Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

Well over a week after the Google August 2024 core update finished, we still have a ton of volatility. Apple Visual Intelligence was demoed at the Apple event this week, it is neat. I covered a bunch of statements on Navboost over the years from Googlers and others. Google replaced the cache link with a link to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. Google added a spam warning to the Indexing API documentation. A new report shows that about half of the links in the AI Overviews are from the top traditional search results. Google is showing AI Overviews for commercial shopping queries again. Google is testing a new interface for AI Overviews. Google said Exif data is not used for rankings. Google Search now supports a new ineligible region property. Bing may use ProductGroup markup in the future. Bing also treats 308 redirects like 301 redirects. Google Ads is sunsetting eCPC in March 2025. Google Ads is testing a new ad label design. Google Ads introduced confidential matching for privacy reasons. Google is emailing LSA advertisers about verification requirements. There has been an increase in complaints from advertisers about fraud in the Google Ads Search Partner Network. Google Business Profiles emails about broken appointment links. Google Maps shows business photos in reviews. Bing is testing Facebook and Yelp icons in the reviews in the local pack. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:01 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Still Heated A Week After Core Update

1:51 - Apple Visual Intelligence - Local, Shopping & More

2:56 - Ex-Googler Forum Statements On Google Navboost

4:40 - Google Replaced Cache Link With Internet Archive's Wayback Machine

5:37 - Google Indexing API: Submissions Go Undergo Rigorous Spam Detection

6:06 - Report: Half Google AI Overviews Links Overlap With Top Search Results

6:50 - Google AI Overviews Show Shopping Results For Commercial Queries Again

7:11 - Google Tests AI Overview With Small "More" Link

7:38 - Google's Martin Splitt: We Do Not Use Exif Data For Ranking

8:10 - Google Search Supports Ineligible Regions Property For Videos

8:38 - Bing May Use ProductGroup Markup In The Future

8:57 - Bing Treats 308 Redirects Same As 301 Redirects

9:11 - Google Ads Saying Goodbye To Enhanced CPC In March 2025

9:35 - Google Tests New Ad Label / Design That Makes Ads Stand Out

9:48 - Google Ads Introduces Confidential Matching

10:34 - Google Emails Advertisers On Local Services Ads Verification Requirements

10:50 - Complaints On Google Search Partners Ad Network Fraud

11:19 - Google Business Profile Appointment Link Broken Notifications

11:33 - Google Maps Showing Business Photos On Review Sentiments

11:51 - Bing Local Pack Tests Review Source Icons Instead Of Review Stars

12:05 - Conclusion

Google Ads introduced Confidential Matching, Greg covered it in detail. We covered some old statements from former Googlers on Navboost from Hacker News. Google replaced the cache link with links to the Wayback Machine, but they are deep inside. Google updated its Indexing API docs warning not to abuse the API or else.

Google is testing a new ad label header, it makes the ads stick out more. Google Search ranking volatility is still incredibly heated, even over a week after the core update finished. Bing is testing a local pack with review source icons. Google Search has a new video property for ineligible regions.

Apple Visual Intelligence is Apple's version of Google Lens but it uses Google, ChatGPT, Yelp and others. A new report on AI Overviews says about half of the links in the AI Overviews overlap with the traditional organic results. Google is showing Business Profile photos on its review sentiments.

Google Ads will sunset enhanced CPC in March 2025. Seeing post-Google core update volatility, a core update poll and interviewing Google on the core update. Google Business Profiles sends out broken appointment link notifications.

This week, the Google August 2024 core update finished rolling out, a bit earlier than expected. There is still search volatility, a lot of it, days after the core update completed. I also posted a huge interview with Google’s Danny Sullivan on the core update. I posted the big Google Webmaster Report for September 2024. Google updated its canonical doc to say do not specify fragments in your canonicals. Google Search finally supports AVIF images. Google is testing a new forum display for its search results. Google is testing a new shopping search design. Bing Knowledge panels has this table of contents that is interactive. Google Business Profile may be dropping the Q&A feature in some regions. Google is testing new map pin shapes. Google Trends email subscriptions are going away. Google will automatically link Google Ads and Google Merchant Center accounts. Google Ads now has a merchant products tab for images. Google Ads will opt out new accounts from serving ads on parked domains. Google Ads product category level insights is live. Microsoft Advertising announced a bunch of new features. Google Analytics 4 has new benchmarking data. I posted a bunch of videos from YouTube algorithm and SEO questions and answers. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:05 - Google August 2024 Core Update Finished Rolling Out

2:17 - Google Search Volatility Still Heated After August Core Update Rollout Completed

2:55 - My Interview Of Google's Search Liaison On The August 2024 Core Update

3:30 - September 2024 Google Webmaster Report

3:54 - Google Docs: Do Not Specify A Fragment URL As Canonical

4:12 - Google Search Finally Supports AVIF Images

4:32 - Google Tests Top Comments & Related Discussions For Forum Search Results

4:54 - Google Tests New Shopping Search Design

5:09 - Google Shopping & Merchant Center Interview With Irina Tuduce

5:32 - Bing Knowledge Panel & Featured Answers Table Of Contents Animation

5:47 - Google Business Profiles Drops Q&A Feature In India (& Other Some Regions)

6:06 - Google Tests New Map Pin Shapes

6:18 - Google Trends Email Subscriptions Going Away Next Month

6:36 - Google To Automatically Link Ads & Merchant Center Accounts

6:57 - Google Ads Gains Merchant Products Tab For Images

7:18 - Google Ads To Opt Out New Accounts From Serving Ads On Parked Domains

7:39 - New Google Ads Product Category-Level Insights

7:55 - Microsoft Advertising Logos / Call To Actions & Other Search Ad Updates

8:16 - New Google Analytics 4 Benchmarking Data

8:29 - YouTube SEO Questions Answered

8:51 - Conclusion

Google Video Action campaigns will be migrating to Demand Gen campaigns next year. Google is testing a new forum display for its search results. Google Ads added a merchant products tab for image selection. Google is linking Google Ads and Google Merchant Center accounts together automatically. Google will opt out new advertisers from parked domains. Google Ads to require gambling advertisers to recertify. And Microsoft will announce Copilot news.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-09-05-2024-38022.html

Google finished rolling out the August 2024 core update and while there was some positive movements, most SEOs are not happy. Google Business Profiles no longer showing Q&A option in India and other regions. Microsoft Advertising launched some new ad features. And more on AI Overviews, Reddit and ZipTie.

I posted a bunch of YouTube algorithm and SEO tips from Google. Google Trends email subscriptions service is going away next month. Bing Knowledge Panels has this table of contents. I also posted the big September 2024 Google Webmaster report.

Google August 2024 core updatre poll results. Google Analytics now has benchmarking data in GA4. Google Search finally supports AVIF files. Google is testing new shopping search design. Google Ads has product category-level insights.