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:
- Search Buzz Video Recap: Widespread Google Indexing Issues, Algorithm Shifts, Icon Tests, AMP Changes & Google+ Dead
Today was an interesting day, a possible Google bug is dropping pages out of the Google index like flies. No word yet from Google on what the issue is yet. There was a potential Google update on March 29th again... - A New Google Useragent google-Read-Aloud?
I am seeing some webmasters and SEOs pick up on a new useragent potentially from Google named google-Read-Aloud. The useragent references a URL to Google's useragent page but this specific one is not listed on that page. - Google Wants Feedback On Dynamic Rendering Success
As you know, Google released a method of getting some forms of JavaScript content indexed faster last year named dynamic rendering. It has been a year or so since it was introduced, Google's documentation on it was released in October and Google's Martin Splitt is looking for feedback from those webmasters who have tried it. - Google Is Dropping Pages Out Of The Search Index; A Bug?
Something weird is going on with the Google search index. I am seeing wide spread reports of SEOs and webmasters complaining that their URLs and web pages are being removed from the Google Index. Lots of folks are noticing that a nice percentage of their web sites are no longer coming up for a site command or showing in Search Console as being indexed. - AMP Stories Thumbnails In Google Search Results Snippets
It looks like Google is testing showing a new type of image thumbnail in the mobile search results snippets. Some pages that have AMP Stories are seeing that their snippets in the Google mobile search have images showing off that there is an AMP Story available to be clicked on. - Hedwig Kohn, The Physicist, Gets A Google Logo
Google today is honoring the contributions of Hedwig Kohn. Hedwig Kohn German-American physicist who was one of the only three women to obtain habilitation, the qualification for university teaching of physics in Germany before World War II. She also had to flee Germany during the Nazi rule, as she was Jewish. - Matt Cutts Use To Make Spam Pinata While At Google
You learn something new every day - did you know that Matt Cutts use to make spam pinata's for team building events? He said so on Twitter yesterday.
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Ad CTR Increased 250% for past 2 months. Should I report to Google, WebmasterWorld
- Apache HTTP server gets fix, WebmasterWorld
- No, @methode is busy eating spaghetti.…, John Mueller on Twitter
- No, if /de/ is geotargeted, then that wouldn't apply to /de. These are in different folders.…, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- What killing rel=prev/next means for SEO
- How to set up action extensions, Bing Ads’ newest ad extension
- Machine reservations: Google’s Duplex expanding to more Android, iPhone users
- Google data shows Page Speed update resulted in 15-20% speed increases among slower sites
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- How Does Google Analytics Track Campaigns & Website Traffic?, The Coloring Department
- To measure is to know, why using Google Analytics should be a no-brainer for your company, Raak
Industry & Business
- Exclusive: Google cancels AI ethics board in response to outcry, Vox
- Working together when we’re not together, Google Blog
- Apple has poached another of Google’s top AI researchers, The Verge
- Google sells house it had bought, Mercury News
- How Google Is Cramming More Data Into Its New Atlantic Cable, Wired
Links & Promotion Building
Local & Maps
- Google Maps adds traffic slowdowns to incident reporting, Android Police
- Google Patent Hints at New Google Augmented Reality Headset, Digital Trends
Mobile & Voice
- Amazon (AMZN) Making Alexa-Enabled Answer to Apple AirPods (AAPL, Bloomberg
- Amazon Alexa launches its first HIPAA-compliant medical skills, TechCrunch
- AMP on the Times of India, AMPHTML Blog
- What is AMP and what problems does it solve?, Vertical Leap
- Android TV update puts home-screen ads on multi-thousand-dollar Sony Smart TVs, Ars Technica
SEO
- Conversational Search Queries at Google (Context from Previous Sessions), Go Fish Digital
- Your questions, our answers: 22 top tips for SEO in 2019, Search Metrics
PPC
- The Benefits of SEO and PPC Integration, Site Visibility
- Amazon puts a dent in Google's ad dominance, MarketWatch
