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's May 2020 Core Update Mess Up Google's Search Results?
I have been reluctant to cover the negativity around the Google May 2020 core update because I don't want it to come across as me complaining because I was hit. But there has been a lot of complaints not just from the SEO community but from normal searchers about a quality drop in Google's search results since May 2020. - Google To SEOs: How Has COVID-19 Has Changed SEO Work?
Gary Illyes from Google posted four Twitter polls asking SEOs how has their work changed since the COVID-19 outbreak. The results seems super interesting to me, because it seems for some SEOs, nothing much changed but for others, it changed a lot. - Indexing Issues In Google May Be Related To May 2020 Core Update
The number of complaints I am seeing from SEOs over the past couple of weeks around indexing is large. Basically I am seeing Google have to respond about there being no issues with how fast or deep Google is indexing sites. Googlers are saying, it might not be worth Google's time to index those pages. - Google Tests Larger Font Title For Grouped Snippets
We've seen Google group snippets but now Google is testing that the first snippet in the group has a larger font size for the title. This was spotted by both Brodie Clark and Brian Freiesleben and posted on Twitter. - Google Tests People Also Search For Ads Carousel
Believe it or not, Google has tested ads in the people also search for format. Google also tested ads in the people also consider and people also view formats. But Mordy Oberstein found the people also search for in a carousel format and I wanted to document it here, amongst the others. - Google Classic Diner
Here is a photo I found on Instagram from the Google Washington, DC office. It is a cool shot of one of the restaurants in that Google office. This one has the old fashion American diner design, loo - Vlog #68: Hillel Fuld On Helping Others Win In Business
Hillel Fuld (@HilzFuld) is someone I've known for a long time. He isn't an SEO but he is super well connected with everyone I know in Israel and has a speciality in helping Israel start ups succeed. He also has helped me with SMX Israel in terms of finding speakers and some sponsors... - Memorial Day Day Logos From Google, Yahoo & Bing
Today is Memorial Day in the United States and the search engines; including Google, Yahoo and Bing have dressed up for the day. Google has historically done nothing for the day, but last year they went with a grayed out logo and flag theme. They did the same thing this year.
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Changing keyword on existing page for better CTR?, WebmasterWorld
- Google generally crawls from the US. If you make a different version of your pages for US-based users (eg, with USD prices), that's what will be indexed. We generally recommend using, John Mueller on Twitter
- In an unfortunate turn of events I have to report, that the sheep have left the meadow 😳☹️, Martin Splitt on Twitter
- Accuracy of GSC Top Linking Sites?, WebmasterWorld
- I don't know your site, so it's hard to day. However, in general, having one 1000 word article on a site doesn't make the site a great site overall, and doesn't mean all content f, John Mueller on Twitter
- I don't think the live test should do a conditional request - it should try to fetch the current page as it is on the server. Like you wouldn't test a page for speed by requesting a cached version., John Mueller on Twitter
- Fun fact: we recorded the trailer for the SOTR podcast before the Google offices closed due to COVID. The first actual episode hit some delay, because exactly what Alex says: everyone is recording now, so it w, Gary Illyes on Twitter
- GMB Adds "Manage insurance info for your practice" Section to Help Center, Local University
- Google May 2020 update explained, 400+ sites checked, 270+ human manual hours invested, BlackHatWorld
- I blogged a bit on my Webmaster Conference Lightning talk on #JavaScript and links. So, if #SEO for JS-driven websites is your thing, check it out 👉 https://t.co/mYfveDURcZ https://t.co/MZYryIOa3k, Martin Splitt on Twitter
- To all of you porting the robots.txt parser to different languages on GitHub, you're the real MVP! I'm in the process of setting up regression tests; once that's done, I'll ask each of you to port that too, an, Gary Illyes on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Facebook Shops: Up next on Live with Search Engine Land
- Replay: Experts discuss Google Shopping on Live with Search Engine Land
- Let’s hope COVID-19 isn’t a ‘mass extinction event’ for small businesses
- Marketing during COVID means ongoing experimentation [Video]
- Call Analytics tools in the spotlight: Marketing’s unsung heroes
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Apple’s handling of Siri snippets back in the frame after letter of complaint to EU privacy regulators, TechCrunch
- Google Stock Claws Back As Antitrust, E-Commerce Battles Loom, Investor's Business Daily
- Sundar Pichai Says Google Doesn't Plan to Go Entirely Remote, Wired
- Why All the Shouting About Google?, New York Times
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
- Does Creating Backlinks to Your Google My Business (GMB) Listing Help Ranking?, Sterling Sky Inc
- GMB Insights Reveal Pandemic Search Trends for Multi-Location Brands, Street Fight
Mobile & Voice
SEO
- How to Read Google Algorithm Updates, SEO Book
- How Search Engine Algorithms Work: Everything You Need to Know, Search Engine Journal
- Three Steps to a Better-Performing About Page, Moz
- Frequently asked questions about JavaScript and links, Official Google Webmaster Central Blog
- How To Get More SEO Clients: In Search SEO Podcast, RankRanger
PPC
- How Seer Measures E-Commerce Success on Paid Social, Seer Interactive
- A crossword puzzle from Microsoft Advertising, Microsoft Advertising
- Google Display Countdown Ads Using Rules, PPC Hero
Search Features
