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:
- May 22nd Google Algorithm Update Is Off The Charts
There is yet another Google search algorithm ranking update that seems to be going on - it touched down yesterday, Saturday May 22nd. The tracking tools are off the charts, all of them, showing changes in the Google Search results that I have not seen before in a long time. This is at the levels of a core update or the old Penguin and Panda updates. - Google: Creating Unrelated Content To Build Links Is A "Wasted Opportunity"
Google's John Mueller was asked if it is against Google's webmaster guidelines to create a blog and build content that is unrelated to your business, with the sole intent of building links. John said no, it is not against Google's guidelines but that the whole thing is a "wasted opportunity." - Punctuation After A Link Bad For Google Ranking? Nope.
Here is a new question I have never heard before in the SEO space. Someone asked if "adding punctuation after a link is somehow bad for SEO." He said he heard this as a rumor and didn't know if there is any truth to this. The truth is, this is a myth and this is not true. - Google Tests Trending Searches On Google Mobile Home Page
Last week I saw a bunch of people notice Google showing a trending searches box on the Google Search home page. We saw this in the auto-complete results and in Google Discover results, but I don't think I've seen it as a standalone feature on the Google home page. - Google: Complaining On Twitter About Content Not Being Indexed Won't Help
Googlers are often being asked about why content on specific websites do not rank or are not indexed. In this last case, John Mueller of Google responded to one request saying "We just don't index all content - complaining about it on Twitter won't change that." - Vlog #121: Mike McPeak On SEO In A Low Tech Space & Markets With Low Volume Keywords
In part one we spoke about learning SEO on the job and then here spoke about about the topic of doing marketing and SEO for a company that is in a low tech space. He said a lot of it was not just about basic technical SEO on his web site but also the content... - GoogleBot & BingBot Brand SERP Shirts
It looks like Jason Barnard made some new shirts or sweat shirts with the BingBot and GoogleBot characters on them and of course, his slogan on "it's all about your brand SERP."
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Subtle desktop search bar test I noticed earlier today. Has the G logo beside the query in the search bar, rather than the full logo that sits outside. Similar to a mobile search bar test I wrote about a while back: https://, Brodie Clark on Twitter
- All that said, when I made my new site, I considered making it pure AMP and decided not to. 1) I'm lazy, and static site generators for HTML make importing WP easy. 2) Reduced dependenance o, John Mueller on Twitter
- Apple Services Affiliate Partner Program, WebmasterWorld
- Google to Open Retail Store in NYC Summer 2021, WebmasterWorld
- Probably not consistently. We can probably work out a lot of synonyms, but it's also a matter of showing users what they're searching for. If I search in German, I'd be annoyed by French results (even if it's, John Mueller on Twitter
- The basic answer is, assuming the metrics are correct, your site is not being shown as often to users in search. That could be because people don't search those queries as often, it could be be, John Mueller on Twitter
- It doesn't work like that, aka "it depends." The basis is CrUX data, which depends on actual user data (which can vary across a site). This is by URL & page "group." In SC we cross that with indexed pages t, John Mueller on Twitter
- The start of the Women in Tech SEO group is by far the biggest, most-positive change I've seen in SEO in the recent years. The group, and what they do, is inspiring & motivating even if you're not going to (or able to) joi, John Mueller on Twitter
- How to best handle on-page citations? Via @johnmu: They are normal links, so handle them like normal links. Don't nofollow them. Beyond that, find out what's best for your users. i.e. should they open in a new tab, placed inlin, Glenn Gabe on Twitter
- It could be from ranking scrapers, it could also be normal. For example, if an image from your site is now being shown in an image-onebox or in a knowledge panel, we'd see that as an impression, but it might, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Webinar: AI-Powered search with Coveo (part of the Sitecore Summit Series)
- Yelp adds the LGBTQ-owned attribute and rainbow-colored map pins for Pride Month
- 5 ways videos can help businesses generate more revenue
- Google I/O announcements, what you need to know; Friday’s daily brief
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- 3 Essential Tips to Start Using Google Data Studio, Towards Data Science
- Google Analytics: A Content Marketing Engagement Test, Christopher S. Penn
Industry & Business
- Talking Tech and AI with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, YouTube
- Google’s new Samsung smartwatch partnership looks a lot like giving up, The Verge
Links & Content Marketing
- Digital PR and traditional PR: combining approaches for a supercharged promotion strategy, Builtvisible
Local & Maps
- Google Maps will now help you see how busy an area is and give better walking directions, CNET
- Judge Recommends Against the Likes of Google Maps, Calls Them “Lethal”, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
- Google Assistant will soon be able to power off your Android, 9to5Google
- 10 Tips to Get the Most Out of Google Assistant, PC Magazine
- Apple's new Apple TV Siri Remote is a must-have. 6 pro tips you need to know, CNET
SEO
- SEO and Accessibility: Content [Series Part 2], Moz
- Top 5 Performance Marketing KPIs for SEO, Botify
- LDA Topic Modeling Tutorial with Python and BERTopic, Holistic SEO
- SEO Takeaways & SEO Tips From Google I/O 2021, SEOSLY
PPC
- New Alert Structure & Bidding Alerts to Make Account Management Even Easier, Adalysis
- Cost per click (CPC) Calculator, SEO HandBooks
- Gifting: 5 tips to reach the new consumer, Microsoft Advertising
Feedback:
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