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 dropped support for ping endpoints with XML sitemaps. Google Ads had a data issue in the morning. Google is testing larger product images for search result snippets. Google Analytics 4 is dropping some attribution models. Google's Ads Liaison provided an explainer on value-based bidding. Google Knowledge Panels got a bit of an update.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Ads Bug With Displaying Recent Data
As of 7:13 am ET this morning, Google has confirmed an issue with Google Ads where advertisers "may not have access to the most recent data," Google said. - Google To Drop Support For Sitemaps Ping Endpoints In 6-Months
Google announced it would end support for Sitemaps ping endpoints in six months. Google said this is because they are "not very useful" and the "vast majority of the submissions lead to spam." - Google Tests Larger Product Images For Search Snippets Again
Google is once again testing larger product images in the search results for specific search results snippets. This is not the product grid results, but the product images on the side of the search result snippets. - Google Analytics 4 Dropping Many Attribution Models
A Google Analytics expert, Charles Farina spotted that Google Analytics 4, which had tracking for many attribution models, keeps reducing the specific attribution cases you can track. We are now down to just access last click and data-driven attribution. - Google Knowledge Panels Gets Small Update For Newsy Topics
It looks like Google is rolling out a small update for knowledge panels in the mobile search results with more card-like results and a larger card at the top and also summary cards. - Google's Ads Liaison Gives Explainer On Value Based Bidding
Ginny Marvin, Google's Ads Liaison, posted a Twitter thread with an explainer on Google Ads value-based bidding, VBB. Ginny wrote, "We've had lots of questions & heard some misconceptions about value-based bidding (VBB) recently. This week, I'll be sharing info & resources about VBB & answering any questions you've got at the end of the week." - Google Search Champion Event
Here is a photo I found from the Google Tel Aviv, Israel office of some sort of event. The event was named the Google Search Champion event and I have no idea what took place here but it sounds intere
Other Great Search Threads:
- It's not that low-quality content is unique to this year -- there's been "a bit" of it since the beginning of the web., John Mueller on Twitter
- More from @lexfridman 's interview with @pmarca . Will we still have Google search in 10 years (as we know it)? Marc: Probably not, we'll probably just have answers. But you might still want to visit sources sometimes. But the 10 blue links was always a, Glenn Gabe on Twitter
- Google Analytics 4 Audience Export API, Barry Schwartz on Twitter
- It's the same format, one is just a compressed version.q, John Mueller on Twitter
- There’s no reason a browser-based app couldn’t have use to consult a Sitemaps file (or robots.txt file for that matter). In the ‘90s websites were serving happily(ish) using devices significantly weaker than modern smartphones., Dan Brickley on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- YouTube Ads: Unlocking high impact at minimal cost
- YouTube Test & Compare helps you pick the best video thumbnail
- Google to deprecate Sitemaps ping endpoint later this year
- SEO SWOT analysis: How to optimize where it counts
- How to use entities in schema to improve Google’s understanding of your content
- How to master the enterprise SEO procurement process
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Google Working on Another Game Streaming Service, Report Says, CNET
- Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Accusing Google of Stealing Song Lyrics, Bloomberg
- Alphabet stock downgraded again as Google moves 'from too slow to too fast in AI', Morningstar
- Bernstein downgrades Google-parent Alphabet, says increased competition will cap gains, CNBC
Links & Content Marketing
- Funding the Next Generation of Content Farms - Misinformation Monitor: June 2023, NewsGuard
- A day in the life of: A Senior Digital PR Consultant, Builtvisible
- Snackable Content: Benefits, Types, and How to Create It, Semrush
Local & Maps
- GBP Videos 3, SAB Ranking Hijinks, Political Spam Reviews, Near Media
- When Is the Right Time to Ask for Customer Reviews?, Near Media
Mobile & Voice
- Mysterious Arizona facility tied to Apple Car testing, AppleInsider
- RIP to my Pixel Fold: Dead after four days, Ars Technica
SEO
- Ben Dilks Leonie Roderick (The Times & Sunday Times) on paywalls, SEO For Journalism
- How to set up insightful organic tracking & find rising keywords, STAT Search Analytics
- Instantly Execute Mindless SEO Tasks In Bulk With ChatGPT, seoClarity
- SEO and Conversions: Two Halves of a Pie, BruceClay
- The Wix on-page SEO audit tool, Wix SEO Learning Hub
- 15 Easy SEO Tips for Higher Rankings, Ahrefs
- How to Create Dynamic Structured Data, Schemantra
- Will AI EAT SEO for breakfast?, Cornwall SEO
PPC
- 5 Pricing Tips for Digital Agencies Adding PPC as a Revenue Stream, WordStream
- What Are Some Key Google Ads Best Practices?, PPC Expo
- Google asks websites to not abuse Topics API, The Register
Search Features
Other Search
- AI is killing the old web, and the new web struggles to be born, The Verge
- Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis Says Its Next Algorithm Will Eclipse ChatGPT, Wired
- How people are really using AI (and what they’re afraid of), The Verge
- Baidu’s Ernie Beats OpenAI’s ChatGPT in Key Tests, Company Says, Bloomberg
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