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.
We are seeing more intense Google Search ranking volatility around June 4th and 5th. Google AI Overviews are showing up a heck of a lot less. Google fixed a bug with site names not showing up for some internal pages. Microsoft Advertising will move smart shopping campaigns to Performance Max and more news. Google News says "how these stories are ranked" in the header. Google added support for SocialMediaPosting markup in Discussion Forum structured data.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
Google Search Ranking Algorithm Volatility June 5th
I am seeing signs of yet another intense Google search ranking update and intense ranking volatility yesterday and into today, June 4th and 5th. Many of the tools are showing very heated volatility and there has been a spike in chatter within the SEO community. -
Google AI Overviews Shows For Only 15% Queries, Down From 84%
New data from BrightEdge shows that Google is showing far fewer AI Overviews than it did when it first launched them as a beta under the Search Generative Experience. Google went from showing AI Overviews for 84% of queries to showing them for less than 15% of queries. -
Google Fixed Issue With Site Names Not Appearing For Internal Pages
Google has fixed an issue with site names not appearing for some internal pages, this has been an issue since December 2023. I checked some examples, and they are indeed fixed - although Google said some fixes are still rolling out and those pages need to be reprocessed to be fixed. -
Google Discussion Forum Structured Data Now Supports SocialMediaPosting Markup
Google has updated its discussion forum structured data help documentation to clarify that SocialMediaPosting markup is also supported. Google did say that SocialMediaPosting should be used for sites that are more of a "generic social media platform," versus a discussion forum. -
Google News "How These Stories Are Ranked" Header
Google News seems to be testing placing a header above news sources in the Google News follow interface, that says "how these stories are ranked." I personally cannot replicate it, but some are able to see it. -
Microsoft Advertising To Move Smart Shopping Campaigns To Performance Max
Microsoft, in its monthly update, announced that it will be moving (or "upgrading" as they call it) smart shopping campaigns to Performance Max within the next couple of months. Microsoft said they sent out notices to advertisers via emails earlier. -
Google Hong Kong 20th Year Birthday Decorations
Google Hong Kong seems to be celebrating its 20th year anniversary of birthday, maybe. I mean, according to Wikipedia, Google China is 18 years old. But according to these photos from the Google Hong Kong office, the office there is celebrating 20 years. Here are the decorations for the celebration.
Other Great Search Threads:
- GML2024 Broad match keywords use AI to match to those image based (no keywords) searches Google discussed earlier., Kirk Williams on X
- Looks like this recommendation has been slightly updated to now say "Google generated images", Greg on X
- Nope, the volatility 5/3 and beyond had no connection to previous broad core updates. None at all. :) Two examples below of sites hit hard by the October 2023 core update and then dropping even more on 5/10. IMO, whatever Google has, Glenn Gabe on X
- Search Central is now on LinkedIn too! Follow us on LinkedIn for announcements, news and more. https://t.co/ExCscMkHFL Also! This is not a migration; we are still here on X, Google Search Central on X
- There's so many people drawing conclusions from this leak that I just don't see. Just because it mentions a variable name doesn't mean they use that data how you think they do. It mentions google+ a LOT - but I wouldn't say google+ is a major ranking fa, Ryan Jones on X
- This is some very aggressive SEO footer anchor text targeting in Google Flights, and it seems to be "working" for them. Maybe they are preparing for the day when teh DOJ forces them off the top?, Eli Schwartz on X
- After 15 years of searching, we truly deserve a week-long celebration., Bing on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- LinkedIn expands video ads, AI tools to help B2B marketers
- Perplexity Pages showing in Google AI Overviews, featured snippets
- Google Search fixes issues with Site names not appearing for internal pages
- Google’s documentation leak: 12 big takeaways for link builders and digital PRs
- Google AI Overviews visibility drops, only shows for 15% of queries
- 4 Performance Max segmentation strategies and how to leverage them
- Rethinking your keyword strategy: Why optimizing for search intent matters
- Incrementality testing in advertising: Who are the winners and losers?
- Google’s link reporting tool is now fixed
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- Briefing: Microsoft Lays Off Over 1,000 Employees in Cloud, Mixed Reality Groups, The Information
- Google loses bid to overturn $20 million Nest patent verdict, Reuters
- Google Privacy Chief Keith Enright Is Out, And Will Not Be Replaced, Forbes
- OpenAI Employees Warn of a Culture of Risk and Retaliation, Wired
- Perion slides after slashing 2024 revenue forecast on Microsoft Bing changes, Reuters
- We're on LinkedIn (finally), Google Search Central Blog
- Google, Microsoft, Top Companies US Tech Students Want to Work for, Business Insider
Links & Content Marketing
- Actor Issa Rae to Headline Content Marketing World 2024, EIN Presswire
- Interactive Content: Quizzes, Games, and Polls [Examples], Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- A new Google Maps layer shows public restrooms in NYC, The Verge
- Crazy Google Local Near-Me Test, Near Media
- Google is forced to fix maps after glitch send 40 cars including semi truck down dirt road, forcing sheriff's deputies to rescue them, Daily Mail Online
- Local Search Implications of the Google API Leak, Near Media
- The Whole Tooth: A Local Rankings Investigation, BrightLocal
- 7 reasons why Google Maps is better than competing mapping services, Android Police
- Google Maps beta crashing in Android Auto, 9to5Google
- Verification Help via Status Tool for Google Business Profiles, Online Ownership
Mobile & Voice
- Google Lens could soon make it easier to add context to searches, Android Authority
- Gemini app for Android & iOS is now rolling out to UK, Europe, 9to5Google
SEO
- I have one thing to say, DEJAN
- Navigating the Reddit Rabbit Hole: SEO Opportunities and Pitfalls for Brands, SEMpdx
- SEO for Manufacturers: Definition, Benefits, and Top Tactics, Semrush
- Things not strings: Semantic and entity SEO, Oncrawl
- Does SEO Still Work for Online Publishers?, SERP's Up SEO Podcast
- How Vidio brought more locally relevant videos to Indonesian users through Google Search, Google Search Central
PPC
- How Our Top-Performing Clients Are Optimizing Their Google Ads Programs Without Even Knowing, Group Twenty Seven
- Deprecation of publisherReviewStatuses field in the Display & Video 360 API, Google Ads Developer Blog
- Launching Structured Data Files QA format and v7.1, Google Ads Developer Blog
Search Features
- 10 Aspects of AI Overviews Observed in May 2024, BrightEdge
- AI apocalypse? ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity are all down at the same time, TechCrunch
- Google Cut Back AI Overviews in Search Even Before Its ‘Pizza Glue’ Fiasco, Wired
- Google’s AI Overviews misunderstand why people use Google, Ars Technica
- Google AI Overviews search tool stumbles. It won't be the last, QZ
- Google’s AI Overview Search Results Copied My Original Work, Wired
Other Search
Feedback:
Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, on Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky and you can follow us on Facebook and on Google News and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or just contact us the old fashion way.
