Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday! The Google November 2024 core update is not done rolling out yet - it should have been. And yes, we are still seeing heated volatility throughout this week, even today. Google warned those sites hit by the site reputation abuse policy not just to move content elsewhere, there is a policy circumvention policy that covers that. Also, Google spoke about giving prior notice to search penalties. Google Search results seem to be more personalized than ever. Google is testing block/card formats for AI Overviews. Google Sitelinks search box is finally gone, a tad late. Google Search has killed off its Explore feature. Google is testing more DMA changes including dropping maps for hotels. Google video overlays can destroy your YouTube engagement. Google finally explained why it is hiding its results count. Google Search Console recommendations have been fully rolled out. Google Search Console seems to be dropping its shipping and returns settings only a few months after it launched. Google is testing a “more sponsored results” button. Google Ads has a new conversation-started metric for message assets. Google Local Service Ads are now showing up within local pack results. Google updated its misleading ad design policy around deceptive ad buttons. Google Merchant Center recommendations are now in Google Analytics. Google Business Profiles updated its guidelines to disallow service-area businesses for minimum age products or services. Google Maps added a report business conduct form for review manipulation. Bing Webmaster Tools has data for Bing, Copilot, and Yahoo Search, but not ChatGPT. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

SPONSOR: This week's video is sponsored by Semrush. Discover Semrush's new AI-powered keyword research tools, offering personalized keyword difficulty, potential traffic estimates, and topical authority to help you plan smarter SEO campaigns.

0:00 - Introduction

0:50 - Google November 2024 Core Update Heats Up Again At Tail End

1:12 - Thanksgiving & Google November 2024 Core Update

1:59 - Warning: Don't Move Content Hit By Google's Site Reputation Abuse Penalty

2:49 - Google On Giving Prior Notice To Search Penalties

4:20 - Are Google Search Results More Personalized?

5:26 - Google AI Overviews In Card/Block Format

5:36 - Google Sitelinks Search Box Now Really Gone

6:00 - Google Search Kills Google Explore With Continuous Scroll Ending

6:29 - Google Tests More DMA Changes In Europe Including Dropping Maps For Hotel Results

7:32 - Google Search Videos In Overlay May Reduce YouTube Engagement

8:15 - Google Explains Why Its Hiding Results Count In Search

8:57 - Google Rolls Out Search Console Recommendations

9:18 - Google Search Console To Drop Shipping & Return Setting

9:40 - Google Ads More Sponsored Results Button In Search

10:06 - Google Ads New Conversation Started Column For Message Assets

10:35 - Google Local Service Ads Within Local Pack Results

11:00 - Google Updates Misleading Ad Design Policy For Deceptive Buttons In Ads

11:23 - Merchant Center Recommendations Now In Google Analytics

11:35 - Google Business Profiles Guidelines Updated: Storefronts Required For Minimum Age Products

12:00 - Google Maps Adds Report Business Conduct To Report Review Manipulation

12:28 - Bing Webmaster Tools Shows Data For Bing & Yahoo; Not ChatGPT

13:05 - Conclusion

We did a special Thanksgiving day talk about the Google volatility and the core update not being done. We spoke about stories for tomorrow and page annotations again. Plus, some normal ranting and chatter - yada yada yada.

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at  https://www.seroundtable.com/thanksgiving-google-core-38493.html and https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ios-app-page-annotation-38451.html and more tomorrow…

Some are asking if Google Search is more personalized with its search results over the past week or so.  Google Ads now has a conversation started metric for message assets. Google will sunset Ads Creative Studio by the end of March 2025. Google is playing videos directly in the search results, which hurts engagement. Google is testing large thick fonts and gold buttons in the search results.

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at  https://www.seroundtable.com/recap-11-27-2024-38483.html

The Google November core update should be done any minute now but it just started to heat up and cause some serious volatility again. Google Search Console recommendations are now fully rolled out. Google Search Console seemed to have dropped the shipping and returns setting. Google is testing more DMA changes in Europe including removing mapping features for hotel listings.   Google's explore feature seems to have gone AWOL. Google Local Service ads are showing up in the local pack for some reason. Google Ads has a latency issue last night.

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at  https://www.seroundtable.com/recap-11-26-2024-38482.html

Google warns against moving content around to trick Google's site reputation abuse policy.  Google explained why it is hiding the results count.  Google Ads is updating its misleading ad design policy.  Google is testing a new card/block format for AI Overviews.  Google Analytics added Merchant Center recommendations. Google Ads has a new way to try to encourage you to increase your ad budget.

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at  https://www.seroundtable.com/recap-11-25-2024-38467.html

It took some time, but Google’s November 2024 core update started to really heat up over the last weekend, it should be done soon. Google expanded its site reputation abuse policy in a big way and many large sites received manual actions right away. Google made it clear that they have both site-wide and page-level search ranking signals. The Department of Justice wants Google to sell off Chrome, restrict Android’s default search feature, remove search partnership deals and more. Google Search Console finally dropped the page experience report. Google AI Overviews index controls may be slow. Google also cautioned about using people to ask for content. Google Search App in iOS has page annotations now but there is a way to opt out of it. Google Lens now makes it easier to shop in the store. Google people also ask may be dropping the more results button. Google is testing removing EU-based news publishers from some EU regions, to prove a point. Google Search is testing trending this week labels in search. Google Sitelinks is testing icons and labels. Google has this intrusive pop-up interstitial ad for Google Ads when you search for your Google Business Profile in Google Search. Microsoft is also testing mixing Microsoft Advertising ads with Bing organic search results. Bing is testing circle-shaped favicons. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

SPONSOR: This week's video recap is sponsored by Duda, the Professional Website Builder You Can Call Your Own.

0:00 - Introduction

0:45 - Google November 2024 Core Update Heats Up This Weekend

1:30 - Google Site Reputation Abuse Policy Now Includes First Party Involvement Or Content Oversight

4:06 - Google Makes It Clear It Has Both Site Wide & Page Level Ranking Signals

5:11 - DOJ: Force Google To Sell Chrome, Restrict Android & Ban Default Deals

6:13 - Google Search Console Finally Drops The Page Experience Report

6:40 - Google AI Overview Index Serving Delayed Compared To Web Results

7:30 - Google Also Cautions On Using Google People Also Ask For Content Ideas

8:00 - Page Annotation In Google iOS App Browser

9:14 - Google Lens Updated For In-Store Shopping

9:27 - Google People Also Ask Dropping More Results Button?

9:47 - Google Tests Removing EU-Based News Publishers From Search

10:16 - Google Search Trending This Week Labels

10:30 - Google Sitelinks With Icons & Labels

10:45 - Ads In Google AI Overview In The Wild

11:13 - Google Search Pop Up Ads For Google Ads Promotions (GBP)

11:41 - Microsoft Mixing Ads & Organic Results In Bing Search Also

11:58 - Bing Search Tests Circle Shaped Favicons In Search Results

12:15 - Conclusion 

DOJ asks the judge in the Google monopoly ruling to have Google sell off Chrome, restrict Android and end default search partner deals.  Google AI Overviews may have delayed indexing.  Google iOS App has page annotations and a new opt out form.  

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at  https://www.seroundtable.com/recap-11-21-2024-38453.html

Google has updated its site reputation abuse policy to say that it doesn't matter that there is first party involvement or content oversight.  Google also made it crystal clear that Google does use site wide ranking sigals. We were at BrightonSEO, well, some of us.

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at  https://www.seroundtable.com/recap-11-20-2024-38441.html

We are finally seeing much larger movement from the Google November 2024 core update.  Google Analytics seems to be missing some data from November 13, 2024.  Google Ads are finally showing up in the AI Overviews.  Google is popping up Google Ads promotions for your business name (Google Business Profiles) in Google Search.  Microsoft is mixing search ads with organic results.  Google's people also ask may also be an issue for Google's John Mueller.

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at  https://www.seroundtable.com/recap-11-18-2024-38433.html

Google has launched the November 2024 core update earlier this week, and we are now starting to see movement and ranking shifts because of it.  Google AI Overviews is testing using real hyperlinks, instead of paperclips. Google cautioned about using Google Trends for content development.  Google told SEOs not to over focus on URL structure. Google spoke about SEO advice for version history pages. I spoke a bit about term drift and why it matters. Google Search now supports C2PA meta data for images.  Google Maps launched products nearby.  Google Merchant Center added sale events promotion types. Google is testing an AI chat sales assistant feature in Search.  Google Ads is updating is customer match policies.  Google Ads is testing subheadlines in a big way. Google Shopping Ads can show both seller and product ratings. Google Ads turned on election ads again.  Google Ads Editor version 2.8 is out.  Google AdSense launched collapsible anchors.  Google AdSense changed its first-party cookie controls. Bing added rich entity cards and popular search refinements to its autosuggest feature. That was this past week in search at the Search Engine Roundtable. 

SPONSOR: Wix Studio - Did you know the Wix Studio SEO Course is live. It covers topics like keyword research, technical SEO, local SEO, SEO reporting, link building and more. Learn more at wix.com/seo/learn/course.

0:00 - Introduction

0:58 - Google November 2024 Core Update Is Now Rolling Out - What We Know So Far

1:48 - Google November 2024 Core Update Movement - Slow But For Some Massive

2:58 - Google AI Overviews Testing Anchor Text Based Hyperlinks

3:11 - Google Cautions About Using Google Trends For Content Ideas

4:08 - Google: Some SEOs Over Focus On URL Structure

4:42 - SEO Advice On Version History Pages From Google

5:21 - Term Drift In SEO - Why It Matters

6:21 - New: Google Search Supports C2PA Metadata For About This Image Feature

6:53 - Google Maps Search For Products Nearby Carousel

7:12 - Google Merchant Center Adds Sale Events Promotion Type

7:39 - Google Search AI Sales Assistant

8:06 - Google Customer Match Policy Warning: Don't Harm Users Or Else...

8:40 - Google Ads Tests Subheadline Links Under Search Ad Title Links

8:56 - Google Shopping Ads With Both Seller & Product Ratings

9:15 - Google Ads Allows US Elections Ads Again Today

9:38 - Google Ads Editor Version 2.8 Is Now Out

9:45 - New Google AdSense Collapsible Anchors

10:21 - Google AdSense First-Party Cookie Controls Are Changing

10:40 - Bing Autosuggest Adds Rich Cards, Images & More Search Features

11:00 - Conclusion