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 is testing tons of links in AI Overviews. Bing was faster than Google in 2017. Google deactivated AdSense accounts in Russia. Google is testing mini knowledge panel cards. Google Knowledge Panels now with "connections."
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Doc: Bing Was Faster Than Google In 2017
A Google document that came out of the DOJ trails said that back in 2017, Bing Search was faster than Google was specifically looking at mobile queries. The document was an internal Google document and went through 10 elements of latency. -
Google Deactivates Russia-Based AdSense Accounts, Final Payouts To Follow
Google has deactivated all Russian-based AdSense accounts yesterday and will issue July earnings will be disbursed between August 21 and 26. Google added it will attempt to disburse any remaining balance in your account, if you have met the cancellation threshold and have no payment holds, within 60 days. -
Google Search Tests Mini Knowledge Panel Cards
Google Search is testing miniature, or smaller, knowledge panel cards in the Google Search results. Instead of showing the massive knowledge panel at the top, Google shows this smaller card at the top right of the search results, which leaves the main search results higher at the top left of the page. -
Google AI Overviews With Tons Of Link Icons
We've all been complaining about the lack of citations and links in the new Google AI Overviews. Recently Google began testing icons for link citations in the AI Overviews and has been testing them on and off. Here is one of those with tons of link icons, like about 20 of them, for one AI Overview. -
Google Connections For Knowledge Panels
Google can show the connections a person or entity have in its knowledge panel and break down those connections by category. In the example below, for Elon Musk, Google is showing the family connections, the work with connections and the people also search for connections. -
Google Arcade Style Desks
For some reason, Google has these arcade-style workstation desks. So, normal workstations but dressed up to look like maybe old-fashioned arcade games. I could be wrong, but these desks caught my eye.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Bing AI search patents -> Informational grounding, semantic search engine results pages, and streaming a series of chats in a SERP "The company also filed a similar patent application for generating a “semantic search engine result, Glenn Gabe on X
- Google serp with snippet of "Select words to get definitions and translations without leaving the page", Khushal Bherwani on X
- How to Get the Most Out of the Google Search Central Community? Guidance and Best Practices, Google Search Central Community
- I wonder how much 'Back to school' shopping revenue this drives for ecommerce retailers? And... for the affiliate marketers ranking on the deals SERP that Google triggers when you click the call to action. There are several., Glenn Gabe on X
- This allegation is 100% false and baseless. We haven’t run any homepage promotions on voter registration this year. When we have run such promotions for past elections, they’ve been available to all users, Google Communications on X
- Want a quick presentation-check on SEO topics?, John Mueller on LinkedIn
- I welcome all questions @sametozsuleyman. Best way is to raise a support request https://t.co/XrLl0zn4Wz. We’ll review if this is expected (we may normalize more URLs than others as well LESS IS GEN, Fabrice Canel on X
- What do you think of switching to a circular or 3D grid?, John Mueller on Mastodon
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Facebook Ads 2024 data: Clicks and conversions up, costs down
- The complete guide to optimizing content for SEO (with checklist)
- The high cost of PPC efficiency
- How to overcome bias in PPC for better ad performance
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Understanding BigQuery and Looker Studio Costs, Data Driven U
Industry & Business
- Susan Wojcicki obituary, The Guardian
- Google, Gmail experience second big outage in a week, QZ
- Here's why the creator of Gmail thinks Google fell behind in the AI arms race, Business Insider
Links & Content Marketing
- Best B2B Marketing Content for Each Funnel Stage, TopRank
- Can You Rent Success by Publishing Beyond the Website?, Content Marketing Institute
- Linking the News: Off-Page SEO for News Sites, Sitebulb
Local & Maps
- AI for Local: What Brands Must Do As Search Evolves, SOCi
- Apple Maps Look Around spreading outside city centers in the U.S., coming to more countries, AppleInsider
Mobile & Voice
- Google’s Pixel Fold one year later: I can’t wait for the sequel, The Verge
- Apple Intelligence price: iPhone AI and Siri will be free until 2027, BGR
- Google pops Gemini into Meet to 'take notes' for recaps and summaries, Android Central
SEO
- A/B Test for Better Search Engine Performance with IndexNow and Microsoft Clarity, Bing Webmaster Blog
- Publishers Boost Presence on Reddit as Platform Gains Search Visibility, AdWeek
PPC
- Google Ad Manager issues, Google Ads Status Dashboard
- Google says it is deactivating Russia-based AdSense accounts, Reuters
- Improvements to conversion adjustment uploads, Google Ads Developer Blog
- What the Google Antitrust Ruling Means for Advertisers & Small Businesses, WordStream
- The key to unlocking business growth with AI—a dentsu story, Microsoft Advertising
- What Is an Ad Impression and Why Are They Important to Track?, Semrush
Search Features
- 7 easy ways to customize and curate your Google Discover feed, Android Police
- Files by Google adds Circle to Search, preps AI summaries, 9to5Google
- Google's next Circle to Search update might get you to uninstall Shazam, Android Police
Feedback:
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