As usual, it was another big week in search. We saw layout changes, algo updates, deindexing bugs and a whole lot more.
Google Tests Showing Previously Fetched Results, And Adding An “Update” Button
Tested last year, and with a new look, this little update button is appearing for some people.
The De-Indexing Bug Hit Google Search Console
Still feeling the effects of last week’s de-indexing bug, Search Console doesn’t have reliable data to go off of, and so the reports may not currently be accurate.
A Modern GoogleBot Is Out For Testing
A couple weeks ago, we were told that an updated GoogleBot running on a much more modern version of Chrome was in the works. We are now seeing that updated GoogleBot in the wild, as some tests have shown.
Google Indexing Bug Appeared On Google News
For some publishers using the Google News platform, you may have noticed that your content isn’t being indexed in relevant Google searches. This issue has been resolved, see here.
After some discussion in Europe, European Android users will now, in a few weeks, see this screen listing the top browsers and search platform alternatives so that they can decide what they want to go with. This change is being tested in Europe exclusively as of right now, and may be rolled out globally if it seems to have any effect on people’s choice of browser.
How To Make Your Business Appear In Local Voice Search
A quick guide on how you can make sure that your business shows up when people use voice search with Google Assistant.
You Can Create A Custom “Short Name” URL For Your Google My Business Profile
A new feature has been added to Google My Business that allows you to create a customized short URL that will link to your business profile. These are much more appealing than a string of numbers, and are easy to remember and type into an address bar.
Customer Testimonials Can Now Be Highlighted In Google Posts
A new feature has appeared in Google Posts in some countries. This new tool will allow you to select a 4 or 5 star reviewof your business to highlight in a Google Posts post. It can also automatically suggest reviews for you to post.
Facebook’s Ads And Business Managers Are Being Improved
Facebook is working towards making it’s Ads Manager and Business Manager interfaces more streamlined and easier to use. They have been making changes to Ads Manager, and changes to Business Manager will be coming soon.
A Useful Script To Track Your Google Ads Quality Score
A script developed by Clicteq to help you make sense and keep track of how your Ads’ quality score changes over time, and many other advanced information pieces to look at.
Facebook Testing Moving Stories Into The News Feed
As well as testing a new horizontal interface as apposed to the typical scrolling vertical one. This is likely a move to be able to show more ads to users. As of right now, this is not a public release, and there is no current timeline for a public release.
Upvote And Downvote Buttons Being Tested On Facebook
Some Facebook users on Android are seeing a new set of Reddit-like upvote and downvote buttons in posts’ comment sections.
YouTube Testing New Metrics For Video Success
YouTube is beginning to test ways to value “quality watch time” as a primary factor for a video’s success. It’s not clear what “quality watch time” means, but the apparent goal is to reduce the spread of clickbait videos.