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 SGE has dropped showing citations and links in the AI-generated answers, for now. Google seems to removing reviews from business local listings. Google is testing six stories in the top stories section. Bing Chat will enable pasting images into the query box. Google is testing wider image thumbnails in the search results. I also posted the weekly SEO video recap, don't miss it.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google SGE Drops Links In AI-Generated Answers...
Earlier this month, we reported that Google was testing three-different citation and link formats in the Search Generative Experience AI-generated answer. It seems that as of yesterday, Google has pulled back that test and removed the links from those answers. - Is Google Removing Reviews From Local Business Listings?
I am seeing a spike in the number of complaints around reviews going missing from Google local business profiles. This week, there are tons of new complaints that reviews that were once on a local listing in Google Search is now missing or gone. - Bing Chat Pasting Images From Clipboard Into Query Box Coming August 28th
Bing Chat will soon allow you to copy and image to your clipboard and paste it directly into the query or search box. This will make it faster than manually uploading the image to Bing Chat. - Google Tests Wider Larger Image Thumbnails In Search Result Snippets
Google is testing wider and larger image thumbnails on snippets in the desktop search results interface. The images look about twice as wide, maybe even more, the the normal image thumbnails you'd see Google display in the desktop search results. - Google Search Showing Six Top Stories In Grid
Google can now show six top stories in a uniform gird format in the top of the desktop Google Search results. We normally see four top stories but if we see more, it is not normally in a uniform grid format. - Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google SGE While Browsing, AI Content, Content Pruning, Google Ads Paid Support & More
Google launched some new Search Generative Experience features, like SGE while browsing and definitions in the SGE answers. Google seems to have stopped testing displaying links in SGE AI-generated answers. Google said navigational queries... - Google Blow Up Air Chair
Here is an interesting looking sofa seat, chair, at Google's main office, the GooglePlex. You have Peter The Greeter sitting in this blow up transparent chair.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Followup: Not sure how new this is but LSA now instantly denies "duplicate lead" disputes when they can't detect the client contacted the advertiser twice. I pressed for a dispute on a very clear case of someo, Len on Twitter
- Behavioral modeling is now available in any exploration or report that includes paths and funnels in Google Analytics 4., Google Analytics on Twitter
- Chrome perf numbers may shift slightly (and resource loading may change a bit). We are ramping up a change that boosts the priority of the first 5 images in markup to Medium., Patrick Meenan on X
- Do you 'know' your audience? Check out this quick tip from John Mueller for this major key to great SEO!, Google Search Central on Twitter
- I don't know what you understand by "authority" & don't think we have anything comparable to common definitions of that, but yes, we do try to understand pages well, and to understand what the context of elements there means. That said, it sounds like you, John Mueller on Twitter
- Is the alternative just showing the same site, or does it serve errors? If it's the same site, I wouldn't sweat it, then search engines will just figure their own canonicalization out. If it's an error, that's more of a critical issue., John Mueller on Mastodon
- Today, the @NYTimes covered a new flawed study by Adalytics - the 2nd time they produced faulty research about Google advertising this summer. Here are 6 facts about how we protect kids on YouTube that Adalytics gets completely wrong, Dan Taylor on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- The new Bing has failed to take any market share from Google after six months
- Instagram tests Multi-Advertiser ads, cramming four ads into one screen
- Only 23% of digital marketers will invest in X in the next 12 months
- Brands pause X ad spending after ads serve with pro-Nazi content
- How ChatGPT plugins can up your SEO game
- There are more than 4 types of search intent
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Overwhelmed by Marketing Analytics? This Advice Will Help, Content Marketing Institute
Industry & Business
- Google-Parent Alphabet Wants to Rein In Costs. The Waymo Unit Is in Its Sights., Barron's
- Microsoft Struggles to Gain on Google Despite Its Head Start in AI Search, Wall Street Journal
- Russia fines Google $32,000 for videos about the conflict in Ukraine, The Hill
Links & Content Marketing
- Local Businesses & Content Marketing: How Should They Do It?, Search Engine Journal
- Remote Work Isn't New, But It Brings a New Challenge for Marketers, Content Marketing Institute
- The AI and Content Marketing Era: A Struggle Between Adaptation and Apprehension, CMSWire
Local & Maps
- Google Maps navigation kisses gas stations goodbye on Android Auto and Google built-in, The Verge
- Google Maps tests redesigned pins for places you've saved, Android Police
- Local Search Industry Survey 2023, BrightLocal
Mobile & Voice
- Future Vision Pro headsets may not need prescription lenses, AppleInsider
- Bard As A Life Coach Is Google's Worst AI Idea So Far, SlashGear
- Older Wear OS devices will soon lose Google Assistant support, Engadget
SEO
- How to start SEO testing for your website, Wix SEO Hub
- Key SEO trends: The long tail and multimodal search, econsultancy
- Organization Schema: What It Is & How to Implement It, Semrush
- The SEO Bucket List: 3 Things To Do Before Your Site Dies, BruceClay
PPC
- How to Promote a Product Using Google Ads?, PPC Expo
- IPG Mediabrands Alert Advises Pause to Google Performance Max Ads, Business Insider
Search Features
- 'Google Saved' now exists (again) for all your Search bookmarks, 9to5Google
- Microsoft tests free GPT-4 toggle in Bing Chat AI on Android and iOS, Windows Latest
Other Search
- Driving Performance at Microsoft Bing, Bing Engineering Blog
- Neural network pruning with combinatorial optimization, Google Research Blog
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