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.
There are complaints about the Google Indexing API not working but I suspect it is working as Google planned. Google is testing sticky headers for ads and search results. Google is testing swipeable dots for carousels. Google Local Service Ads tests viewed X hours/minutes ago. Google is testing an expanded version of discussions and forums.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
The Google Indexing API Not Working For Some Or Indexing Issues...
There are complaints in the Black Hat SEO World forums that the Google Indexing API is not working. Some are saying Google is returning a call saying all is good but when it comes to indexing the content, it is not happening. -
Google Tests Sticky Headers For Ads & Results
Google is testing that new large ad and organic label headers design but this time having the header stick to the top as you scroll. -
Google Search Tests Swipeable Dots For Carousels
Google is testing a new interface in the search results to help searchers know they can swipe over a carousel to see more options. Google is placing swipeable dots at the bottom of some search boxes. -
Google Tests Expanded & More Discussions and Forums Results
If you didn't have enough Reddit and forum results in your Google Search results page, well, now Google is testing showing even more in the Discussions and Forums box. Generally, Google shows a short snippet of maybe three results, now Google is letting you expand them to see even more. -
Google Local Service Ads Shows You Viewed X Minutes/Hours Ago
Google is testing showing the last time you viewed an ad, a Google Local Service Ad, by adding a label with those details. In this case, Google is showing "You viewed 15 minutes ago" next to this ad. -
Yahoo Buildings Sign
Here is a super exciting photo of the sign outside of the Yahoo! campus. It has arrows to which Yahoo building number is in which direction. I can't remember the last time I was at a Yahoo office...
Other Great Search Threads:
- Google Ads issue with offline conversion imports, Barry Schwartz on X
- I don't have additional details or a timeline to provide at this time., AdsLiaison on X
- A few months after we covered the South Africa badge, Google covered it just now, Barry Schwartz on X
- Google removed the poll about using Gemini for SEO purposes - wow, Barry Schwartz on X
- Perplexity is back up. We'll learn how to handle spikes in usage better., Aravind Srinivas on X
- When working with large-scale sites, a question I'm often asked is: "Does our page indexing report look alright to you?" My response to this is generally that it looks fine on the surface, but only further digging into the reasons, Brodie Clark on X
- Planting more trees is not a ranking factor., John Mueller on Reddit
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google adtech antitrust trial: Everything you need to know
- Data providers: Google August 2024 core update was very volatile
- Google Business Profile: 6 frequently asked questions
- How to make your display campaigns profitable
- How to create and optimize Google Ads custom segment audiences
- Google updates crawlers and user-triggered fetchers documentation
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- Class Action Lawsuit Rene Cabrera v. Google LLC Advances, Notices Sent to Potential Class Members, Bill Hartzer
- Former Google Execs' Emails Revealed in Antitriust Case Undermine Company's Public Narrative, AdWeek
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman leaves safety committee, Axios
- Sergey Brin is back at Google, working on AI, Android Headlines
- Google Just Stepped up Its AI Fight With Apple, Business Insider
Links & Content Marketing
- 4 Content Marketing Tips To Use When Marketing On Reddit, Foundation Inc
- The Definitive Guide to Content Mapping (2024), Semrush
Local & Maps
- Sextortion scams evolve with Google Maps images to intimidate victims, Fox News
- Small Brands Crush Big Brands on Local Search, Street Fight
Mobile & Voice
- Google Search widget on iPhone adds customizable shortcuts, 9to5Google
- How Google got away with charging publishers more than anyone else, The Verge
- iPadOS 18, macOS 15, tvOS 15, watchOS 11 and More Now Available, iPhone in Canada Blog
SEO
- Keyword Marketing: What It Is & How to Do It, Semrush
- New Search experiences in South Africa: Badges and refinement chips, Google Search Central Blog
- SEO Fluff Garbage Content (and How to Avoid It), SearchLab Digital
- The Evolution of Search, PR, and Reputation Management , Five Blocks
- Google is still your biggest traffic referrer, Search Pilot
PPC
- As Google’s antitrust trial intensifies, the ad industry speculates the consequences of a potential breakup, Digiday
- How Much Should You Spend in Google Ads? Complete Guide to PPC Costs, words
- How to Optimise Your PPC Landing Pages in 5 Steps, PPC Hero
Search Features
- AI Overviews and Google Ads: August 2024 Study by SE Ranking, SE Ranking
- macOS 15 Sequoia: The Ars Technica review, Ars Technica
- OpenAI Says It's Fixed Issue Where ChatGPT Appeared to Be Messaging Users Unprompted, Futurism
Other Search
- Copilot Pages is Microsoft’s new collaborative AI playground for businesses, The Verge
- Google Research and the fire community create FireSat, a new constellation of satellites built to detect and track wildfires., Google Blog
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.
