Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

We have been tracking the Google core update and seeing more surges and changes with those hit by the September helpful content update. I ran a survey asking how SEOs were impacted so far by the August 2024 core update, and I shared these results this morning. Google may now use your OG title for your title links in the search results. Google updates its video SEO documentation. Google also updated its organization markup documentation. Google said they generatively do not try variations of your URLs. Google said it does not count words or links on your pages. Google said bad actor traffic does not hurt your SEO. I covered how AWS blocked S3 from Googlebot and how that impacted by image traffic. Google Ads announced new shopping reports, trends, and new ad features. Google has tag diagnostics and a new consent management setup. Google Ada accidentally released an internal tools button. Google is merging booking on Google Business Profiles with Google Local Service Ads. Google Local Service Ads review links are expiring and being replaced by Google Business Profile review links. Google Business Profiles appear to be delayed. Google is testing expandable map embeds in the search results. Google Search is testing from your notifications. Google is testing a new default favicon set. Google shopping carousels are testing “more like this” buttons. And Yelp sued Google, it is getting spicy. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

SPONSOR: This week's video recap is sponsored by Semrush: Make sure to check out Semrush's global marketing conference, Spotlight. At Spotlight you will be able to get answers to the toughest marketing challenges you’re facing. Spotlight will be on October 30th in Amsterdam this year. You can learn more at SpotlightConf.com.

0:00 - Introduction

0:51 - Google August Core Update Helpful Content Surge Charts

1:51 - Google August 2024 Core Update Impact Poll Results

2:58 - Google Now May Use Your OG Title For Title Links Search Snippets

3:22 - Google Overhauls Video SEO Docs With More Details

3:45 - Google Updates Organization Markup Search Docs To Clarify Logo & Other Usage

4:10 - Google: We Generally Don't Try Variations Of URLs

4:43 - Google: We Don't Count Words Or Links On Your Blog Posts

5:34 - Google: Sending Bad Actor Traffic To A Site Doesn't Hurt Its Search Rankings

6:04 - AWS S3 Blocked Googlebot From My Image URLs - Here Is My Recovery

7:21 - Google Ads Gains Shopping Trends, Sync, AI & More Ad Features

8:10 - Tag Diagnostics & New Consent Management Setup In Google

8:50 - Google Ads Accidentally Releases Internal Tools

9:15 - Google Merging Booking On Google Business Profiles & Local Services Ads

9:48 - Google Local Service Ads Review Links Expiring, Business Profiles Reviews Will Remain

10:22 - Google Business Profile Appeals Delayed Over 7 Days

10:54 - Google Local Panel Maps Tests Expanding In Search Results

11:09 - Google Search Tests From Your Notifications Box

11:48 - Google Tests New Default Favicon Designs

12:05 - Google Shopping Carousel More Like This Button

12:20 - Yelp Sues Google Over Unfair Advantage In Local Search

13:02 - Conclusion 

Yandex sued Google, the search marketing industry found it funny. Google has a new tag diagnostic and consent management setup for Google Ads. Google says it does not count words or links on a page. Google is unifying booking on Google Business Profiles and Google Local Service Ads.

Please take my poll on the Google August core update - over here. Google Ads accidentally released an "internal tools" button. Google issued Google Discover manual action policy violations. Google Local Service Ads review links are expiring soon. Google Ads added new shopping trends reports, new AI features and more.

Amazon Web Services blocked Googlebot from my images, I posted a short case study on the issue. Google updated the organization structured data. SEO threats industry survey and AI legislation.

I posted some examples of some of the surges some are seeing after the Google August core update, specifically those hit by the September helpful content update. We spoke about Hardbacon's sad story. Google may now use your OG title for your title tag in Google Search. Google overhauled its SEO video documentation after a lot of confusion. The appeal process for Google Business Profiles is very delayed.

Google’s larger search ranking bug was fixed four days after the issue was confirmed. Google’s August core update continues to roll out, some hit by the helpful content update are seeing some surges, but Google says wait until the update is complete. Meanwhile, we saw some potential reversals of some of those surges a day later. GA4 stopped showing data this morning for yesterday and today, it is a bug. One site announced bankruptcy the day before the core update was released, and then their traffic surged back. Google also is showing the rich result thumbnails after the core update and sites hit by the core update may also notice their links drop out of the AI Overviews. Google updated its search appearance Search Console documentation. Google also spoke about the discovered - currently not indexed and why it may occur. Google said unanswered comments aren’t a bad thing for Google Search. Google also said many noindex or nofollow links are not necessarily bad. Google is migrating all merchants to Merchant Center Next in September. Google Ads had a bug with attributing traffic to a legacy smart matching type. Google emailed advertisers about the shopping ads bug, asking some to delete data that is not there. Google is testing snippet hover-over effects. Google is also testing verification badges in the organic search results. Google is testing a new local pack user experience. Google Maps has a new design within the search results. We spotted another hidden gems search feature. And Bing image search has refinement cards done well. 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. Check out the upcoming DudCon - I'll be speaking there!

0:00 - Introduction

0:57 - Google Search Ranking Issue Fixed After 4+ Days

1:38 - Some Google Helpful Content Update Resurrections With August Core Update

2:58 - Google: Wait Until The August Core Update Is Complete To See Effects

3:45 - Reports: Some Google August Core Update Gains Vanishing In Past 24 Hours

4:20 - Google Analytics Missing Data From Yesterday/Data

4:58 - Hardbacon Announced Closure Day Before August Core Update, Then Sees Traffic Surge

6:08 - Thumbnails Back In Google Search Result Snippets For Many

6:46 - Seems Like Google AI Overviews Are Impacted By Core Updates

7:16 - Google Search Console Search Appearances Documentation Updated

7:31 - Google Discovered - Currently Not Indexed - Quality, Timing Or Server Speed

7:58 - Google: Unanswered Comments Don't Hurt Your Google Search Rankings

8:12 - Google: Many Noindex & Nofollows Do Not Signal Site Quality Issues

8:28 - Google Migrating All To Merchant Center Next By Next Month 

8:49 - Google Ads Bug Attributes Traffic To Legacy Smart Matching Type

9:44 - Google Emails Advertisers On Ad Bug & Asked Advertisers To Delete Your Ad Data

10:16 - Google Testing Search Snippet Hover Background Colors

10:30 - Google Tests Verification Icons For Free Search Result Listings

10:45 - Google Search Local Pack UX Update

10:59 - New Google Maps Design Within Google Search Results

11:13 - Google Search Hidden Gems Refinement Box

11:26 - Bing Images Search Refinement Cards

11:34 - Conclusion 

Now we are seeing some early reports of those early August core update gains are being reversed, for some. A new report says if you want links in Google AI Overviews, then you need to rank well organically. Google Ads bug attributed traffic to a legacy match bidding type. Google is testing verification icons on organic search results.

Google told us to wait until the August core update is done rolling out to see how we were impacted, maybe because of that ranking bug overlap. Google AI Overview inclusion is impacted by Google core updates. Google spoke about why you may see the discovered - currently not indexed note in Google Search Console. Google Ads has an ad recommendations report bug. And OpenAI is making more content licensing deals.

Google fixed the search ranking bug after four-plus days. Google emailed advertisers that had their ads running on other advertisers' accounts about how they are protecting their privacy, asking them to remove the data. And we spoke about the possibility of a one billion dollar SEM agency.

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

Google released the August core update; we are seeing some resurrections from the helpful content update with that. Or maybe it is the ranking bug? Also, thumbnails are returning for some publishers. Google released AI Overviews in more places, also the links changes are live and it is positive to see zero traffic loses from them. Google is testing some new UX changes in search. Plus, Google Ads limited policy is out in the wild.