This week was packed with algorithm and ranking topics but not the typical unconfirmed Google updates. We had Google officially begin rolling out the desktop version of the page experience update, it will take several weeks to fully rollout. I am also seeing an unconfirmed update start to roll out yesterday into today. Google quietly announced the Google Shopping experience scorecard that will give a ranking boost to those merchants that provide excellent customer experiences, it is a bit controversial right now. Google said it has strengthened the DMCA/Pirate update and if a site is hit by it, on average that site drops 89% in search traffic. Google Shopping search might not support keyword exclusions, which is weird. Google said while there is no EAT score, EAT is important and indirectly used for ranking. Google said when it comes to pagination, think about showing newer content closer to the first page of the pagination set. Google said your web stories performance in search is not indicative of your overall search performance. Google said the referring URLs in the URL inspection tool is not really important. Google said using the Indexing API for other content that it is not meant for, won’t hurt you. Google said it fixed the high latency issues and error messages in the Google Ads console. Over 70% of search marketers said their CPC costs are up from last year. Google said standard shopping campaigns will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future. Google is testing three images in search ads, each taking you to a different landing page. Google is testing a messaging feature for Google Merchant Center sites in Google Shopping. Google AdSense is adding an AdSense for YouTube section, which is really not a great thing. Microsoft Advertising launched dynamic descriptions for DSAs. Google image search is testing rounded corners on images. And if you want to help sponsor those vlogs, go to patreon.com/barryschwartz. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.
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Search Topics of Discussion:
- Google Page Experience Update For Desktop Rolling Out
- Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update On February 24th (Unconfirmed)
- Google Shopping Experience Scorecard Will Promote Merchants In Search That Provide Excellent Customer Service
- Google Strengthens The Pirate (DMCA) Penalty Algorithm
- Google Shopping Search Might Not Support Excluding Keywords
- Google: No EAT Score But EAT Is Important & Indirectly In The Search Ranking Algorithm
- Google On Pagination & The Value Of Showing Newer Content First
- Google: Web Stories Performance Not Indicative Of Overall Site Performance In Search
- Google: URL Inspection Tool Referring Page Not Really Important
- Google: Using The Indexing API Not For Jobs Or Livestreams Won't Hurt Or Help
- Google Ads Fixed The Latency Issues & Weird Error Messages In Ad Console
- 70%+ Of Search Marketers Say Google Ads Cost Per Clicks Are Up
- Google: Standard Shopping Campaigns Will Continue To Be Supported
- Google Tests Three Image Links In Mobile Search Ads
- Google Testing Messaging For Google Shopping & Google Merchant Center
- Google To Add AdSense For YouTube Section To AdSense Console & YouTube Studio
- New Microsoft Advertising Dynamic Descriptions Ad Text For Bing Search
- Google Image Search Tests Rounded Corners On Images
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