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 experiments sometimes cause problems for Google Search and they need to revert them. Google Business Profile websites now 404. Google Ads it testing new call and location extension formats. Google is testing a new from sources across the web snippets. SEO bloggers are the reason Googler’s don’t share as much, sorry. Plus, I posted the SEO video recap (in a daze).
Google Search had more weekend volatility, surprise, surprise. Google responded more to the search leak around Navboost, clicks and user interactions. I interviewed Google’s Elizabeth Tucker on the March core update and much more. Google said you can recover from the helpful content update after a core update…
Google: Sometimes Search Experiments Conflict Causing Issues
In the last Search Off The Record podcast, Gary Illyes from the Google Search team said that sometimes issues can arise within the Google Search results due to two experiments that conflict with each other. He said at the 19:41 mark, “Very often there are experiments that need to be rolled back because two experiments might interact very badly with each other.”
Google Business Profiles Websites No Longer Load – 404
Google Business Profiles websites, which stopped loading websites and began redirecting to the Google Business Profiles listing on Google Maps now completely 404 – as expected. It was supposed to stop working completely this past Sunday, but it did not stop working until later this week.
Google Tests New Call & Location Extension Ad Format
Google may be testing a new call extension and location extension ad format. This format shows up as a carousel of links or buttons that you can scroll through below the ad snippet in the search results.
Google Tests Multiple Featured Snippets Under From Sources Across The Web
Google is testing a new look for the “from sources across the web” search results feature. This one looks like the multiple features snippets look, with the perspectives design, but is titled under the “from sources across the web” search results.
I’m The Reason Googlers Don’t Reply With Nuance
Did you know that SEO bloggers, like myself, are the reason you see fewer and less nuanced responses from Google Search reps? John Mueller from Google said so on Reddit, where he wrote, “Love the SEO news/bloggers, but it also means I can’t reply to things with nuance publicly.”
Stan, the Google dinosaur, has a baby in its mouth, as if it is eating the baby. Stan is the Google dinosaur that is located at the GooglePlex, the Google Mountain View offices in California.
In talking with the recipe team, we think ratings probably mean more to readers if they’re associated with something more than just the rating alone. In particular, readers probably appreciate ratings that a, Google SearchLiaison on X
Seems like there was a big issue with GA4 while I was offline – it also seems the issue was just resolved, Barry Schwartz on X
Analytics
Industry & Business
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
SEO
How to Build a Strong Brand Moat With SEO, Moz
SEO Strategy in 2024: Industry Study Insights to Consider, Ignite Visibility
The “Why” Behind Major SERP Traffic Dips in SaaS and Beyond, Foundation Inc
5 Ways to Increase User Experience Satisfaction with a Better SEO Strategy, Capture Commerce
Adjusting SEO Tactics After The Google API Exposure, Location3 Media
David Vs. Goliath [Part 2]: Algorithm Updates Have Become The Biggest Risk In SEO, Search Engine Journal
How SEO Marketers Can Move Beyond Checklists, Amsive
Is Google S.E.O. Gaslighting the Internet?, The New Yorker
The 6 Biggest SEO Challenges You’ll Face in 2024, Ahrefs
Why Downplaying Branded Keywords is Costing You Big, SERP’s Up SEO Podcast
PPC
Google’s breaking down, but we need to keep our eye on the ball, Check My Ads
TikTok comes for Google as it quietly rolls out image search capabilities in TikTok Shop, TechCrunch
Upcoming Workshop: Performance Max and the Google Ads API, Google Ads Developer Blog
All Your GML 2024 Questions Answered – with Ginny Marvin of Google Ads, PPCChat
Batch processing support for Performance Max, Google Ads Developer Blog
As Google Targets Advertisers, It Could Learn a Lot From Bing, Wired
The Google Ads Auction Exposed: Antitrust Trial Revelations – Part 1, PPC Hero
What you can do with Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
Other Search
Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, on Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky and you can follow us on Facebook and on Google News and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or just contact us the old fashion way.
