In comparison to many weeks in SEO, it has been relatively quiet but there’s still a number of important changes/announcements to pay attention to if you’re a marketer. If it has been awhile since you took a look at Instagram, you might want to look again as it is the fastest growing social media network. Google also announced their new video counsel and that it’s easier than every to claim your featured snippet. Catch up on these stories and more on This Week in SEO.
State Of Search
A quick announcement before we begin. I’ll be speaking at State Of Search in Dallas which takes place October 10th and 11th. I’ll be speaking on how machine learning impacts content marketers and what you can do to maximize your odds of creating the content that will help you rank. If you’re interested in attending to see me or any of the awesome lineup of speakers you can use the following promo code for $150 off: DaviesSOS18
Rocks Digital
And a final announcement, I’ll also be speaking in Dallas this week as well at the Rocks Digital Conference which runs on the 29th and 30th. It’s going to be an outstanding show with some great minds. If you’re in the area or up for a quick trip to Dallas for some amazing information you can use the following discount code for 35% off registration: BEANSTALKROCKS
And now to the news …
Google Search Console Analytics API now has 16 Months of Data
The Search Console Analytics API that the company began rolling out in January 2018 now comes with 16 months of data built into it.
Google Search Algorithm Update Signals & Chatter
Another Google update may have occurred on June 17 and 18 with this one seeming to hit small niche markets especially hard.
Google Replacing Video Boxes with Video Carousel on Desktop Search
After RankRanger found that videos appeared on only 8 percent of all page one search engine result pages, Google is now showing a video carousel at the top of some pages. The average carousel now contains 8.5 videos compared to three before the change.
Google Search Console URL Removals Take Less Than A Day
This generally takes less than a day, but 30 minutes is probably a bit optimistic :-). Hopefully the dev-site is now properly secured!
— Google Webmasters (@googlewmc) June 18, 2018
Google says that once you request the removal of a URL, it usually takes less than one day. That removal, however, is only good for 90 days, so you will need to use a 404 or a 410 status code on the page to make sure it disappears forever.
Google Confirms Removal of Anonymous Reviews
Google confirms that they have removed all anonymous reviews. For some business owners, this removal costs them up to 18 percent of the reviews that they have worked hard to gain while for others they’re impacting negative reviews. Google has had very little to say on the subject.
Google PageSpeed Insights Now Aggregates Speed Data For Origin Site
Google is now allowing website owners and managers to see aggregated page speed data across a whole website.
Google Local Pack Business Categories Dynamically Change Based on Query
Google is now changing the business categories based on user’s search queries. The same business may be listed in several different ways depending on what the user enters into the search box.
Google Maps Can No Longer Book Uber Rides
For over 18 months, users have been able to book an Uber ride directly from Google Maps, but that is no longer the case. You can still see the route and an approximately cost, but you must use the Uber app to book and pay for the ride. Google owns a state in Lyft.
Google My Business Now Shows Store Return Policies
Some businesses now have their return policy posted directly on their Google My Business page. It seems that Google has created this content on their own or via a pilot program with a closed group of etailors and not by scraping a company’s website.
Bing Ads With Enhanced Targeting Settings & Dimensions Tab
You can now add or remove targets and make bid adjustments on campaigns in multiple locations under the settings tab in Bing Ads. Simply, click the new locations tab under settings. It will also let you make changes to all your ads at one time.
Google AdWords Tests AMP Label on Search Ads
Marketers with AMP landing badges should now be seeing a badge in front of their listing on search result pages. After months of testing the program, Google started officially rolling it out in September.
Google to Launch Head-to-Head Testing Tool for YouTube Videos
Google has announced that marketers can now use the new YouTube’s “creative suite” based on the AdWords platform to test different videos head-to-head. They are also alpha testing a program allowing users to create different versions of the same video to reach different audiences. Furthermore, marketers can annotate key moments so that they can determine how many people watch those moments.
Google Begins Sending Goodbye Old AdWords UI Notices
Some users have been sent an email by Google saying that they will no longer have access to their old AdWords account starting on July 10. According to Google’s original announcement, all accounts will be switched by the end of October. The new program has a steep learning curve, so you may want to get used to the new one before getting locked out of your old one.
Photos Show How Facebook Can Use AI to Seamlessly Fix Closed Eyes in Selfies
Vastly improving on Adobe’s eye in-painting. Facebook announced that it can now use machine learning to fix closed eyes in photos. The technology, called General Adversarial Networks, however, is not perfect with glasses and locks of hair getting in the way of it functioning properly.
Facebook Lets Group Admins Charge for Monthly Subscriptions
Facebook is now allowing some groups to charge a monthly subscription fee to help support administrators and their costs. Some groups are already doing this by using a website, and admitting members only after they have paid a fee, but this is the first time Facebook has allowed it on their platform.
Instagram Has 1 Billion Monthly Users, Now the Fastest Growing Social Network
While Facebook growth has slowed to 3.14 percent per month and Snapchat’s disappointing new rollout has slowed their growth to just 2.15 percent per month, Instagram’s growth has soared to over five percent each month. While the total number of users is still behind Facebook’s, the platform is proving to be especially popular with younger users.
How Machine Learning in Search Works: Everything You Need to Know
Google has spent millions of dollars developing machine learning programs like RankBrain and email spam blockers. Learn the impact of machine learning on your marketing efforts in this piece that I authored.
Just How Important Is Structured Data in SEO?
There are many reasons that businesses of all sizes should be using structured data including higher click-through rates, more conversions, get featured on more snippets and have their answers provided more often in voice search. While some companies claim it is too expensive to implement structured data, test results indicate that doing this may actually help companies meet their goals.