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 has dropped showing the AMP label in the mobile search results. Google Ads is going to try a new three strikes and you're out policy for some ad violations. Google sketched up what various organic SEO traffic changes and drops look like, this can be useful for your client pitches. Google Maps launched new detailed restaurant reviews. And more SEO and others topics below.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Drops The AMP Label In The Mobile Search Results
Google has dropped showing the AMP label or icon in the mobile search results. I personally cannot trigger it for any of my searches anymore. And no, it does not seem to have been replaced with the page experience label either. - No Results Found Response Can Lead To Soft 404s In Google Search Console
Did you know that returning a "results not found" type of page can result in Google Search considering that page a soft 404 and thus removing it from the search results? We know Google recently changed how it determines some soft 404 pages, but this tidbit is not new to that change. - New Google Ads Three Strikes And Your Out Policy
Google Ads is instituting a new three-strikes and your out policy starting in September 2021. Starting in September, Google will issue a warning and then up to three-strikes for violations of Google's Enabling Dishonest Behavior, Unapproved Substances and Dangerous Products or Services policies. After the third strike, your account can be suspended. - Google Illustrates Causes For Various Organic Traffic Drops
Google's Daniel Waisberg did this outstanding post and illustration, he calls sketches, of how Google would categorize the types or causes of organic traffic drops. The categories include technical issues on the site level, technical issues on the page level, manual actions, algorithmic changes, seasonality and simple reporting bugs. - Google Maps Launches New Detailed Restaurant Reviews
Google announced a bunch of new map features the other day, one of which is allowing users/searchers to leave more detailed reviews for the restaurants they visit. Google has been testing more detailed reviews for some time but now it is officially live for restaurants. - The Industry Mourns The Loss Of Bob Gladstein - Intelligent & Humble SEO
I can't believe I am writing another post about another soul in the search marketing space passing away at an early age. Bob Gladstein, someone who has been part of the search community for probably two-decades or so, unexpectedly passed Friday night at the age of 57. - Doogler Spider & Googler Fly Costume
This is an old photo from 2017 but I just spotted it. It is from a Google Halloween thing where a Googler dressed himself up as a fly and he dressed up his Doogler, Google dog, as a spider. I think.
Other Great Search Threads:
- I don't think that's a problem for search. We'd use it at most when picking a canonical, but since it's redirecting, I imagine that's not your plan anyway. Bad / missing certificates don't block crawling., John Mueller on Twitter
- I wouldn't care about anything esoteric like authority when it comes to links. If you're seeing users end up on a 404 page when they could be going to your content, it's probably a good idea to fix that, John Mueller on Twitter
- To share hosting, or not to share?? In this ep. of #AskGooglebot, @JohnMu explains: difference between shared & dedicated hosting how @Google treats sites on a shared server ...and, Google Search Central on Twitter
- Yeah, it's the default, so there's no need to specify it. It's like putting "allow: /" as the only directive in your robots.txt. Or like building a highway and adding a sign "cars allowed". It's not going to c, John Mueller on Twitter
- VERY big descriptions in the rich #sitelinks Seen them this big before @rustybrick ? Also a very strange choice by Google - not relevant and not helpful to the user in the context of the search... Sorting this out, Jason Barnard on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- The SEO agency KPIs dashboard: a way to unlock growth
- Users can now leave more detailed restaurant reviews on Google
- Google categorizes what organic search traffic drops look like
- Three strikes, you’re out: Google’s new ad policy violations pilot
- Would you have pursued a four-year degree in PPC or SEO?; Tuesday’s daily brief
- Google drops AMP label in mobile search results
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Advertising Workspace in Google Analytics 4, Loves Data
- Combining Google Analytics Data with Other Sources, Practical Ecommerce
Industry & Business
- Biden nominates Google critic Jonathan Kanter to lead DOJ antitrust division, AppleInsider
- A case against security nihilism, Cryptographic Engineering
Links & Content Marketing
- 15 Bad Links You Must Avoid and Why, I Love SEO
- A Jam-Packed Guide on Internal Linking for SEO, BruceClay
- Common Internal Linking Mistakes in SEO (and How to Fix Them), SEO Clarity
- How to Create Cornerstone Content That Google and Your Audience Will Love, Moz
Local & Maps
- Android Auto to get better support for automatically opening, 9to5Google
- Google Bookmarks closing, interacts w/ Maps Starred list, 9to5Google
- Google shutting down My Maps Android app in favor of web, 9to5Google
- The High Cost of Fake Reviews, Near Media
- 11 Clever Google Maps Settings Everyone Should Be Using, Lifehacker
- 8 tips to navigate and explore safely with Google Maps, Google Blog
- Ask a Googler: Traci, Local Guides Connect
- Navigate new normals with Google Maps, Google Blog
Mobile & Voice
- Google Assistant is going goth, with dark mode coming to a future Chrome OS update, Android Police
- You don't need your phone to edit some Google Assistant features, XDA Developers
SEO
- Busting 5 common Local SEO myths, SearchLab Digital
- How to Conduct Semantic SEO Research for an Artisan Bakery, Semrush
- New Copy Functionality in Related Sites, Majestic Blog
- How To Identify Thin Content On Your Website Using Screaming Frog, Koozai
PPC
- Testing the Power of YouTube Lead Form Extension, PPC Hero
- 3 Reasons to Use Google Ads Dynamic Exclusion Lists (+How to Do It), Business 2 Community
- Facebook Import made easy: Get started today, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
Other Search
- Privacy and performance, working together in Chrome, Google Blog
Feedback:
Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, you can follow us on Facebook and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel or just contact us the old fashion way.
