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 is rolling out the new Google News design with more features, plus after 8 years, Google News is back in Spain. Google said it no longer lowers the importance of content not visible on the page. Google also said that underscores in URLs are still not recommended for separating keywords. Google is testing two rows of story boxes in the search results. Google is testing "in store nearby" as an expandable menu.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google News Launches New Design
We knew this was coming when we spotted a massive design for the Google News home page and now it is officially here. Google has launched a revamped design this morning where the search company says they "made it easier for you to catch up on the most important news by bringing Top stories, Local news and personalized picks for you to the top of the page." - Google Says Content Not Visible On Page Is No Longer Less Important
In the recent Search Off The Record podcast, Gary Illyes of Google said Google no longer assigns less importance to content or items that are not visible on the page. It just needs to be in the HTML or "immediate JavaScript" and it matters to Google. - Google: Hyphens Still Recommended Over Underscores In URLs For SEO
Gary Illyes from Google reiterated that it is still best for SEO purposes to use hyphens as separators in your URLs over using underscores are separators in your URLs. Why? Gary explained "we can't easily segment at underscore and that's why we are recommending dashes." - Google Tests Two Rows Of Brand Story Boxes Under A Snippet
I am not even sure what to call this, maybe a brand story snippet, maybe story boxes, I am just not sure. But Google seems to be testing showing two rows of article boxes with images (even including social media sites) about a brand below the brand's search result snippet. - Google In Store Nearby Local Results That Expand In Collapsible Menu
Just like when Google was testing an expandable locations section that is in a collapsible menu in the Google Search results, now Google is testing an "in-store nearby" section that is expandable within a collapsible menu. - Stan, The Google Dinosaur, Dressed For Pride Month
Stan is the Google dinosaur that has lived outside of the main Google headquarters for a couple decades or so. Looks like Stan took off his mask and got dressed up for Pride Month.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Bug in google? Seems the "site:" command has timezone issues. Australian website appearing as "in 5 hours". Could this be rank impacting? Changing time then displays correctly, Tom Rothwell on Twitter
- Google Trends Daily Trends for Spain have disappeared: https://t.co/OJZXr42EWs @JohnMu or @dannysullivan, do you know of this is something temporary or Spain is not anymore worthy for having this super important data? h/, Gianluca Fiorelli on Twitter
- Over the years I've performed over fifty SEO audits for news publishing websites, and these are the most common issues I find (that are worth fixing): A #NewsSEO thread... (1/11), Barry Adams on Twitter
- Seen on mobile: 'Top [Product Category] under [$ average]'. Google seems to be pulling this based on their understanding of an avg. price across a certain product category. Interesting to watch G react to consumer price, Brian Freiesleben on Twitter
- When people stop asking similar questions, I'll know that SEO is dead., John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Revamped Google News design goes live with top stories, local news and personalized articles
- HUD settlement changes the way Meta delivers housing ads
- Meta introducing new monetization tools for creators on Facebook and Instagram
- Google cuts back on SEO office hours format, frequency
- Google increases Local Search Ads review requirements
- Google aware of Performance Max Product Listing tab date comparison bug
- Google updated guidelines for product variants pages and rich results
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Wikimedia Enterprise announces Google and Internet Archive as its first customers; allows new customers to self sign-up for free trials, Wikimedia Foundation
- Yandex Provides Update on Timing of AGM, Yandex
Links & Content Marketing
- 6 Content Assets You Can Add To Make Your Blog Post a Link Magnet, Content Marketing Institute
- How To Create a Powerful Headline in 7 Simple Steps, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- Android Auto is only for car screens now, 9to5Google
- Apple job post indicates plan to bring new CarPlay experience to China, AppleInsider
- MapQuest and Other Internet Zombies, New York Times
- This Google Street View genius can accurately identify any location around the world in seconds, Fox 7 Austin
Mobile & Voice
- Planning in-person gatherings with Google Assistant, Google Blog
- Tim Cook says 'stay tuned' for how Apple will evolve AR with 'humanity', AppleInsider
SEO
- 5 SEO Site Migration Mistakes to Avoid, RankRanger
- How SEO and Engineering Teams Can Work Together, SearchPilot
- SEO basics: What is content pruning?, Yoast
- The SEO Skills Maturity Matrix, Tom Critchlow
- What is an SEO company? What does an SEO agency do?, Semrush
- Use Google Autocomplete as an SEO Tool, Moz
PPC
- From text messages to fraudulent ads, how scammers are draining bank accounts, ABC News
- Google Ads for Nonprofits: How to Utilize Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits?, PPC Expo
- How Inflation Resilience Data Shapes Insurance Marketing, Merkle
- Merchant IDs as 64-bit in Content API for Shopping, Google Ads Developer Blog
Other Search
- Microsoft Plans to Eliminate Face Analysis Tools in Push for ‘Responsible A.I.’, New York Times
- Why Is Google So Bad at Search?, SEO Theory
Feedback:
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