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 putting review and menu descriptions under photos in local listings. Google is placing blue map pins with location names in the search result snippets. Google Ads had enhanced conversion coverage data. Bing is testing a searches you may like widget. Bing Places has a new support form. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Ranking Volatility Spikes, Search Console Bug, Search App Stalled, Google Ads News & Business Profile Suspensions
Another week and more Google Search ranking volatility, in fact, it has not calmed but we saw even more spikes in the middle of this week. Google Search Console may have a bug with product snippets reporting. Google... -
Google Blue Map Pin & City Name On Search Results Snippets
Google is now showing a blue map pin with a city name under some of the search result snippets. This seems to be rolling out now and seems to be new. It shows you if a specific website is near you or in a specific city, I think. -
Google Reviews & Menu Descriptions Under Local Photos
Google is now showing reviews and menu descriptions when browsing photos on a Google Maps, Google Business Profiles listing. So when you scroll through photos, Google will show this content under the photo for some listings. -
Google Ads Gains New Options On Enhanced Conversion Coverage Data Page
Google has added a set of new filters and a website only report in the Enhanced Conversion Coverage data page/report. This can be found in the Google Ads console under the Enhanced Conversion Coverage Data page. -
New Bing Places Support Contact Form
Microsoft may have updated its Bing Places support contact us page. The new page requires you to authenticate yourself, then pick your region, before filling out the form. The form can be reached over here. -
Bing Searches You Might Like Box
Microsoft is testing new sections in the Bing Search results named searches you might like. This can show up as a box with search refinements between a set of search results or as trending searches on the right hand side of the search results. -
Google Neon Sign - Rock Stage
Here is a spot at the Google office in Zurich, Switzerland where bands can play. There is this neon Google logo sign in the background, with musical instruments on the stage.
Other Great Search Threads:
- "Helpful", to not helpful, to helpful, to not helpful... all in the space of a year. This is so confusing, and Google really need to sort this out because there isn't a lot independent sites left anymore, and I know many, Brandon Saltalamacchia on X
- First time I've seen Gemini sending a good amount of traffic to one of my recent blog posts, Bill Hartzer on X
- Getting bombarded by flags for "Unreliable Claims" anytime we try to post keywords from Ads Editor, Greg on X
- More about AI Overview tracking in GSC: I've explained before that it's a maddening adventure trying to track AI Overviews in GSC. Well, here's another maddening example. The site ranks in the AI overview (which would show up as posi, Glenn Gabe on X
- We have just updated our marketing landing page with a nice overview of some of Bing’s main features like the emerging Bing generative search powered by LLMs, as well as Images and Image Creation, News, Travel, Maps, Shopping, Safe Se, Jordi Ribas on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Amazon Ads launches AI-powered video
- New data: Google AI Overviews show more often to signed-in users
- How to implement generative engine optimization (GEO) strategies
- How to develop a paid search strategy
- The ultimate guide to HTTP status codes for SEO
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Did Google monopolize the ad market?, The Verge
- Google employees’ attempts to hide messages from investigators might backfire, The Verge
- Legal Fee Tracker: Google, privacy lawyers clash over $217 million fee bid, Reuters
- OpenAI to Decide Which Backers to Let Into $6.5 Billion Funding, Bloomberg
- DOJ vs. Google: Can the digital media industry learn from the last 15 years?, Digiday
Links & Content Marketing
- 20+ Tips and Ideas That Make Paid Social Media Content Pay Off, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- Android Auto adds NACS charger support for EVs, 9to5Google
- Booking.com's price curbs on hotels may hinder competition, EU top court says, Reuters
- Here's how Google Maps incident reports will work on Android Auto, 9to5Google
- Maps, AI, Open Buildings, Geospatial analysis, dataset, Google Blog
- New Policies & Shady Review Schemes: Is Google Helping or Hurting?, BrightLocal
- Startup Founded by Ex-Google Exec to Use AI to Forecast Weather, Bloomberg
Mobile & Voice
- Apple releases AI software for a smarter Siri on the iPhone 16, AP News
- Apple Seeds First iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia Public Betas With Apple Intelligence, MacRumors
- New OS public betas offer a glimpse of Apple Intelligence, AppleInsider
SEO
- 10 Quick SEO Tips for Better Rankings + More Traffic, Semrush
- Forbes Marketplace: The Parasite SEO Company Trying to Devour Its Host, Lars Lofgren
- Google versus publishers: Mail SEO chief on how to fight big tech, Press Gazette
- Google’s People Also Ask: How to understand customers & improve SEO, Wix SEO Hub
- How do I know if my SEO is doing a good job?, Search Off the Record
PPC
- 30 Days, 30 Conversions: Time to Switch Your Bid Strategy, Jyll Saskin Gales
Other Search
- AI Tools Are Displacing Web Searches for The Information Readers, The Information
- How AI can bring new opportunity in the UK, Google Blog
- Microsoft tries to sell businesses on Copilot again, The Verge
Feedback:
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