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 Analytics now has benchmarking data in GA4. Google Search finally supports AVIF files. Google is testing new shopping search design. Google Ads has product category-level insights. Google Search is testing "you often visit" accordion UX.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Tests New Shopping Search Design
Google is testing a new design for its mobile shopping search interface. The new design has a new Google logo, a gradient background theme, new headers, various sections and labels. It looks pretty cool but a bit less clean than the normal Google Search interface. -
Google Search Finally Supports AVIF Images
Google announced on Friday that they finally natively support AVIF image file types for Google Search, Google Images and anywhere Google Search uses images, such as Google News, Google Discover and more. -
New Google Analytics 4 Benchmarking Data
Google Analytics, GA4, seems to be rolling out benchmarking data, similar to Universal Analytics before it. This feature lets you compare your analytics data to others in your same industry - so you can benchmark how well or poorly you are doing. -
New Google Ads Product Category-Level Insights
Google Ads has improved its ads reporting specifically, with the product reports now showing category-level insights. You can see the performance, demand trends, and actionable recommendations for your e-commerce campaigns. -
Google Search You Visit Often Tests Accordion Design
Google is testing a new design and user experience for the "you visit often" labels. This time Google is giving you a way to see multiple sites you visit often in an accordion box user interface. -
Google Mobile Haircuts
Did you know Google offers "mobile haircuts." This is a service provided by Max Salons at the GooglePlex, the main Google headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Performance Max Reports Glitch on Google Ads, Rakshit Shetty on LinkedIn
- Google is pulling in images from DoorDash Menu into a GBP photos section. Its then converting to a Menu Highlight. I've never seen images pulled in from a 3rd party source on GBP. I wonder what other sources we will start seeing., ClaudiaT on X
- Accidental SEO Case Study: Here's data to show how valuable title tags are. This site removed their titles and saw a -44% decrease in first page visibility: In this example, this site went through a migration where they reconfigured, Chris Long on X
- Noticed something new today! #GoogleBusinessProfile is now asking for delivery info for products added via GMB. Looks like GBP is evolving into a full-fledged mini eCommerce store, getting even closer to #MerchantCent, Shripad Deshmukh on X
- The volatility, ruthlessness and lack of transparency surrounding Google algorithm updates have given birth to an army of SEO ambulance chasers. We received tons of emails and DMs since writing our first article about what was happen, Gisele Navarro on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Analytics 4 introduces benchmarking data
- The latest jobs in search marketing
- Google Search now supports AVIF file formats
- Peak PPC season is coming: 5 tests to run now
- Mastering AI and marketing: A beginner’s guide
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Recommendation for Fixing Missing Deep Links in GA4, PPC News Feed
Industry & Business
- OpenAI Names Political Veteran Chris Lehane as Head of Global Policy, New York Times
- Does Google's monopoly affect your search results? Mountain View tech titan faces reckoning, Mercury News
Links & Content Marketing
- Optimize Your Content Strategy Using a Content Knowledge Graph, Schema App Solutions
- How Audience Research Gave Me a Competitive Edge — And Helped Me Earn Respect From Customers, SparkToro
Local & Maps
- How to Write & Optimize Local Content for Search and Readers, Level343
- I Just Drove 600 Miles With Waze and Google Maps. Here's Which One Was Better, AutoEvolution
- I used Apple Maps on vacation to see how good Google Maps really is, Android Authority
Mobile & Voice
- Apple, Google wallets part of plan to make hotel room key obsolete, CNBC
- Android Auto preps Gemini Live integration, radio app, 9to5Google
- Gemini AI integration could be coming to Android Auto, Tom's Guide
SEO
- Google AI Overviews rollout ramps up, hitting publisher visibility, Press Gazette
- Strategies for Managing Negative Google Images, Go Fish Digital
- Google Discover Turned Off Many Publishers, Gagan Ghotra
- Your Marketing Ecosystem's Impact on SEO — Whiteboard Friday, Moz
- Law Firm SEO Consultant Olga Zarr In SEO Since 2012, SEOSLY
- Programmatic SEO for Ecommerce, AI-Driven, Practical Ecommerce
PPC
- Google ad tech revenue revealed in antitrust case court documents, Ad Age
- Google, explained: How it dominates the buy side of advertising, Check My Ads
- Yes, Demand Gen Campaigns CAN Work For Your Ecommerce Brand! Here's How, ZATO Marketing
- YouTube Affiliate Destination in Google Merchant Center, PPC News Feed
Search Features
- Here’s how 7 news audience directors are thinking about Google’s AI Overviews, Nieman Journalism Lab
- Preparing for the U.S elections in November, Google Blog
Other Search
- The Future Of Consumer Use Of Generative AI, Forrester
Feedback:
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