Daily Search Forum Recap: July 12, 2024

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 Search Console now lets you add your shipping and return details in the interface. Google confirmed ads can show below featured snippets as part of "dynamic ad placement." Bing is testing a voting feature in search. Google is maybe testing auto-playing video thumbnails. Thumbtack is adding booking links to your Google Business Profiles without you knowing. I also posted my SEO video recap today, so check it out.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google Confirmed Ads Below Featured Snippet As Part Of Dynamic Ad Placement
  It is not news that Google now mixes in ads within organic results, but I have to say it still feels super icky to me that Google does this. Ginny Marvin, the Google Ads Liaison, confirmed that search ads can appear directly below organic featured snippets, as part of Google's "ongoing evolution of dynamic ad placement on search."
• New: Google Search Console Let's You Add Your Shipping & Return Information
  Google has added a method in Search Console settings to add your shipping and return information. This should make it easier for some merchants to specify their shipping and return details to Google Search, so that information can be shown in Google Search.
• Remove Thumbtack Book Links In Google Business Profiles
  There are new reports that a booking/appointment system run by Thumbtack, a local search service, is automatically adding its booking links and service to Google Business Profiles. Well, you can opt out, if you don't want it. But I am sure most businesses will have no clue this was added to their local listings in Google Search and Google Maps.
• Bing Search Tests Voting On Search Results
  Bing is testing a voting feature in the Bing Search results. You can vote up or vote down specific search results in the search results page. It even shows you the percentage of votes for those who voted it up versus voted it down.
• Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Volatility, Indexing Bugs, Google Ads Broad Match Default & YouTube SEO Tips
  This week, guess what, we had more volatility over the weekend and also a blip in the middle of the week. Google also had another indexing bug that lasted only about an hour. Google Search Console had a bug with new owner notifications. Google Search Console now lets you enter your shipping...
• Google Search Tests Autoplaying Video Thumbnails In Results?
  Google may be testing auto-playing the video thumbnails it has within its search results page. I am not sure if this is some sort of browser bug or something else, but Google may auto-play the video thumbnail without sound in the search results.
• Prabhakar Raghavan With Japan's Minister Taro Kono
  Here is a photo of Google's Senior Vice President, Prabhakar Raghavan, meeting with Taro Kono, the Japanese Minister for Digital Transformation, a few weeks ago.

Other Great Search Threads:

• As others have noted, there is no difference. You may still see Target CPA in other older campaigns. More on the 2022 organization update for Smart Bidding strategies in Search, AdsLiaison on X
• Want to look for all of your keywords that have the word "who" in them, but don't want to see keywords that include the w-h-o as part of a larger keyword like "whole" or "chowhounds"? add a space at the end of your search., Greg on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Hidden Google tool reveals GA4 and Google Ads discrepancies
• No deal: Alphabet won’t acquire HubSpot after all
• Google AI Overviews only show for 7% of queries, a new low
• Amazon expands ad offerings for non-Amazon sellers
• Google Search Console now lets you set your shipping and return policies
• Mastering SEO account management: The recipe for success
• How to harness the power of data gathering for SEO

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

• GA4 Has a Hidden Report for Comparing Conversions with Google Ads, Swipe Insight

Industry & Business

• Google and Microsoft report growing emissions as they double-down on AI, NPR
• Republicans seek probe of Microsoft’s $1.5bn investment in UAE’s G42, Financial Times (Sub)

Links & Content Marketing

• Visual content marketing 101: How to use images for your brand, Wix SEO Hub
• Surprising Search Behavior Teaches This Important Lesson, Content Marketing Institute

Local & Maps

• Google Maps' Immersive View is now available in five major Canadian cities, Android Central
• Immersive View Comes to Canada, Google Blog

Mobile & Voice

• Google celebrates 10 years of Android expanding to auto, TV and more, Google Blog
• 4 updates Google announced at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked, Google Blog
• All of the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 rumors and leaks so far, The Verge
• Apple seeks ‘killer app’ for its $3,500 Vision Pro headset, Financial Times (Sub)
• Apple Vision Pro Launches in UK, Canada, France, Germany, and Australia, MacRumors
• Google Gemini can now do more without Assistant’s help, SamMobile
• Google Resets Its Ambitions for AR Glasses to Make up Lost Ground, Business Insider
• How Apple Intelligence will change how you use Siri on your iPhone, TechCrunch

SEO

• 131: Bias in SEO, Overconfident SEO Case Studies, Google's SERP Struggles w/Sarah Presch, Evolving SEO
• A Brief Meeting With Google After The Apocalypse, Brandon Saltalamacchia
• How EquipmentShare Doubled Organic Traffic with SEO, Foundation Inc
• How SEOs Use AI: Boosting Efficiency and Productivity in 2024, BruceClay
• Insights from "Back to Basics for RAG w/ Jo Bergum" for SEO Today, Ethan Lazuk
• Removing “Compare” from title tags, Search Pilot
• Rendering JavaScript for Google Search, Search Off the Record
• What is Search Intent in SEO?: A Comprehensive Guide, Go Fish Digital

PPC

• Reshaping the retail media ecosystem with scale, simplicity, and innovation, Microsoft Advertising
• AI in action: Leveraging AI to scale your display and video efforts, Microsoft Advertising
• PPC News: Audience Exclusions Removed From PMAX, PPC News Feed

Search Features

• More on: Do not believe citations created by Gemini, SearchReSearch
• Soon, Microsoft Start won't let you scan receipts to earn cash back, Windows Central
• Microsoft’s Copilot AI now understands your terrible handwriting, The Verge

Other Search

• Early Apple tech bloggers are shocked to find their name and work have been AI-zombified, The Verge
• Enabling more private generative AI, Google Developers Blog
• Google says Gemini AI is making its robots smarter, The Verge

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.