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.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Passage Ranking & Scroll To Text/Snippet Are Unrelated
With the launch of passage ranking this past week, there has been a lot of confusion about if you can "see" these in the Google search results. The answer is no, you cannot see them in the search results as we covered last week and December 2020. - Notice: Google My Business Auto Populating Services
For the past few months or so, Google seems to have been auto populating the services section of your Google My Business listing. It is believed that Google is pulling the services based on the content of your web site. - Google Tests Find Results On Other Search Providers In US
Google may be testing showing the "find results on" other search providers in the US. This is a feature Google launched in the European Union after the anti-competitive legislation and issues they had their. But now, I am seeing reports of this in the US, maybe it is a bug, but Austin Holdsworth based in Tennessee said he sees it. - Google My Business Messaging Support Added To Desktop Interface
Google is rolling out to some businesses the ability to respond to Google My Business messaging through your desktop browser. Previously you were only able to manage it from your mobile phone and before that, through SMS. - Google Search Console Adds AMP Error Disallowed !important CSS Qualifier
Google has added a new AMP error to the Search Console AMP enhancements report for disallowed !important CSS qualifier. This was added back on January 19, 2021 and as a result, you may see an increase in the number of AMP errors reported after that date. - Vlog #107: Eli Feldblum On The SEO Industry Maturing
In part one, Eli Feldblum and I spoke about the good old days. He left a company he co-founded and is now at Search Interactions he does a lot of proactive search reputation management for up and coming names and brands. Here is part two. - Google Fireman Pole
Did you know Google's Cambridge, Boston office has a room with a fireman pole? We have seen balls on poles at Google offices and I know some offices have poles you can slide down from level to level
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- The amount of hijacked listings I'm seeing lately is nuts. #StopCrapOnTheMap https://t.co/IRDxCTLyHR, Joy Hawkins on Twitter
- You can follow reviewers now! https://t.co/07L0mHGqQm, Tim Capper on Twitter
- Google's Tough Week in Review, WebmasterWorld
- Sometimes distance plays a role (it depends on various things), but since Search cares about what users see, if your users are mostly close / better connected, then that's fine, John Mueller on Twitter
- The more small business sites I see, the fewer I see with technical SEO issues, and the more the issues lie with the content (stale, duplicated across multiple sites, incorrect, low-quality,, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Search behavior has forever changed. How can you stay ahead of the pack?
- Google goes dark theme and passage ranking sees the light: Friday’s daily brief
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Google Analytics is dead, long live Google Analytics 4!, BizCommunity
Industry & Business
- Exclusive: Google's $76 million deal with French publishers leaves many outlets infuriated, Reuters
- Building a search engine to rival Google could cost billions — and that's not the only problem, ABC News
- France fines Google 1.1 million euros over hotel rankings practices, Reuters
- Major Australian media company strikes Google news pay deal, AP News
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
- Does Optimizing Content for "Near Me" Work for Local SEO?, Sterling Sky Blog
Mobile & Voice
- Android Auto gets useful Google Assistant shortcuts, 9to5Google
- Apple HomeKit vs Google Assistant, TechRadar
SEO
- 3 SEO KPIs You Should Be Tracking, Seer Interactive
- What Is a Google Penalty and How Do I Avoid It?, BruceClay
- What is Duplicate Content and How Does it Impact SEO?, Seer Interactive
- What’s different about Web Stories, Google Blog
- Top SEO Trends to Add to Your Roadmap in 2021, Built In
- 5 Tips to Invigorate Boring SEO Reports with Storytelling, Moz
- How To Check If Your URLs Are Indexed In Google, Koozai
PPC
- Google bans ads for locksmiths in Belgian search results, Brussels Times
Other Search
- We can’t heartly wait for Valentine’s Day, Google Blog
