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: Links From Non-English Languages Are Not Unnatural Links
This may be filed under the super obvious category but John Mueller from Google confirmed that you do not need to disavow links to your site just because those links come from pages that are in your language. So if you write in English and a site in Spanish links to you, that doesn't make the link a bad link. - Google Tests Larger Messaging Buttons In Local Panels
Joy Hawkins who follows the local SEO beat really closely spotted a new interface treatment that really calls out the messaging functionality within the Google local panels. The new button to message a local business, when available, is massive compared to when it first launched. - Google Tests More Movie & TV Streaming Options In Search
Google in November 2017 began showing movies and TV shows to watch on YouTube and other providers directly in search. Now, it seems Google is pushing that a bit more with the ability to add more streaming providers and testing new interfaces for it. - A Google Bike On A Transit Bus
Louis Gray from Google has collected many Google bikes he spotted off the Google Campus and returned many of them to Google. Supposedly it is a thing for people in the area to steal Google bikes. Her - Google's John Mueller Helping Webmasters On New Years
Just like this past Christmas, Google's John Mueller on New Years even and day is out helping webmasters and SEOs with their Google related issues. He posted several times over the New Years break. - New Year Day Logos & Themes From Google, Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, Sogou & More
Happy New Years everyone - here is to an awesome, successful, healthy, happy and consistent 2019! See what I did there? Anyway, today is New Years and to celebrate, the search engines have special logos and themes up.
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- January 2019 AdSense Earnings & Observations, WebmasterWorld
- Should I be encouraging customers to leave a review on GMB, Local Search Forum
- Sulvo test run, 9/27/18 - 10/12/18, WebmasterWorld
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google search tests new interface for movie, TV show streaming options
- Google emphasizes ‘Message this business’ in new local search test
- Google’s Mueller spent New Year’s helping SEOs tackle hacked content, slow website issues
- What you need to know about Yelp’s latest update dubbed ‘Ghost’
- Shopping ads for the small budget: Here’s what to expect in 2019
- 2019 in search: Find your seamlessness
- ‘Hey Alexa, how do I get my product visible in Amazon search in 2019?’
- Google Shopping is largest growth opportunity for most online retailers in 2019
- Bing Ads offers agencies chance at prizes for accreditation, new accounts, more
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
- Tell Google Assistant to 'make a donation' and it will, Engadget
- How Popular is Voice Search?, HigherVisibility
SEO
- December 14, 2018 - Google Help Hangout Notes, Marie Haynes Consulting
- How to Research, Monitor, and Optimize for Questions, Moz
- SEO in 2019: Improve, improve, improve, Yoast
PPC
- Announcing the Engage with Bing sweepstakes, Bing Ads Blog
