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's December spam update seems to be causing some be movement amongst some sites. Google offered up its remedies for the DOJ antitrust monopoly case. Google added payment options to retailer knowledge panels. Google Ads is testing ads without ad descriptions. Google Ads has new brand controls for shopping ads in Performance Max campaigns. Bing is testing a "how to pick" AI section in search. Google's search decorations for Christmas and Kwanzaa are now live.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google December 2024 Spam Update Deindexing & Deranking Some Sites Hard
On Thursday, December 19th at 12 pm ET, Google began its release of the Google December 2024 spam update. It seems like that update kicked into gear the day or so after it was released, but honestly, it is hard to tell if the damage is from the spam update or the tail end of the completed Google December 2024 core update. -
Google Ads Tests Search Ads Without Ad Descriptions
Google Ads seems to be testing showing search ads in the Google Search results without ad copy, without the ad description text you added to your ads. I guess Google wants to see what type of impact this has on ad performance. -
Google Knowledge Panels Gain Payment Options
Google is now showing payment options on some retailer's knowledge panels. This comes after Google started asking for the payment options a business accepts in Google Merchant Center, although, it might be unrelated (we don't know). -
Bing Search Tests How To Pick Section
Microsoft is testing a new section in Bing Search titled "How to pick." It helps you figure out what product you should pick, by breaking down the options and configurations. -
Google Ads For Performance Max Brand Control Adds Shopping Ads Override
Google Ads added a new brand control override for Performance Max campaigns that lets you override the exclusion for Shopping Ads. The check box is under the brand exclusions section and reads, "Allow Shopping ads on searches that mention excluded brands." -
Google Kwanzaa Decorations Are Live For 2024
And now we have the Kwanzaa decorations live in the Google Search results. Just search for [Kwanzaa] to see them. Google also went live with the Christmas decorations today and the Hanukkah decorations last week. -
Google Christmas Decorations Are Live For 2024
Christmas is around the corner and Google finally posted its Christmas decorations in Google Search today. We already have the Hanukkah decorations live and now we have the Christmas decorations - we are now waiting on the Kwzanzaa decorations. -
Google Christmas Party With Super Mario Station
Google is holding its year end Christmas parties now and I spotted this video walkthrough from one of the vendors that showed a Super Mario station. I'll embed the video below but I stitched this photo above from the video.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Google is testing a new feature where they display symbols like ">" for navigating to the 2nd and subsequent pages, moving away from the traditional pagination format., Sachin Patel on X
- Each ad shown will record an impression, as well as other relevant metrics such as clicks and cost if the user clicks on the ad., AdsLiaison on X
- I've seen some involve redirects through robotted URLs, sometimes to pick up cookies when not logged in, sometimes bot-detection, etc. Debugging that can be tricky; incognito mode, your own crawler, or server-logs + triggering request might, John Mueller on Bluesky
- Moving the web to HTTPS was a big deal, it matters for all users (and all the sites that they use). Big kudos to everyone who worked on this, for big sites & small. Thank you., John Mueller on Bluesky
- Use noindex if you have strong preferences regarding which of the different pages you want indexed. Content syndication comes with pros & cons; you (if you're the content source) decide whether it's worth it for you, John Mueller on Bluesky
- We said we wouldn’t forgive, and we definitely didn’t forget. We even launched a petition. Help protect webmasters and content creators—sign our petition against Google’s Page Annotations!, Marketing O'Clock on X
- WAPO has a NOINDEX tag on the page, which asks search engines to NOT crawl it... meta name=robots content=noindex, Pete Claar on Bluesky
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Data providers: Google December 2024 core update was more volatile than last
- Google files its proposed remedies in DOJ’s monopoly case
- Google’s review deletions: Why 5-star reviews are disappearing
- Search, social and video: Evolving digital PR for 2025
- Amazon SEO: A comprehensive guide
- 3 YouTube Ad formats you need to reach and engage viewers in 2025
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- Italy fines OpenAI over ChatGPT privacy rules breach, Reuters
- Google Contracts Employees From Magic Leap, The Information
- Google offers to loosen search deals in US antitrust case remedy, Reuters
- Google Says It Won't Force Gemini on Partners in Antitrust Remedy Proposal, Wired
- OpenAI Search Leader Departs After Less Than a Year, The Information
- Japan to issue cease-and-desist order against Google, The Japan Times
- Google to Fight Japan’s Claims That It Hobbles Rivals in Search, Bloomberg
Links & Content Marketing
- 5 content killers that ruin results — and how to fix them, MarTech
- Large Reasoning Models Speed Content Marketing, Practical Ecommerce
- Top 5 Content Marketing Strategies for 2025, Skyword
Local & Maps
- Why Users Rate Google Maps With Only One Star: Waze Features, Bad Routes, AutoEvolution
- 9 Google Maps features that'll make holiday traveling way less stressful, Tom's Guide
- How to Have a Cheaper (and Greener) Holiday Road Trip with Google Maps, Make Use Of
Mobile & Voice
- Professionals continue to use Apple Vision Pro for work, AppleInsider
- Apple Explores Amazon Ring Doorbell Competitor With Face ID; AirPods Heart Rate, Bloomberg
- Apple's Proxima chip to bolster home networking in 2025, AppleInsider
SEO
- Under Google's Watchfull Eye: Getting out of a manual site reputation abuse penalty and continuing business as usual, Recleudo
- Faceted Navigation: An SEO Win Waiting to Happen, Semrush
- 2025 Search Predictions from the Experts [Curated], Level343
- SEO depreciation - what would happen if you did nothing?, SearchPilot
- How to Use Chrome to View a Website as Googlebot, Moz
- Referral traffic from Google Discover increases in 2024 amid the steady decline of referrals from social, Digiday
- The Evolution of Brand SERPs: A Comprehensive Guide to Modern SEO, Take It Offline
PPC
- UK data regulator criticises Google for ‘irresponsible’ ad tracking change, The Guardian
- Update to Healthcare and Medicines Policy (December 2024), Google Advertising Policies Help
- Updates to Financial products and services policy (January 2025), Google Advertising Policies Help
- Clear All Manual Edits In Google Merchant Center, FeedArmy
- The Strategic Guide to PPC Management Services, PPC Live
- Track Trends with Search Interest & Category Insights, PPC News Feed
- Use ad inspector to debug your mobile applications, Google Ads Developer Blog
- Call-to-Action Feature Introduced in WhatsApp Extension, PPC News Feed
- Google’s Ad Inspector Tool Helps Developers Test Mobile Ads, PPC News Feed
- Manual vs. Smart Bidding in Google Shopping: When to Switch, Jyll Saskin Gales
Search Features
- Chrome may be deploying a new scam detection tool, Android Authority
- Google is expanding Gemini's in-depth research mode to 40 languages, TechCrunch
- OpenAI announces new o3 models, TechCrunch
- We're Calling on Google to Stop Page Annotations, Cypress North
- How Google Chrome’s autofill feature helps both shoppers and merchants, Google Blog
Other Search
- A Short Story of the Google Error Page, Jens Oliver Meiert
- OpenAI’s Next Big AI Effort, GPT-5, Is Behind Schedule and Crazy Expensive, Wall Street Journal
- What just happened, Ethan Mollick
Feedback:
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