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 Home & Assistant Listings May Need Google Guaranteed Label
You've seen the Google local services ads before, they have the Google Guarantee label on them. But when the Google Assistant started showing ads, people asked how does one not pay to show up in the local listings if you need the guarantee label but those come from local services ads. - Google: Nofollow Link Attribute Is Working Fairly Well
Google's John Mueller said on Twitter that the nofollow link attribute has been and still is working fairly well. He added hasn't "seen many cases of sites causing themselves significant issues, or of pages not getting credit in quite some time." - Google: AJAX/XHR Calls Can Impact Crawl Budget
Google's Gary Illyes posted on Twitter this morning that he updated the crawl budget post from January 2017 to explicitly say that AJAX (i.e. XHR) calls were added to the list of things that will consume your site's crawl budget. - Google Search Console Coverage Report Delayed 16 Days & Counting
It is now 16 days and counting since the Google Search Console Coverage report has been updated. Two-weeks later than the normal two-day delay and there is no end in sight. I've been seeing complaints pointed at Google's John Mueller on Twitter with zero response. - Google My Business: POI Establishment Category
I am seeing reports of business owners and local SEOs saying they are seeing a new category being added to some of the business listings they manage. The category is called POI Establishment and folks are confused what this is about, espesially because it can be mixed with their real categories, like barber shop, hair salon, etc. - Views From Google Milan Office
Here is a photo of one of the views from the Google office in Milan, Italy. It was posted by Doug Stevenson on Twitter, Doug is a Google Developer Advocate with Google Firebase.
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Google Search Console sporadic Page Resource Inspection Errors, WebmasterWorld
- AdSense reinstated, but current balance is 0, WebmasterWorld
- E.U. Endorse WiFi-Based Standard for Cars, WebmasterWorld
- Google backs away from crippling web advert, content filters, WebmasterWorld
- How can improved UX produce conversion rates of up to 400%❓Join Google’s Mobile UX Marathon 🏃♀️ to gain the latest knowledge, tips and tricks. Register now https://t.co/CGmqAnbpUJ. #mUXmarathon, #MobileUX… https://, Google Ads on Twitter
- IIt sounds like what you're seeing is that we sometimes pick the old URLs as canonicals - that wouldn't be from this kind of issues. Usually that's due to more basic difficulties (redirects, internal/external links, sitemaps, re, John Mueller on Twitter
- Oh, and if you're not in the UK but want to see the Google Doodle for St. George's Day, this URL should render it for you: https://t.co/ecGFNV82Vl… https://t.co/BitSQIb7MB, Danny Sullivan on Twitter
- This API is just for a very limited set of use-cases at the moment, I don't see that changing in the short term. That said, tell me more about your use-case!… https://t.co/5q374guMF7, John Mueller on Twitter
- Usually you can't control who links to you - and if it happens to be a site in another language, that's fine. However, if you're the person adding these links to other sites, pointing at your site, then your adding the links mi, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google starts showing more images in the web search results
- The time has come to optimize for IRLs rather than URLs
- A new customer experience, how AI is changing marketing
- Google takes baby steps to monetize Google Assistant, Google Home
- New Google smart bidding signals coming: price competitiveness, seasonality for Shopping campaigns
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Data & travel digital marketing automation, Think with Google
- Using Alerts in Google Analytics for Slow Site Speeds, Practical Ecommerce
- Google Analytics for PWAs: Tracking offline behaviour and more, Builtvisible
Industry & Business
- Being a mom is hard work. Becoming one is, too., Google Blog
- Steps toward a more sustainable future, Google Blog
- We Surveyed 1,400 Searchers About Google - Here's What We Learned, Moz
- Do we need a Public Web Index?, SISTRIX
- Even Google employees don't know who runs Google, Mike Elgan
Links & Promotion Building
- Content Marketing Priorities: Your Top Three, Stone Temple
- Will Nofollowed Internal Links Impact Your SEO?, Search Engine Journal
Local & Maps
- Bing Maps will now allow you to access traffic camera images in real-time, MSPoweruser
- Finding a place to charge your EV is easy with Google Maps, Google Blog
- How is Activity from the Local 3-Pack Tracked in Search Console? 4 Things to Know in 2019, Sterling Sky Inc
Mobile & Voice
- Go green with your Google Assistant, Google Blog
- Google Assistant adds native support for Rachio, LeakSmart, and other sprinklers and leak detectors, Android Police
- How to use Siri to search the web, iMore
SEO
- A quick guide to Google Search Console, Hallam
- Restaurant Local SEO: The Google Characteristics of America’s Top-Ranked Eateries, Moz
PPC
- Announcing Google Ads API Doctor, Google Ads Developer Blog
- Marin Software Research Reveals Shifting Patterns in Digital Ad Spend, PR Newswire
Search Features
- Improving our mobile layout, Google Custom Search
- Will Microsoft Start Displaying Entity Information in Browsers?, Go Fish Digital
- Google improves Knowledge Graph search cards: Material refresh, additional information, more tabs, Android Police
- How to Disable Bing Search in Windows 10 – Easy Method, Uber Gizmo
