Google updates review snippet guidelines, recommending ratings include written reviews and author names. Google recommends ratings include written reviews and author names. Reviews must be visible and provide context. Proper implementation improves search visibility and user trust. Source link
Many things have changed in SEO since Google first came online in 1998. Today, with personalized results influenced by user behavior, location, and device, standing out in search engine results is more challenging than ever. The one thing that hasn’t changed is this: Your organic traffic is directly tied to your search engine ranking positions … Read more
Google has officially shut down its Web Vitals Chrome extension with the release of Chrome 132. All its key features are now fully integrated into DevTools’ Performance panel, making it the go-to tool for measuring Core Web Vitals. While nearly 200,000 users used the extension, the Chrome team has decided to focus solely on DevTools, … Read more
Google has updated PageSpeed Insights (PSI) to display the data collection period for Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) metrics, addressing a common frustration among developers. Barry Pollard, Web Performance Developer Advocate at Google Chrome, announced the change on X: “Good post. But this thing bugged us: ‘Unfortunately, PageSpeed Insights does not show the data collection … Read more
Barry Pollard, the Google Chrome Web Performance Developer Advocate, explained how to find the real causes of a poor Lowest Contentful Paint score and how to fix them. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) LCP is a core web vitals metric that measures how long it takes for the largest content element to display in a site … Read more
Google has continued evolving its ad targeting systems, emphasizing AI-driven, intent-based matching that connects ads to user searches more flexibly. With this shift, Google Ads aims to give advertisers a balance between reach and control – where phrase match keywords can now capture broader, intent-aligned search terms. Recent updates focus on “relevant variations” of search … Read more
Google’s Sundar Pichai outlined the 2025 strategy, emphasizing consumer-focused AI, rapid development of agentic apps, a Chrome AI prototype called Project Mariner, and upgrades to Gemini and Project Astra, signaling a shift toward AI apps as the user interface for search. Although Pichai did not say Google is de-emphasizing the Google Search box, he did … Read more
There’s a compelling theory floating around that Google’s AI agent, called Deep Research, could negatively impact affiliate sites. If true, not only would this impact affiliate site earnings, it could also decrease ad revenues and web traffic and to informational sites, including to the “lucky” sites that are linked to by Google’s AI research assistant. … Read more
Google published an explainer that discusses how Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) influence search crawling and improve SEO but also how they can sometimes cause problems. What Is A CDN? A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a service that caches a web page and displays it from a data center that’s closest to the browser requesting … Read more
Google’s John Mueller answered a question on Reddit about Googlebot crawling and the completeness of the snapshot. The person asking the question received a response that touched on edge cases and temporal anomalies in crawling. A Googlebot “screenshot” refers to a representation of what a web page looks like to Googlebot. What a web page … Read more
It’s Christmas Eve, excitement fills the air as children around the world eagerly await Santa Claus’s arrival. The waiting is over and the inevitable questions start: “Where is Santa?” “Do you think he’s in our neighborhood yet?” This year, the original Santa tracker from NORAD will help you to track Santa’s whereabouts as he starts … Read more
Google has released its annual “Year in Search” report, highlighting the top trending searches, news, people, entertainment, and more that captured the world’s attention in 2024. Based on Google search data, the report offers a glimpse into the topics, events, and figures that defined the year. Here’s an overview of top trending searches worldwide and … Read more
Google has submitted its proposal to address the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit, which accuses the company of monopolistic practices in search. Google disagrees with the court’s initial decision and plans to appeal. However, as part of the legal process, Google and the DOJ must present remedy proposals. Background In October 2020, the DOJ … Read more
It’s fairly commonplace for Google Updates to prompt SEOs to raise concerns about the Helpful Content Update (HCU). A careful consideration of known facts reveals that it may be possible to determine whether a site is truly impacted by HCU-related signals. Black Box Systems Black box systems are something that all SEOs should consider understanding … Read more
Google announced the rollout of the December 2024 spam update. The update, expected to be completed within a week, arrives amid ongoing industry discussions about the effectiveness of Google’s spam-fighting measures. This December update caps off a year of spam-fighting measures, including the June Spam Update and the March Core Update, which targeted policy-violating websites … Read more
Shortly after news spread that Google was pushing back the release of its long awaited AI model called Gemini, Google announced its launch. As part of the release, they published a demo showcasing impressive – downright unbelievable – capabilities from Gemini. Well, you know what they say about things being too good to be true. … Read more
Google has updated its guidelines on faceted navigation by turning an old blog post into an official help document. What started as a blog post in 2014 is now official technical documentation. This change reflects the complexity of ecommerce and content-heavy websites, as many sites adopt advanced filtering systems for larger catalogs. Faceted Navigation Issues … Read more
Google has updated its Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy to clarify the proper use of its generative AI products and services. The update simplifies the language, and lists prohibited behaviors with examples of unacceptable conduct. Key Updates To Policy The updated policy clarifies existing rules without adding new restrictions. It specifically bans using Google’s AI … Read more
