Archive for the ‘seo news’ Category
Friday, March 29th, 2024
Google has issued a correction from its previous statement in early February that Web Stories no longer showed in Google Image search results, that is not true. What is true is that Google stopped showing the Web Stories icon in the image search results.
Plus, Google Search Console had a reporting glitch with Web Stories in Google Image Search for the past two months.
Correction. Previously, Google wrote, “Web Stories don’t appear in Google Images anymore.”
Google posted a correction today saying, “Web Stories continue to appear in Google Images, just as other web content may appear, but Web Stories no longer appear with the Web Stories icon in Google Images.”
Search Console bug. Google Search Console had a bug during this same time period that did not show any clicks or impressions for Web Stories within Google Image Search. Google posted the bug details over here and wrote:
A logging error prevented Search Console from reporting on Web Stories in Google Images from August 28, 2023 until March 26, 2024. As a result, you may notice a decrease in clicks and impressions during this period for your Web Stories in the Search Console Performance report. This has been resolved and you may start to notice an increase in clicks and impressions, as the data returns to Search Console. This did not reflect a change in actual clicks or impressions, only an issue with data logging.
Why we care. For the past several weeks now we thought Google is no longer showing Web Stories within Google Image Search results. In fact, Search Console data did not report on impressions or clicks on Web Stories within Google Images. But this is not true, it was a miscommunication and now both have been corrected and clarified.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Friday, March 29th, 2024
Google is piloting new product discovery elements designed to give users a more personalized shopping experience, including:
- Style recommendations.
- Brand preferences.
- Generative AI for product search.
- Virtual try-on technology.
Why we care. These features offer businesses new opportunities to showcase their products and engage with high-value consumers who are likely to be more inclined to make purchases, thanks to a personalized shopping experience tailored to their specific preferences.
Style recommendations. Google is testing Style Recommendations, now accessible to signed-in U.S. shoppers via mobile browsers and the Google app, aiming to deliver more personalized results. For instance, when users search for specific apparel like shoes, they’ll come across the Style Recommendations section. Here, they can offer ratings with thumbs up or thumbs down, or simply swipe right or left to immediately access personalized results.
How it works. If shoppers aren’t satisfied with their personalized results or would prefer to continue browsing, Google offers the option to rate more items and immediately view another set of results. Additionally, the search engine will remember preferences for future searches. For example, when searching for men’s polo shirts again, you’ll receive personalized style recommendations based on your past preferences and interactions with products.
Managing style recommendations. If you’ve rated items incorrectly or would prefer to not see personalized shopping results, you can manage your preferences. To do this, just tap the three dots next to the “Get style recommendations” section and explore personalization options in the “About this result” panel.
Brand preferences. U.S. shoppers searching for apparel, shoes, or accessories on mobile browsers, desktop, or the Google app can now personalize their shopping experience by selecting preferred brands. Once chosen, options from these brands will appear instantly. To manage preferences, tap the three dots next to the “Popular from your favorite brands” section, and access personalization options in the “About this result” panel.
Image generation. Google is piloting an AI image generation tool for shopping, which is now available to all U.S. users who have opted into Search Generative Experience (SGE) within Search Labs. If you’re searching for a specific item, like a “colorful quilted spring jacket,” simply tap “Generate images” after your search to see photorealistic options matching your preferences. Once you find one you like, click on it to explore shoppable options conveniently.
Virtual try on. Additionally, Google is testing a virtual try-on tool in the U.S. on desktop, mobile and the Google app. When you see the “try-on” icon in shopping results, simply click on it, and you can see what the product looks like on a diverse set of real models ranging in size from XXS-4XL.
What Google is saying. Sean Scott, Google’s VP/GM Consumer Shopping, said:
- “People shop on Google more than a billion times a day. And thanks to the Shopping Graph, they see billions of products in their results that are constantly being refreshed. In fact, every hour, more than 2 billion listings are updated with the latest information, including pricing, in-stock availability and shipping details.”
- “So whether you’re looking for a specialty notepad from Japan, a monogrammed handbag from Paris or just a hammer from your local hardware store, the Shopping Graph can help you find it in just a few clicks. With that many options, we’re focused on making it easy to find exactly what you like.”
- “No two shoppers are alike, which is why we’re designing the shopping experience on Google so it’s tailored to you.”
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Deep dive. Read Google’s announcement in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Google updated its definition of top ads in its Help Center to better reflect how ads can appear in Google Search
A spokesperson told Search Engine Land that this just a “definitional change” and that it would not affect how performance metrics are calculated.
What are top ads? Top ads are ads that appear above the organic result, and also below organic results for certain queries. As explaiend by Google:
- “When people search on Google, text ads can appear at different positions relative to organic search results. Top ads are adjacent to the top organic search results. Top ads are generally above the top organic results, although top ads may show below the top organic search results on certain queries. Placement of top ads is dynamic and may change based on the user’s search.”
Why now. Google changed its definition of top ads after testing ads between search results back in October. Patrick Stox, Ahrefs product advisor, technical SEO and brand ambassador, noticed sponsored posts were appearing where the third and fifth organic positions normally run and shared a screenshot on X:
Why we care. This update could indicate that Google is progressing with its idea to insert ads between organic search results, as seen in trials last year. This change could potentially result in more clicks for advertisers in areas of Google Search that have traditionally been reserved for organic content.
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Deep dive. Read Google’s top ads guide for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Amazon must now share details about the ads it serves in the European Union through a public library.
The retail giant is being forced to provide more transparency about its ad operations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) after losing an appeal in the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) for a temporary suspension.
Why we care. The creation of an Amazon ads library will offer marketers valuable insights into how the retail giant showcases and profits from campaigns. This will empower them to optimize their ads more effectively for better performance on the platform.
What is the Digital Markets Act (DMA)? The DMA is a piece of legislation introduced in 2022 designed to ensure that large online platforms, called “gatekeepers”, behave in a fair way online to create a fair and open environment for online businesses. Only six gatekeepers have obligations under the DMA:
- Alphabet (Google’s parent company).
- Apple.
- Meta.
- Amazon.
- Microsoft.
- ByteDance.
All six companies, none of which are based in the EU, were required to ensure they fully complied with DMA obligations and submit compliance reports by March 7.
DMA violation penalties. The consequences of non-compliance with the DMA includes:
- Fines: Up to 10% of the company’s total worldwide annual turnover, or up to 20% in the event of repeated infringements.
- Periodic penalty payments: Up to 5% of a company’s average daily turnover.
- Remedies: These can include behavioral and structural remedies, such as the divestiture of (parts of) a business.
Amazon contests DSA requirements. Amazon challenged the requirement to follow the ads transparency rule in the DSA in September last year. As a result, the EU General Court temporarily halted the ads library until the issue is resolved.
Decision reversal. This week, the CJEU overturned the decision to temporarily suspend Amazon’s requirement to comply with the ads transparency provision. The court ruled that Amazon must now adhere to publishing an ads library. While the court recognized Amazon’s concerns about compliance, they emphasized the importance of upholding the intentions of EU lawmakers in passing the law. Delaying compliance could undermine the objectives of the DSA, potentially for several years.
What the CJEU is saying. The CJEU said in a statement:
- “Suspension would lead to a delay, potentially for several years, in the full achievement of the objectives of the Regulation on a Single Market for Digital Services and therefore potentially allow an online environment threatening fundamental rights to persist or develop, whereas the EU legislature considered that very large platforms play an important role in that environment. “T
- “The interests defended by the EU legislature prevail, in the present case, over Amazon’s material interests, with the result that the balancing of interests weighs in favor of rejecting the request for suspension.”
What Amazon is saying. An Amazon spokesperson told Tech Crunch:
- “We are disappointed with this decision, and maintain that Amazon doesn’t fit the description of a ‘Very Large Online Platform’ (VLOP) under the DSA, and should not be designated as such.”
- “Customer safety is a top priority for us at Amazon, and we continue to work closely with the EC with regard to our obligations under the DSA.”
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Deep dive. Read the CJEU’s statement on its decision in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Google’s 2023 Ads Safety Report revealed that it blocked or removed 12.7 million advertiser accounts last year – nearly double the previous 12 months.
Additionally, the search engine blocked or removed 5.5 billion ads for violating its policies – slightly up from the prior year.
Why we care. Cracking down on fraudulent accounts is critical for brand safety and also helps to ensure a safer space for consumers so that they can confidently make online transactions. However, there’s also a potential risk associated with AI, as it may mistakenly suspend genuine advertisers and ads.
The report findings. In the 2023 Google Ads Safety Report, Google found:
- Google blocked or removed 206.5 million advertisements for violating our misrepresentation policy, which includes many scam tactics.
- Google blocked or removed 273.4 million advertisements for violating our financial services policy.
- Google blocked or removed over 1 billion advertisements for violating its policy against abusing the ad network, which includes promoting malware.
- Google blocked or restricted ads from serving on more than 2.1 billion publisher pages.
- Google took broader site-level enforcement action on more than 395,000 publisher sites, up markedly from 2022.
Updates. Google claimed that scams and fraud across all platforms were on the rise in 2023. To counter these threats, it deployed 31 updates to its Ads and Publisher policies, such as:
- Updating its suitability controls to make it simpler and quicker for advertisers to exclude topics that they wish to avoid across YouTube and Display inventory.
- Updating its misrepresentation policy to better enable Google to rapidly suspend the accounts of bad actors.
- Launching its Limited Ads Serving policy, which is designed to protect users by limiting the reach of advertisers with whom Google is less familiar.
- Launching the Ads Transparency Center – where users can easily search and find ads from verified advertisers across various platforms such as Search, YouTube, and Display.
AI. In the report, Google highlighted how AI is playing a crucial role in its efforts to combat bad actors. By using AI, Google claims it can identify and suspend fraudulent accounts before they even get onto its platforms, or remove them as soon as they’re detected.
Moving forward. Google did not share exact details on what future updates we can expect we move further into 2024, however, the search engine confirmed it would continue to investment in policy, detection and enforcement.
Appeals. If you disagree with Google’s decisions and do not believe your ad violated its policies, you can appeal any enforcement action. Google will review your appeal, and if it determines that it made an incorrect decision, it will use these instances to enhance its systems.
What Google is saying. Duncan Lennox, VP & GM of Ads Privacy and Safety, said in a statement:
- “Our goal is to catch bad ads and suspend fraudulent accounts before they make it onto our platforms or remove them immediately once detected. AI is improving our enforcement on all fronts.”
- “To put the impact of AI on this work into perspective: last year more than 90% of our publisher page level enforcement started with the use of machine learning models, including our latest LLMs.”
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Deep dive. Read Google’s 2023 Ads Safety Report in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Google has confirmed an issue with the real-time analytics reports within Google Analytics, GA4. Many profiles show zero real-time traffic being reported since early this morning; some are seeing a fraction of their normal real-time traffic being reported, and some are seeing normal traffic.
Google working on a fix. Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads Liaison, responded on X saying, “Thanks for flagging. This is a bug and the team is working on it. Apologies for the inconvenience!”
Here is that post:
Hi Barry, Thanks for flagging. This is a bug and the team is working on it. Apologies for the inconvenience!
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) March 27, 2024
What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of GA4 reporting zero real-time traffic:
Why we care. If you are noticing zero or a lot less real-time visitors via Google Analytics, you are not alone. This is a bug with Google and Google hopes to resolve the issue soon.
I know a lot of site owners woke up in a panic to these reports but again, this is just a bug.
Fixed now. At around 11:35pm ET, it seems like it is now resolving and was resolved by 12pm ET.
And an update: This has been resolved. Thanks for your patience!
— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) March 27, 2024
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
YouTube issued guidance to creators and marketers on the best times to upload videos for maximum reach.
For news, trends, or content with a shorter lifespan, it’s best to post as soon as possible. However, if you’re sharing evergreen content, the platform suggests posting at whatever time suits you prefer.
Live videos. To maximize reach with live videos, YouTube advises going live when your analytics chart indicates that most of your audience will be available to watch.
Off-hour posting. YouTube Liaison Officer Rene Ritchie mentioned on X that if you post during “off hours,” like the early morning, the initial boost in views might be slower. Therefore, it’s important to adjust your expectations. However, he pointed out that over a few weeks or a month, the total views usually even out, regardless of the initial posting time.
Why we care. This guidance provides valuable insight into easily increasing reach by posting more strategically. However, if your content isn’t time-sensitive, YouTube confirmed that you don’t need to stress about researching optimal posting times– meaning one less thing to worry about in your content strategy.
What YouTube is saying. YouTube Product Lead Todd Beaupre said in a video shared on X:
- “The way we designed the algorithm, we want to give audiences videos and other content that they’re going to be the most satisfied by. If the audience doesn’t really care whether you uploaded it at three in the morning or seven at night, then the algorithm shouldn’t care either.”
- “What I encourage creators to do is when they have some of these questions, and they immediately think about the algorithm, replace the word algorithm in their question with the word ‘audience.’ That’s going to give you a better answer because we’re aiming to serve the audience.”
- “The more you focus on understanding what your audience wants and finding the best fit with them, the algorithm is going to match that.”
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Deep dive. Read our guide on how the YouTube algorithm works for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
In today’s experience economy, customers expect personalized and relevant experiences at every touchpoint. But maintaining that level of personalization at scale is becoming even more challenging with third-party cookies going away.
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- Establish a comprehensive, single view of the customer by using Data Cloud
- Deliver personalized experiences across sales, service, and marketing channels through first-party data
- Use AI-driven insights to continually optimize and enhance customer experiences
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the experts and unlock the full potential of your customer data. Register now to save your spot!
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
LinkedIn is launching a new solution for monitoring campaign performance without third-party cookies.
Dynamic UTMs, which will be available to all users globally by the end of March, simplify adding custom tracking elements to campaign URLs, improving tracking accuracy.
Previously, marketers had to manually create UTM parameters for their campaigns, but with Dynamic UTMs, this process is automated.
What are UTMs? UTM parameters, short for Urchin Tracking Module parameters, are small pieces of text added to the end of your ad’s destination URL that can help you track information about the source of an ad click. For example, you can add tracking parameters to help measure how many clicks to your website were from a specific campaign or placement.
Why we care. UTMs are essential for marketers to grasp a campaign’s performance, especially in a privacy-focused landscape, as they don’t rely on third-party cookies or IP addresses for ad measurement. However, creating them manually can be time-consuming, inefficient and prone to errors. This solution looks address these challenges.
Supported URL tracking parameters. You can add both static and dynamic URL parameters to your campaigns (see the screenshot below). When adding a URL parameter, you’ll need to add both the parameter key and value.
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Deep dive. Read LinkedIn’s announcement in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
YouTube advised creators and marketers against deleting videos from the platform. Additionally, the app strongly suggested avoiding making videos private.
The Google-owned site explained that removing content from the app or restricting access could disrupt your channel’s connection to people who have watched that video and negatively impact ranking.
What YouTube is saying. YouTube Product Lead Todd Beaupre said on X:
- “YouTubers: Don’t delete videos unless you have a very, very good reason. When you delete a video, you delete your channel’s connection to the audience that watched that video.”
- “If you want to maximize your growth, keep your videos public or unlist then if you must.”
What this means. In simpler terms, YouTube’s algorithm recommends videos within its search results by connecting the dots between each upload. When you take away one of those dots (aka video on your channel), it is a bit like taking away a jigsaw piece. This means deleting or hiding content could lower your overall channel ranking and limit reach because it disrupts the pattern of your content.
Why we care. It might be tempting to delete or hide content you’re not happy with, however, unless the video is really bad or harmful, it’s best to keep it on your channel. Otherwise, you could end up hurting your channel’s overall ranking.
Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.
Deep dive. Read our guide on how the YouTube algorithm works for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
