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.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Releases First Public Search Update Preview: "Caffeine" Update
Normally, when we discuss Google updates, they are done without confirmation from Google. The search results on Google.com shift around, webmasters take notice and the update is named. Sometimes, Google confirms the major update and sometimes not. But never do we have Google create a sandbox (preview) area for us to test the update prior to it reaching the main Google.com results. At least, not until today. Google has announced the "Caffeine" update and gave - Google News Still Showing Old News?
Last year, Google News made their own top news after displaying an United Airlines article, which was very outdated, causing the airlines stock price to drop. The issue was that Google picked up a date on the article that seemed recent and thus thought the story was a new story. Well, this happens every now and then with Google and reportedly has been happening more often. I have noticed a few recent threads with complaints - Google PageRank Distribution Data Not Available For Many in Webmaster Tools
Many webmasters and SEOs are reporting seeing an issue with the PageRank distribution report in Google Webmaster Tools. If you login and click on crawl stats, and then scroll to the bottom, you may or may not see data. I personally do not see any data for this site. In fact, for me it reads: No data available. Please check back soon. JohnMu from Google confirmed the issue in a Google Webmaster Help thread saying: - Google Help Forums Get A Redesign
Less than a year after launching the new help forums, Google has redesigned them. The main differences are: Forum landing page, displaying categories by default and not topicsCleaning up the thread listing pagesRemoved the "announcements" sectionOther misc changes Here is a screen shot of the new look: I also have a screen shot of the old thread view page, which shows the major difference between the two: If you need to see a full size
SES SJ Day 1 Coverage:
- Launching a Global Website
- Keeping it Local: The Convergence of Smart Phones & Local Search
- Meaningful SEO Metrics: Going Beyond the Numbers
- SEO Tools of the Trade: What's in YOUR Toolbox?
- Don't Call it a Comeback: Semantic Technology and Search
- How to Turn Your Web Analytics into a Money Making Machine
- Turning the Social Web Into Real ROI
- Turn Brain Science into Bucks: Incorporating Persuasive Messaging into Your Content Strategy
- The Next Wave for Online Video
- Creating a Web Analytics Culture
- The View From the CMO's Office
- Always be Testing: Marketing Optimization in Challenging Times
- How to Optimize for Search and Engage the Community
- Keynote: Clay Shirky, Author of Here Comes Everybody
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Optimising For Google Gets New Arena, Cre8asite Forums
- URL Shortener Tr.im to Shut Down, WebmasterWorld
- AdSense on Facebook, Google AdSense Help
- Anyone else seen this unusal behaviour in UK Google SERPs?, WebmasterWorld
- Check out the new Local Business Center Newsletter to find new Tips & Tricks for optimizing your listing, Google Maps Help
- I used "Change of Address" and my site is now dropping out of SERPs, Google Webmaster Help
- Is It Worth Adding Content For Unrelated Keyword?, Cre8asite Forums
- The "My Library" feature has lost some of my books., Google Web Search Help
- Where's Latitude gone?, Google Mobile Help
