug with the sitelinks creation page, where the prefill functionality was not working right. Google confirmed the issue and said it was “very limited and was not widespread.”
Google Local Service Ads Booking Links Now Charges Like Calls Automatically
Google has sent out an email to its Google Local Service Ads advertisers, notifying them that they are now letting searchers use a booking link to schedule an appointment or service, when the booking link is detected on the Google Business Profile of t…
Bing Tests Underlined & Bold Sponsored Results
A few weeks ago, we saw Microsoft testing green colored sponsored URLs for the Bing search results. Now I am seeing reports of both underlined and bolded URLs and titles of the sponsored results, where the organic/free listings are not underlined or b…