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: We Do Core Search Updates 2-4 Times Per Year; With Many Smaller Updates
Danny Sullivan from Google again said that while Google makes changes in search "each day" the broad core algorithm updates only happen two to four times per year. He said on Twitter "we do make small changes each day to search. It's a continual process of improvement. Our core updates only happen 2-4 times per year." - New: Google My Business Provider
Google has launched a new local Google My Business initiative named My Business Provider. This essentially lets other companies or organizations help verify businesses and organizations they work with in Google My Business. In short, it is a way to allow others to add existing verified businesses to Google My Business. - Google Search Console Notifications Of Chrome Warnings For Old TLS
Google is sending out notifications to webmasters if they are running TLS 1.1 or lower. The notification isn't that Google search will rank the site lower or delist the site but rather Chrome, Google's browser will show a "not secure" warning to users if the site is running anything less than TLS 1.2. - Vlog #37: John Morabito On Branded Search
I met with John Morabito (@johnmorabitoseo) at Stella Rising in NYC, he is the director of SEO at that agency. The agency he is working at was acquired during his tenure there. Prior to that he worked as a graphic designer... - Fun: Google My Business Support Tries To Help Danny Sullivan.
You know how when someone asks one Googler a question and that Google doesn't know the answer, so they CC another to help. Well, sometimes Googlers don't know Googlers and the get confused. Here is Danny Sullivan, a Googler, CCing Google My Business support to help a business. - Google Ring Chair Swing
Here are numerous photos of people at the Google Austin office sitting and swinging on a ring chair swing. It has a nice view and it seems to be a spot a lot of people like to take photos at.
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Q: How many of these Google listings do you think are ads? (poll in next tweet in this thread) https://t.co/NEuRH8n20J, dan barker on Twitter
- Parallel tracking for Video campaigns now available, becomes mandatory March 31, 2020. https://t.co/aTjpT2hHKk, Google Ads Announcements on Twitter
- GMB Redressal Form Updated - Clarifies what to NOT submit., Local Search Forum
- Google Really Pushing Competitor Listings on Knowledge Panels and Branded Searches, Local Search Forum
- Google Wants to Freeze and Unify Browser User Agent String, WebmasterWorld
- No. It's good to clean up for your users though, obviously., John Mueller on Twitter
- Search Console explained: discover everything you need to know in the new Search Console Training video series by @danielwaisberg - learn more & watch some videos at https://t.co/8IkhduSsnH https://t.co/RXPlkrhFZW, Google Webmasters on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- SMX Overtime: When to use PPC automation (and when not to)
- Google buys Pointy to bring SMB store inventory online
- Google Ads enables bid simulator for Target ROAS, budget simulator for Maximize clicks, conversions
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- 17 Helpful Google Analytics Custom Dimensions For Analyzing Website Traffic, Databox Blog
- Expert Guide to Product Page Analysis in Google Analytics, Online Metrics
- Getting started with Google Tag Manager, Jacob Martella
- How to Implement Google Optimize with Google Tag Manager, Optiweb
Industry & Business
- Hipmunk Says Goodbye, Tailwind by Hipmunk
Links & Promotion Building
- How Google Nofollow Rule Changes Digital PR, State of Digital
Local & Maps
- Helping local businesses showcase products online with Pointy, Google Blog
- How Google May Map Image Queries, Go Fish Digital
- Google maps tips and tricks: Google Maps can warn you if your driver is going off-route, here’s how to activate, Gadgets Now
Mobile & Voice
- Enroll in the new Advanced Protection Program in an instant, Google Blog
- Google Assistant On Wear OS Stops Working After Google App Update, Android Headlines
- These Alexa and Google Assistant skills will keep your kids entertained all day long, Reviewed Smart Home
SEO
- 5 reasons why your site isn’t showing up on Google, Yoast
- Before You Kill That Mobile Subdomain..., Local SEO Guide
- Machine Learning for SEO: Solving Practical Problems with AI, Builtvisible
- SEO + CRO: A Match Made In Website ROI Heaven, Botify
- The Search Console Training video series is rolling out, Official Google Webmaster Central Blog
PPC
- 5 Tips for Better PPC Budgeting in 2020, WordStream
- Building a more private web: A path towards making third party cookies obsolete, Chromium Blog
- Parallel tracking for Video campaigns now available, Google Ads Help
- 3 Things an SEO Learned During Her First PPC Campaign Build, Seer Interactive
- Images Are Going To Infiltrate Search [Video], PPC Hero
- Making your performance reporting more reliable, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
Other Search
- Google wants to phase out support for third-party cookies in Chrome within two years, TechCrunch
- The Pros & Cons of Confirmation Bias for Marketers, RankRanger
- What Do High-Performance E-Commerce Websites Do Differently? Results from the 2020 KPI Study, Moz
- Why it’s important to do usability testing, Hallam