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.
Google goes off on the SEO myth of using a /blog subfolder or not. Google is testing author names in top stories. Google Local Service Ads edits show up in your Google Business Profile in 24 hours. Google Ads will remove examples from the legal requirements policies page. Google Merchant Center's automated discounts feature is going live.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Test: Google Top Stories With Author Names
It looks like Google is testing placing author names in the top stories carousel within the mobile search results. I believe Google had this at some point before, but I have not seen author names in this feature in a long time. - Google: It Doesn't Matter If You Use Blog Folders For URLs & We're Not Wrong
Google's John Mueller said it doesn't matter either way if you put your blog posts on a subfolder of /blog or just on the root directory of the site, without the /blog. - Edits To Your Local Service Ads Will Update Your Google Business Profile
Now when you update your business hours, and maybe other information, on your Google Local Service Ads, those updates will be synced up with your Google Business Profiles within 24 hours. - Google Ads To Remove Examples From Legal Requirements Policies
Next month, Google Ads will remove the examples it provides in its Google Ads Legal Requirements policy. Google posted that on August 7, 2023, it will no longer list examples on the page. - Google Merchant Center Automated Discounts Fully Live
Google Merchant Center seems to be rolling out its old beta feature named automated discounts. Automated discounts helps retailers automatically discount their product prices based on multiple real-time signals, Google explained. - Google Orchestra Gets Guinness World Records
Did you know there was an official Google Orchestra called the Googler Orchestra? They even have a website. Anyway, they just got a Guinness World Records for largest conductor's baton by performing
Other Great Search Threads:
- I am heading out on a summer vacation and will be back July 17. I won’t have internet access for most of it so, if needed, I’ll get back to you when I return. Thanks!, AdsLiaison on Twitter
- I don't know of public research, I also don't know how you'd do it. I suspect due to the nature of alt text (being descriptive of something visually-oriented), it would be useful for, John Mueller on Twitter
- Usually the discussion is about 1/page, 1/site would be extreme :). Having multiple per page is valid HTML, for what it's worth. It just makes it easier to recognize what you really consider to be a heading if you have one clear one. "If everything is imp, John Mueller on Twitter
- We’re making active investments in several areas including the Ads Help Center to help customers self resolve issues more quickly and reliably. Support options are provided at the account level and I have passed along the feedback about email response t, AdsLiaison on Twitter
- site: isn't giving you a complete list of indexed Urls., Martin Splitt on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Study: TikTok loses popularity as ecommerce search engine
- Threads, Meta’s Twitter alternative, to launch July 6
- 10 things we hate about Google Analytics 4
- How to create link building OKRs for SEO (with examples)
- Get organized: PPC ad campaign structure in a changing world
- How to say ‘no’ as a digital marketer
- Google Ads Editor version 2.4 is out with 8 new features
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- 5-Minute Whiteboard: How Obsession with Attribution Warps Marketing Investments, SparkToro
- Complete Guide to Events in Google Analytics 4, Omi Sido
Industry & Business
- Introducing Superalignment, OpenAI
- Google accuses India antitrust body of protecting Amazon in Android probe, Reuters
- Google is up 35% and its search still dominates — why shares are cheap, CNBC
- PwC tipped off Google on timing of Australian tax law, Financial Times (Sub)
Links & Content Marketing
- Audiences Don’t Care If AI Created Your Content, Content Marketing Institute
- How to Build Your Blog's Audience with Long Form Evergreen Content, Problogger
- The future of blogging in a video-obsessed world, Yoast
Local & Maps
- 30 Of The Most Amusing And Ridiculous Moments Ever Captured By Google Maps (New Pics), Bored Panda
- Google Maps Users Take the Fastest Route, End up Swept Away by River, AutoEvolution
- How To Share Location From iPhone To Android (3 Easy Ways), Screen Rant
Mobile & Voice
- Apple Vision Pro patents & research available for years, AppleInsider
- ChatGPT app downloads are slowing down, BofA finds, CNBC
SEO
- 75 Mind-Blowing SEO Statistics (2023 Updated Data), Erik Emanuelli
- Competitor Research for SEO: What, Why, How, BruceClay
- Core Web Vitals, Generative AI, and more! - Google Search News (July ‘23), Google Search Central YouTube
- How to Combat SERP Volatility, Moz
- 11 Crawlability Problems & How to Fix Them, Semrush
- Google's Helpful Content & Other AI Systems May Be Impacting Your Site's Visibility, Marie Haynes
- Keyword Mapping for SEO: Guide + Free Template, Semrush
PPC
- Upcoming changes in keyword validation, Google Ads Developer Blog
- Canada Halts Ads on Facebook and Instagram in Feud Over Online News Act, Bloomberg
- Google Launches Automated Discounts Feature for Google Shopping After Extensive Beta Testing, FeedArmy
Other Search
- Threads passes 10 million signups in seven hours, TechCrunch
Feedback:
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