Daily Search Forum Recap: April 3, 2024

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.

Google's March core update is still rolling out and somewhat heated volatility. Google is testing next toggle buttons for local listings. Microsoft says SEOs don't realize Bing's full usage and reach. Google Ads call us with text or email in addition to the QR code. Microsoft Advertising has max conversion value for all search campaigns.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• 29 Days In The Google March 2024 Core Update Is Still Rolling Out
  It is now four weeks and one day since the Google March 2024 core update started rolling out, 29 days since it started and yes, it is not done rolling out yet. Google's Danny Sullivan and John Mueller both confirmed that yesterday, even though Google's search status dashboard says the same thing.
• Microsoft's Fabrice Canel: SEOs Don't Realize Bing Search Usage
  Fabrice Canel, the Principal Product Manager at Microsoft Bing, said, "Bing usage extends beyond what many search engine optimizers (SEOs) may realize." He is basically saying that Bing Search is more important than most of us are giving them and maybe we should consider Bing more when it comes to investing in our efforts
• Google Local Panel Results Tests Toggle To Next Result
  Google is testing an arrow to toggle to the next local pack listing in the search results. This next button or toggle shows up after you click on an individual local listing in the Google Search results. Then you can click to the next one or swipe to the next one if you are on mobile.
• Max Conversion Value Available For Microsoft Advertising Search Campaigns
  Microsoft announced a number of new Microsoft Advertising features, including that maximize conversion value is now available for search campaigns; previously, it was only available for shopping search campaigns. Also, Microsoft announced Microsoft Click ID, AI image cropping, and the hotel center deprecation date.
• Google Ads Extension With Call Us; Text Or Email To Call
  Google Ads has this feature for call us extensions to scan to call, where Google shows you a QR code on the screen that you can scan from your phone to call. Now Google is testing to send this number to your phone via text or email.
• Super G Google Logo Donut Board
  Google loves their donut boards and here is one with the super G Google logo with donuts hanging on it. This is from Google Sydney office from last November, I recently spotted it on Instagram.

Other Great Search Threads:

• Excited to share I’ve joined @Google to lead product for AI Studio and support the Gemini API. Lots of hard work ahead, but we are going to make Google the best home for developers building with AI. I’m not going to settle, Logan Kilpatrick on X
• I was in the beta for this. Great addition by Google -> Dig deeper with Fact Check Explorer (now for images!) "And now you can use Fact Check Explorer to find out more about an image. Previously in beta, this feature lets you upload, Glenn Gabe on X
• If you use a CDN set to be aggressive about handling bots, Googlebot won't be able to get through - and nothing will get indexed. *cough* @Cloudflare, John on X
• It feels like there's something cut off on top of the screenshot, but in product search, ads are marked as ads. And yes, you can track them in Search Console; some people use tracking parameters in their merchant center feed., John Mueller on X
• Nothing has changed with the "Sponsored" ad label or business information displaying in Search ads (https://t.co/cYsvNJE11u). Anthony, if you're still experiencing these issues, p, AdsLiaison on X
• Shopping Graph Optimization as the new focus for ecommerce SEO in times of SGE, Olaf Kopp on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• YouTube unveils 3 new updates, including live stream reaction analytics
• Daily Mail publisher introduces new social-first video ads
• Instagram Stories: 6 tips to boost engagement
• 7 must-know marketing attribution definitions to avoid getting gamed
• How to use Google Gemini to improve SEO operational efficiency
• How to improve your SaaS onboarding experience to retain more customers
• Microsoft expands Maximum Conversion Value to more campaign types

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

• Google gives Universal Analytics shutdown 1 July deadline, Biz Community

Industry & Business

• Apple, Google again lose lawsuit challenging US patent-review policy, Reuters
• More on the EU’s Market Might, Daring Fireball
• Yahoo is acquiring Artifact to bring its AI features to Yahoo News, The Verge
• Building the processes for marketing agency efficiency, SERP's Up SEO Podcast

Links & Content Marketing

• Website content tip: Use Google search filters for topic ideas, SearchLab Digital
• Content Marketing Insights: Understanding 5 Types for Success, DMNews
• Want More Referral Traffic? Don’t Overlook These Sites, Content Marketing Institute
• Why influencer marketing is critical in B2B, MarTech

Local & Maps

• 5 reasons why I use Waze over Google Maps, Pocket Lint
• Google Maps on Apple CarPlay is a disaster, 9to5Google
• ‘He didn’t stop’: Google extortion scheme targets local businesses, Local 10

Mobile & Voice

• Do Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant Use AI?, Make Use Of
• First developer beta of visionOS 1.2 is now available, AppleInsider
• Spatial Personas Make Apple Vision Pro a Less Isolating Experience, Inverse
• Google is now rolling out the April 2024 update for Pixel devices, Android Authority

SEO

• Update: Loyalty program now available in Japan, Google Merchant Center Help
• What Is SEO?, BruceClay
• Soft 404s: The Server Header Status Code Chain that Hurts SEO, JumpFly
• Yoast SEO 22.4: Better performance and product schema update, Yoast

PPC

• Content API for Shopping: Automatic Quota, Google Ads Developer Blog

Search Features

• Bringing the latest capabilities to Copilot for Microsoft 365 customers, Microsoft 365 Blog

Feedback:

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