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 Showing Product Image Thumbnails In Search Snippets More Often
Over the past couple of days I am seeing more reports of people seeing Google multiple display product image thumbnails throughout the mobile search results snippets. Not just a few but in excess. Yes, Google does show product image thumbnails in the snippets, they have been for years, but it seems like Google may be dialing it up to show more. - Creepy: Google Maps Street View Images For Service Area Home Businesses
Google lets businesses that do not want to display their addresses (like home based businesses) on Google Maps or Google Search the ability to label their business as "service level businesses." But starting last Friday according to Tricia Clements (@yourbizwatchdog) Google is now showing the street views for these businesses, which is obviously scary, creepy and not what these businesses owners want. - Google Search Console Security Notice For SharedArrayBuffers
Yesterday, Google sent out a slew of notifications through Google Search Console about security or web compatibility issues upcoming with the site and Chrome 91. The email says there are new requirements for SharedArrayBuffers (SABs). - Google On When To Canonical Category Landing Pages To Others: It Depends.
There is a nice chat recorded in the last Google webmaster hangout between Mihai Aperghis and with Google's John Mueller. Where they talked about the times you canonical a URL to another to consolidate signals but those URLs have different content on them. - Google Local Pack Showing Menu Highlights
Google in the local pack is now expanding its "justifications" (weird word for this) to show not just general justifications about the business and not just what is on the menu but highlights from the menu. Luca Bove noticed this and Mike Blumenthal pointed it out, that this is new. - Google Chateau Montagne Vue Wine
Chris Silver Smith shared this photo with me on Twitter a while back, it got lost in the archives, but it is 100% worth sharing as a photo of the day here. This is Google bottled wine, they even name
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- After months of stalling, Google finally revealed how much personal data they collect in Chrome and the Google app. No wonder they wanted to hide it. Spying on users has nothing to do with building a great web browser or searc, DuckDuckGo on Twitter
- In your experience, what works best to encourage developers to engage & listen to SEO advice?, John Mueller on Twitter
- We don't use it, but it wouldn't cause any problems if you implemented it., John Mueller on Twitter
- I think that might be fine but it's definitely not valid HTML (Google doesn't care too much, but it's just not good practice), Martin Splitt on Twitter
- We just don't have all logos, if that's what you're referring to. Sites can specify logos using https://t.co/SBmV8LiVGp if they'd like to do so. Since users are usually looking for more information, not jus, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- In the story of David and Goliath, be David: How to Amazon-proof your business
- Google tests displaying cost estimates in local search results
- FLoC is coming — Here’s what we know so far
- Google, Microsoft throw down the gauntlet and why Excel is the foundation of SaaS; Monday’s daily brief
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Data Import for Google Analytics GA4 Is a Workflow Boon, CMSWire
- Why now is the time to move to Google Analytics 4, Vertical Leap
Industry & Business
- Why the Next Big-Tech Fights Are in State Capitals, Wall Street Journal
Links & Content Marketing
- 3 Link Building Best Practices for Outreach in Times of Crisis, Search Engine Journal
Local & Maps
- Apple working on live status updates for businesses in Apple Maps, Appleinsider
- Deconstructing Google’s Local Guides and Photo Updates Post, Near Media
Mobile & Voice
- New AirPods Pro 'Jump' ad highlights activity and noise cancelling, AppleInsider
- SMBs or Amazon, HopePod Is Dead, iOS Privacy Screens, Near Media
- Apple looking beyond the norm for AR with research on force feedback socks, AppleInsider
SEO
- How The New York Times Wins At SEO Key Webinar Takeaways, Botify
- LiveBlogPosting Schema: A Powerful Tool for Top Stories Success, Moz
PPC
- 15 Ways to Audit Your Google Ads Account Post-COVID, WordStream
- 5 Ways AI Can Improve Your Paid Ads Campaigns, PPC Hero
- Do Amazon ads bring in more cash than AWS?, Benedict Evans
- Securing Google Publisher Tags with Content Security Policy, Google Ads Developer Blog
- Two New Tools to Help you Navigate the Modified Broad to Phrase Match Changes in Google Ads, Adalysis
Other Search
- Google, HTTPS, and device compatibility, Google Online Security Blog
