Google announced plans to revamp Lighthouse’s performance audits. The new version will match the recently launched insights in Chrome DevTools’ Performance panel. This shift will alter how performance data is organized and presented, impacting SEO professionals who utilize Lighthouse for website optimization. Background: Combining Google’s Performance Tools This update is part of Google’s effort to … Read more
Google announced via their Search Off the Record podcast that they are launching a multi-day conference series to enable in-depth workshops on SEO topics that matter. The series is launching as a test pilot in the Asia-Pacific region, then expanding from there. Google’s Gary Illyes said that he’s been thinking of doing a multi-day event … Read more
Google has removed the waitlist for AI Mode in Search. This Gemini-powered search tool is now available to all US users. The update introduces new features, including visual cards for places and products, shopping integration, and a history panel for desktop users. This growth aligns with Google’s recent earnings reports, which indicate that investments in … Read more
Google’s John Mueller answered a question on Bluesky about why an e-commerce page with minimal content is ranking, illustrating that sometimes optimized content isn’t enough. E-Commerce Search Results A person posted their concerns about an e-commerce site that was ranking in the search results with barely any content. In fact, the domain that was ranking … Read more
New research shows that map platforms have become key search engines for local businesses. One in five consumers now searches directly in map apps instead of traditional search engines. BrightLocal’s Consumer Search Behavior study found that Google, Apple, and Bing Maps make up 20% of all local searches. This is a big part of search … Read more
Google’s John Mueller answered a question about internal site navigation where an SEO was concerned about diluting the ability to rank for a keyword phrase by using the same anchor text in four sitewide sections across an entire website. Link In Four Navigational Areas The person asking the question had a client that had four … Read more
Google Discover desktop data is already trackable in Search Console. Here’s how to prepare ahead of the full rollout. Data suggests Google Discover has been in testing on desktop for over 16 months. Desktop Discover data reveals lower traffic than mobile (only 4% in the US). Publishers can access their desktop Discover performance now in … Read more
Google updated their Google News crawler documentation to correct an error that implied that publisher crawler preferences addressed to Googlebot-News influenced the News tab in Google search. Google News Tab The Google News tab is a category of search that is displayed near the top of the search results pages (SERPs). The news tab filter … Read more
Google Ads introduced a quiet but impactful change last week to how ads can show up on the search results page. High-performing ads that used to be eligible only for top-of-page positions can now also appear at the bottom. This means advertisers can show up more than once on the same results page: once at … Read more
Google updated the documentation for the Google-Extended user agent, which publishers can use to control whether Google Gemini and Vertex use their data for training purposes or for grounding AI answers. Updated Guidance Google updated their guidance on Google-Extended based on publisher feedback for the purpose of improving clarity and adding more specific details. Previous … Read more
Google’s John Mueller answered a question on Reddit that showed an easy way to completely remove an entire website from Google’s search index without a search console verified account. The person who started the discussion on Reddit had an old website that they wanted to remove a Canva website from Google’s search results. They wrote: … Read more
Google announced that it is dropping support for the 2020 COVID-era Special Announcements structured data type and completely phasing it out by July 31, 2025. The announcement was posted on the SpecialAnnouncement structured data documentation. SpecialAnnouncement Structured Data This structured data type was adopted by Google in April 2020 as a way to announce a … Read more
Google Search Relations team members recently shared insights about web standards on the Search Off the Record podcast. Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes explained how these standards are created and why they matter for SEO. Their conversation reveals details about Google’s decisions that affect how we optimize websites. Why Some Web Protocols Become Standards While … Read more
The next phase of the DOJ’s antitrust case against Google started Monday. Both sides presented different views on the future of search and AI. This follows Judge Amit Mehta’s ruling last year that Google illegally kept its dominance by making exclusive deals with device makers. DOJ Wants Major Changes to Break Google’s Control Assistant Attorney … Read more
Google has released its 2024 Ads Safety Report, and the message is clear: accountability is scaling fast thanks to AI. With billions of ads removed and millions of accounts suspended, the report paints a picture of an advertising ecosystem under tighter scrutiny than ever. For marketers, especially those managing significant media budgets, these shifts aren’t … Read more
Tracking conversions in Google Ads isn’t optional if you care about making the most of your ad budget. Without it, you’re flying blind, guessing what’s working and what’s wasting money. The good news? Setting up the Google Tag for conversion tracking is easier than it used to be, giving advertisers multiple installation options to fit … Read more
For over two decades, Google has been the search engine that most people use for everyday searches, product research, and staying up to date on the latest news. Because of this market dominance, Google has also been the main search engine of focus for SEO and marketing professionals. However, following the introduction of ChatGPT and … Read more
I’ve spent decades analyzing shifts in marketing, but the rise of AI agents is the most disruptive one yet. These systems are quickly taking over the user journey — but unlike humans, they evaluate structured data, analyze backend specifications, and make decisions in milliseconds. Major players are already taking note and adapting. For example, Adobe … Read more
