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: The Page Experience Update Won't Be A Massive Change To Start
Google's Danny Sullivan said to start, when the Page Experience Update rolls out, it won't be a massive change. It might grow in terms of importance over the years. But to start, Danny said "it shouldn't be the case that overnight, we flip some type of switch and there's a massive change." - Google: We Don't Announce Deprecating Ranking Signals
Has there been a time where Google has said they no longer use a specific ranking signal? I mean, they said this like 20 years ago with maybe the meta keywords tag? Google said this with rel next/prev, Google News stock tickers and keywords, and some other things. But generally, it is rare to see Google say we no longer use X as a ranking signal. - Google Adjusted Its Search Algorithm Due To SEO Gaming Four Or Five Times In 10 Years
One other little tidbit or nugget from the Search Central Live event was that Gary answered how many times Google changed its search algorithm due to SEOs gaming the system. Gary said in the past ten years, he thinks it was about four or five times, that he can remember. - Google To Discontinue Showcase Shopping Ads On April 1st
Google will sunset and stop supporting the Showcase Shopping Ads it initially announced about two years ago. Google said "starting April 1, 2021, Showcase Shopping ad groups will be removed and will stop serving your ads. Performance data for removed ads and ad groups will still be available in account reports." - Google Showing Fewer Featured Snippets Since February 19th
Google seems to be showing fewer featured snippets in the search results since February 19, 2021. All three tools that I am aware that track featured snippets all showed a significant decline in the percentage of search results with featured snippets. - The Google Usability Van
Here is a photo from a few years ago of one of the usability vans at the GooglePlex, the main Google offices in California. Google use to drive these around asking folks if they want to do usability s
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- It's a domain move like any other. There's no special bonus from either a ".org.uk" or a ".com", they're just TLDs. The main difference is that the .org.uk is a ccTLD and .com is a GTLD., John Mueller on Twitter
- If it's not a proper meta tag, then we won't recognize it. HTML gives a lot of flexibility, but it really needs the right attributes & values too., John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Search may be showing featured snippets less often
- Google set to deprecate Showcase Shopping ads on April 1
- A few pointers from the pros during SMX Report; Wednesday’s daily brief
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- How to analyze data and create reports with Google Analytics 4 with Charles Farina, Supermetrics
- How To Watch Google Analytics Heat Map 2021 Tips, Bollyinside
Industry & Business
- Australia passes law forcing Google and Facebook to pay news publications, CNET
- Brainlabs acquires CRO agency User Conversion, Brainlabs
- French antitrust investigators say Google breached its orders on talks with news publishers - sources, Reuters
Links & Content Marketing
- Google: Quality, not quantity is what matters for links, SISTRIX
- What is a Content Hub (And What Can it Do for Your Business)?, Didit
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
- Google Assistant lockscreen commands add new cards, 9to5Google
- Voiceflow Extends Beyond Alexa and Google Assistant with New Solutions to Design, Prototype and Launch Voice Experiences Across Conversational Channels, Voicebot
SEO
- Why is this site not ranking for its brand name? The mysterious case of an adult eCommerce store’s issues with Google., Marie Haynes Consulting
- Report: Q4 2020 Google trends for universities and colleges, Vertical Leap
- The Potential Impact of Gen Z on SEO, Moz
PPC
- 4 Best YouTube Retargeting Strategies, PPC Hero
- February 2021 update to Display & Video 360 API v1, Google Ads Developer Blog
- How to best use PPC in 2021 to acquire high-value gamers, Receptional
- Important policy update: Shopping ads referencing the US presidential election, Google Merchant Center Help
