Most marketers don’t realize that Google has been losing search market share in EU countries. Image Credit: Kevin Indig The drop in market share comes at a time when Google’s business is under siege: The DoJ recommended separating Google from Chrome and Android amid a lawsuit against Alphabet. (I summarized the lawsuit and potential outcomes … Read more
Google removes sitelinks search box documentation, marking full deprecation of the legacy search feature. Google has removed all documentation for the sitelinks search box feature. The ‘nositelinkssearchbox’ rule has been archived. This documentation removal marks the feature’s full retirement. Source link
Google has updated its Business Profile rules for service-area businesses that sell age-restricted products. Now, businesses selling alcohol, cannabis, weapons, and similar items must have a physical storefront to maintain their Google Business Profile. We were alerted to this update by Stefan Somborac on X: Google actually uses the phrase “Businesses associated with…” not “Businesses … Read more
Google Search’s market share in the UK weakened this year, with user reach dropping to 83% from 86%, according to Ofcom’s Online Nation report. This decline comes as concerns grow over AI-powered search results, with only 18% of users confident in their accuracy. The Rise & Fall of AI Search Adoption Microsoft’s Bing gained popularity … Read more
Google Analytics adds new features to help merchants identify and fix hidden product listings, improving visibility on Google Shopping. Google Analytics now shows product disapproval alerts directly in its dashboard. Custom Channel Groups now support manual ad content parameters for better tracking. This can help fix product listings ahead of the busy shopping season. Source … Read more
Google is beginning a test that will change hotel search results for users in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia. This test will remove features like the map and hotel listings, replacing them with regular blue links to hotel websites and comparison sites. The experiment will only affect users in these three countries, whether searching locally or … Read more
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Google gave their final arguments on Monday in an antitrust case regarding Google’s digital advertising technology. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema is expected to make a decision by the end of the year. DOJ’s Argument The DOJ claims that Google has built and kept a monopoly in open-web display … Read more
Google’s click-through rates (CTRs) experienced notable changes across industries and search categories in Q3, according to a report from Advanced Web Ranking. This report compares Q3 data to the previous quarter. It shows how CTRs can vary and what that means for website traffic. Key Findings: Branded searches on mobile saw a 1.07 percentage point … Read more
Google Analytics launches Customer Match beta, enabling advertisers to enhance remarketing using first-party data instead of third-party cookies. Google Analytics now lets advertisers use first-party customer data to improve ad targeting. The feature automatically works with Smart Bidding campaigns on YouTube, with Search and in-feed ads coming soon. Advertisers can implement this by setting up … Read more
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google sell its Chrome web browser and possibly the Android mobile operating system. This suggestion is part of a larger effort to address the company’s alleged monopoly in online search. In a 23-page brief submitted to the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., the DOJ outlined … Read more
Google announced new features for in-store shopping and expanded payment options, marking changes to its retail technology offerings. Key Updates Google Lens Google Lens, which reportedly processes 20 billion searches monthly, will enable users to photograph products in stores to find price comparisons and reviews. The system uses Google’s product database of over 45 billion … Read more
Google has issued new clarification for its site reputation abuse policy, which was launched earlier this year. It targets “parasite SEO” practices where websites leverage established domains to manipulate search rankings through third-party content. Chris Nelson from the Google Search Quality team states: “We’ve heard very clearly from users that site reputation abuse – commonly … Read more
Google simplifies Search Console by removing Page Experience report while retaining Core Web Vitals and HTTPS monitoring tools. Google removed the Page Experience report from Search Console. Core Web Vitals and HTTPS reports will continue to function separately. The change aims to reduce clutter while maintaining all essential metrics. Source link
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) users report data collection issues affecting websites globally, with many experiencing up to 50% drops in reported traffic since November 13. The problem has sparked discussions across Google’s support forums and social media platforms. Key Issues Multiple website owners have documented discrepancies between GA4 reports and actual traffic levels. While GA4 … Read more
Since the first broad core algorithm update, there has been much confusion, debate, speculation, and questions about what exactly it is. How does a core update differ from a named update that many SEO pros are used to? Google’s acknowledgment of core updates is usually vague, offering little detail beyond the fact that the update … Read more
Google has updated Maps to include product-specific search capabilities, just in time for the holiday shopping season. This feature allows consumers to search for specific items and find nearby stores with available inventory. Key Features The update lets you search for products directly within Google Maps and find real-time inventory availability at nearby stores. Shoppers … Read more
Enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge is actively monitoring millions of keyword search results, detecting real-time trends in Google’s AI Overview and organic search tied to the ongoing November 2024 Core algorithm update. The data suggests six preliminary observations on the direction of Google’s algorithm and what publishers and SEOs need to know now. AI Overviews is … Read more
Last week, reports claimed Google was testing mobile search results without favicons or colors, eliminating any advantage conferred by a well optimized favicon. However, a Google representative confirmed this was not a test. Favicons In Search Results The word favicon is short for “favorite icons,” an image meant to be shown in browser tabs, in … Read more
