Daily Search Forum Recap: August 27, 2024

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.

Amazon Web Services blocked Googlebot from my images, I posted a short case study on the issue. Google local panel maps is testing expanding them in the search results. Google updated the organization structured data. Google does not try variations of URLs. Google spoke about making your login page a sitelink in Google Search.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• AWS S3 Blocked Googlebot From My Image URLs - Here Is My Recovery
  Back in mid-June, I noticed that Google was not showing many of my images in Google Search and Discover and also some readers were pointing it out to me. So I used the handy Google Search Console URL Inspection tool to find out those S3 URLs I was using to host my images were blocking Googlebot from crawling.
• Google Updates Organization Markup Search Docs To Clarify Logo & Other Usage
  Google has updated the first paragraph of its Organization structured data search developer documentation. Google said the update is to clarify "that some properties can influence which logo is shown, while others are used behind the scenes."
• Google: We Generally Don't Try Variations Of URLs
  John Mueller from Google in the latest SEO office hours said that Google, Googlebot, does not generally try variations of URLs to see if they work. So if you have a URL like domain.com/pagegoeshere1/, Google won't try domain.com/pagegoeshere2/ to just try it out of curiosity.
• Get Your Login Page As A Sitelink In Google Search Results
  For many sites that have customer or client portals, including SaaS companies, the login page is the primary destination for a lot of searchers. It will help your customers bypass your homepage and go right to the login area. The question asked of Google is how do you ensure that login page shows up as a Sitelink in your Google Search results snippet.
• Google Local Panel Maps Tests Expanding In Search Results
  Google is now testing a new user experience for maps in the Google Search local panel section. Normally when you click on the map in the local knowledge panel, you are taken into Google Maps. Now, Google is testing expanding the maps while you stay on the Google Search results page.
• Google Garden Program Fruit Vine
  Here is a photo from a video, which I embedded below, of the Google garden program that shows the fruit vine which is part of that program. The sign reads, "This fruit vine is a part of Google's garden program. Please do not pick the fruit!" It added, "Looking for a snack? Head to your nearest MK. Thanks for understanding!"

Other Great Search Threads:

• A #ppcchat GoogleAds story for 2024. Friend runs a car dealership. I give a few pointers. Guess what happens? Brand KW Status: Eligible (Limited) Below first page bid (€47.45) Actual Avg CPC Today: €0.01 Auctions being run by, Andrew McGarry on X
• Agreed...metrics drive behavior, and today there's still a gap between "my numbers look good" and "I'm maximizing my real-world impact". At Google we've very much focused on the latter, and this article (and the recent FT article too) does a good job expl, Urs Holzle on LinkedIn
• Google's approach to indexing content has evolved significantly. Too many low-quality pages can hurt you in Core algorithm updates. Understanding this shift is important for anyone making strategic SEO decisions: quantity is out, qu, Kevin_Indig on X
• Nearly 300 more exhibits unsealed in last 24hrs for the Google adtech trial 9/9 in EDVA (on top of the 150 Friday). More insane illustrations of Google's market power, here showing how much of the ad spend in the global auctions run, Jason Kint on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Survey: Google updates, self-preferencing, AI Overviews are top SEO threats
• ChatGPT prompts for SEO: What you need to know
• Reframing SEO: Why training search engines is the new game in the age of AI
• Google Search may now use OG title for title links

Other Great Search Stories:

Industry & Business

• Baidu's AI strategy 'will bear fruit' despite starting later than Google: Bernstein, Seeking Alpha
• Ex-Googlers Discover That Startups Are Hard, The Information
• Gannett is shuttering site accused of publishing AI product reviews, The Verge
• Google Sought to Pay Agencies to Sway Media Buys, AdWeek
• Internal AWS Sales Guidelines Spread Doubt About OpenAI's Capabilities, Business Insider
• What Is Alphabet Worth Excluding Google? This Analyst Has an Estimate., Barron's

Links & Content Marketing

• Surviving the Ecommerce Apocalypse, CMSWire

Local & Maps

• Google Business Profile Failure to Act on Spam, Online Ownership
• Incomplete Addresses on Google Business Profiles Are Not Being Tackled, Online Ownership
• Why You Should Fix Your Google Business Profile’s Map Marker (Pin), Igniting Business

Mobile & Voice

• Amazon aims to launch an AI Alexa in October, with a subscription, Washington Post
• Apple Event Announced for September 9: 'It's Glowtime', MacRumors
• Report: Apple working on next-gen humanlike AI ‘personality’ that’s not Siri, 9to5Mac

SEO

• 5 Restaurant SEO Tips Backed by Diners & Data, Ahrefs
• 7 Ways SEO Training Helps You Succeed in SEO, BruceClay
• Holiday SEO Tips: Strategies to Boost Traffic & Sales, seoClarity
• How to Optimize for “From Sources Across the Web”, seoClarity
• SERP Analysis Tools & How to Use Them, Semrush
• Should You Develop a Microsite for SEO? Learn Why and How, TopRank

PPC

• Advertisers in the EEA Must Implement Consent Mode To Preserve Conversion Tracking, PPC News Feed
• Google Launches Partnership Ads with BrandConnect, PPC News Feed
• Microsoft Advertising returns to DMEXCO 2024: Embrace the AI revolution, Microsoft Advertising
• Updates to Gambling and games policy (August 2024), Google Advertising Policies Help
• What Is Ad Spend & How to Measure It, Semrush
• Why You Shouldn't Use Google Ads Auto-Apply Recommendations, Jyll Saskin Gales

Other Search

• Arc Search browser officially coming to Android, 9to5Google
• Microsoft Bing Copilot blames reporter for crimes he covered, The Register
• OpenAI supports California AI bill requiring 'watermarking' of synthetic content, Reuters

Feedback:

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