Daily Search Forum Recap: November 25, 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 warns against moving content around to trick Google's site reputation abuse policy. Google explained why it is hiding the results count. Google Ads is updating its misleading ad design policy. Google is testing a new card/block format for AI Overviews. Google Analytics added Merchant Center recommendations. Google Ads has a new way to try to encourage you to increase your ad budget.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Warning: Don't Move Content Hit By Google's Site Reputation Abuse Penalty
  There are a number of cases where sites hit by the expanded Google site reputation abuse policy, where Google issued a number of immediate manual actions, are moving the directories that were hit to a new location on the domain name. It would be a mistake to do that in the long run and can lead to more penalties and potentially the whole site being penalized.
• Google AI Overviews In Card/Block Format
  Google is testing yet another format for its AI Overviews. This one looks like Google is grouping answers for a more generic query into multiple categories of responses. Google is placing them into these card blocks, that can either show you a new AI Overview or more search results, it seems.
• Google Updates Misleading Ad Design Policy For Deceptive Buttons In Ads
  Google is updating its Google Ads Misrepresentation - Misleading Ad Design policy to have stronger and clearer enforcement over ads that use buttons that are deceptive and unclear. Google wrote, "ads that make it difficult for the user to understand they are interacting with an ad by using standalone buttons in image ads that lack clear context explaining their function, or whose prominence relative to the surrounding ad content is disproportionate, are restricted."
• Merchant Center Recommendations Now In Google Analytics
  Google Analytics added Merchant Center recommendations directly to the recommendations section within Google Analytics. Google said these recommendations will "alert you to issues preventing your products from being approved in Google Merchant Center."
• Google Ads Recommends You Spend More Because You Spend Under Common Budget
  Google is always looking for ways to get their advertisers to spend more. Well, now a new notice to increase your budget says that other advertisers in your region are spending more, so you should too.
• Google Explains Why Its Hiding Results Count In Search
  Danny Sullivan, Google's Search Liaison, has finally explained why it has made it harder to find the results count when doing a Google Search. He said it can be a distraction and is something that researchers are focused on, when in reality, Google Trends provides better data for those researchers.
• Google Super-Molly & Agrigator
  John Mueller from Google shared photos of Lizzi Sassman's dog, which has made appearances on some of the Google Search Central YouTube videos in the past. Google also showed off its agrigator.

Other Great Search Threads:

• A new resource to close out the week on confidential matching in Google Ads >> This new *non-technical* guide to confidential computing cuts through most of the jargon (there’s a glossary!) to explain the role of privacy-enhan, AdsLiaison on X
• Google analytics 4 is rolling out the ability to copy explorations to other properties. Spotted by Kyle Rushton McGregor on Linkedin, Julius Fedorovicius on Bluesky
• Playing a bit with ChatGPT Search and I was asked which answer format I preferred. I do like the citations clips, but sometimes OpenAI will even show links..., Barry Schwartz on X
• Pretty sure that a back adjustment won't help much with your Technical SEO. Weird mash-up, @OpenAI but like the globe functionality., Roxana Stingu on X
• Sneaky Google. When you use a Promo Code and start your new Google Ads account: guess which campaign type Google forces you to set up? Correct. PMAX, Thomas Eccel on X
• Update To Discovery Feed Ad Policy., Anthony Higman on X
• Good Morning Google Land! This is the Nov 24th edition of "Core Update Notes". Yesterday I covered changes in the ecommerce space, and today I'll cover more about review sites. I ran the visibility numbers for 700+ sites that have be, Glenn Gabe on X
• I don't think Google (or any search engine) would bat an eye at a random ID, or at a mailto-link., John Mueller on Bluesky
• Google search volatility still calmer than ever with these tools - the core update should be done any day now - so this is a bit weird, Barry Schwartz on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• The latest jobs in search marketing
• Google’s site reputation abuse policy is a band-aid for a bullet wound
• 11 essential SEO elements you should be tracking
• Google’s AI Sales Assistant: What it means for SEO and how to prepare

Other Great Search Stories:

Industry & Business

• Eric Schmidt says DOJ’s push to sell Chrome is a 'bad idea', NPR
• How the DOJ plans to break up Google and sell Chrome, The Verge
• Google sues former employee in Texas over alleged info leak, Chron
• The Antitrust Crusade Against Google, Wall Street Journal

Links & Content Marketing

• Selling Content 101: How To Craft a Content Selling Strategy (2024), Shopify

Local & Maps

• How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile for Engagement, Whitespark
• Google Maps for Android, iOS get new version number system, 9to5Google
• Why I Switched from Google Maps to Apple Maps, How To Geek
• The Ultimate Guide to Google Local Search Ranking Factors, GMBapi

Mobile & Voice

• 5 ways Gemini Live can make your workday easier, Google Blog
• Siri's AI evolution to fully unfold by spring 2026, AppleInsider
• Snap's AR Spectacles Aren't as Fancy as Meta's Orion—but at Least You Can Get Them, Wired

SEO

• Are featured snippets still important? How AI overview impacts SEO strategy, Fast Company
• Google Is Trying To Destroy Creators But YouTube Is Great, Here's Why They're Different, Giant Freakin Robot
• How To Enable Attribute Rules (Feed Rules) In Google Merchant Center Next, FeedArmy
• How To Enable Supplemental Sources in Google Merchant Center Next, FeedArmy
• Publishers Rankings Drops After Site Reputation Abuse Policy Update, SEOFOMO
• SEO Ideas for 2025, Briggsby SEO
• SEO Playbook : Tailoring Content for AI-Driven Search Results, www.searchengineworld.com

PPC

• Automatic Upgrade for Enhanced Conversions, PPC News Feed
• WhatsApp Conversion Action in Google Ads, PPC News Feed
• Google TV ads are about to get more annoying, Android Police
• Google Ads Red Flags: Avoid These Agency Scams, Jyll Saskin Gales
• Notification for Below-Average Campaign Budgets, PPC News Feed
• Paid Customer Support Just Got More Affordable, PPC News Feed
• Revamped Tracking Setup Spotted in Google Ads, PPC News Feed

Other Search

• Apple's mobile browser policies and Google pact are 'holding back innovation,' UK regulator says, TechCrunch
• Google Chrome and antitrust: Will a new owner solve the browser’s privacy problems?, Vox

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.