Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

Today we discussed a theory around a new Google update that won’t show the the same URL in the local pack and in the web search results.  Google Business Profiles has big support delays. Google Business Profiles also totally borked out this morning.  Google is still fingerprinting users in exchange for profits.  Google is also testing a new grid or boxed in design. Google is also testing an image...

Today we discussed a Google Ads feature named Advanced plans.  We also touched on the new Display and Video 360 API changes.  Google has this new backgrounds section in the search results.  And John Mueller of Google said there is no persistent shortcut for faster crawling.  Plus, Bitly may now show ads on its free tier level.  0:00 - Introduction 1:05 - Google Ads API changes  2:39 - Google Ads a...

Today we discussed how Googlers spoke about merging Google Search and LLM in-context learning.  Google launched membership loyalty pricing schema markup for Merchant Center. Google’s John Mueller answered why search engines don’t need to do something special for pagination. Google Merchant Center has AI-generated summaries.  Google has a new ad policy for cryptocurrencies in the UAE.    0:00 - Int...

Google had some more ranking volatility around the Super Bowl weekend. Reddit blamed Google for not meeting its expected user growth. Google Search is now faster for some users. Google had a reviews count bug that it later confirmed and later fixed. Google image search may be down ranking AI-generated images. Google Publisher Center changed to automatically generated publication pages. Google has...

Today we discussed the Reddit earnings and how they blamed Google’s search algorithm changes for not meeting their expected user growth.  Google Search is now a bit faster thanks to new tech.  Google is showing future dates on some snippets.  Google Ads customer match lists expire sooner now.  Google Ads search theme insights has live data.   0:00 - Introduction 0:42 - Reddit blames Google 3:33 -...

Today we discussed the Google reviews count bug being fixed. Google Image search may be down ranking AI-generated images.  Google Publisher Center has some changes coming. Demand Gen video ads are changing also.  YouTube made a series of interesting announcements.  Google Ads brand guidelines updates are around the corner.  And SEO advice on tabbed content and navigation.  0:00 - Introduction 1:09...

Today we discussed how many advertisers are now happy with the LSA performance since after the automated credits process began.  Google is updating its gambling and gaming policy soon.  And Google confirmed the review count bug and is working on a fix. 0:00 - Introduction 1:04 - Poor Google LSA performance 3:50 - New gambling and gaming policy  6:04 - Confirmed Google reviews bug 7:06 - Conclusion...

Today we how tons of businesses are watching their hard earned reviews just disappear.  I am seeing a lot of chatter around Google search ranking volatility over the Super Bowl weekend.  Google is testing AI organized events.   Google Keyword planner gets AI smarts.  Google Ads is closer to deprecating its YouTube demand gen video campaign setting.  0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - Google reviews go mis...

Yep, we are seeing more Google search ranking volatility mid-week. I posted the monthly Google webmaster report for February. Google Ads has a new quality update that accounts for user navigation experience. Google AI Overviews has these super detailed comparison modes. Google AI Overviews seem to be killing click-through rates for organic and paid results. Google’s updated quality raters guidelin...

Today we covered the new Google Ads update where it will show fewer ads that offer a poor user navigational experience.  Google’s updated quality raters guidelines talks about having to scroll to much for recipes.  Google’s Gary Illyes said originality is important for this coming year.  Also, don’t change your lastmod date just for copyright date changes.  ChatGPT Search no longer requires a logi...

Today we covered how Google may bring ads to Gemini.  Google also posted its earnings report.  Google AI Overviews now have these detailed comparison shopping views. AI Overviews are having a negative impact on click-through rates.  We are seeing new ranking volatility.  Microsoft Ads has a bunch of news and features.  0:00 - Introduction 0:48 - Google Gemini to get ads 2:03 - Google Earnings repo...

Today we covered how Google is expanding Demand Gen ad tools before video action campaigns sunset.  Google is prompting advertisers to schedule tag appointment consults.  Has Google’s volatility been higher in 2024 than this year.  Google updated its quality raters and mentioned generative AI numerous times in it for the first time. 0:00 - Introduction 0:38 - Google Demand Gen Tools 3:09 - Tag App...

Today we covered how Microsoft advertisers were phished with malicious Google ads. Google is testing new product filters and shopping refinement UIs. Google is testing Ask for me in Search Labs.  Plus some more news… 0:00 - Introduction 0:50 - Microsoft advertisers phished Google Ads 2:29 - Google Shopping refinement tests 4:50 - Google Ask for me 6:19 - More search news  7:52 - Conclusion A daily...

We are seeing more Google search ranking volatility hit both over the weekend and also mid-week. Google expanded its site reputation abuse enforcement to Germany. Google AI Overviews powered by Gemini 2.0 can go insanely deep. Google launched a new labs experiment named Ask for me. Google Search is testing jobs at similar employers but it is weird. Google said SEOs can spot made for search engine...

Today we covered Google testing deeper, maybe Gemini 2.0 powered, Google AI Overviews. Also spotted more ranking volatility in Google Search.  Google explained why 100 negative exclusions and not more for now. Google Ads API group is open for some.  0:00 - Introduction 2:40 - 2.0 Google AI Overviews 4:30 - Google Ranking volatility continues 6:40 - 100 Negative Google Ads PMax exclusions 9:50 - Go...

Today we covered the expansion of Google penalties in Germany for site reputation abuse.  How to track AI Overviews if you have a manual action.  How SEOs can easily spot content made for search engines.  And Google Ads issues clarifications around PMax exclusion.  0:00 - Introduction 0:45 - Google dishes manual actions for German sites 2:09 - Hack to track AI Overviews 5:20 - Content made for sea...

Today we covered the Hubspot SEO woos in Google Search, Microsoft Ads testing PMax LinkedIn targeting and tools, Google Ads new Used Since column and Google on merging content and the URL is known status.  0:00 - Introduction 1:35 - Hubspot falling in Google 5:00 - Microsoft Advertising PMax LinkedIn test 7:10 - Google Ads Used Since 7:55 - Merging Content SEO 8:40 - Google Search Console URL is U...

Today we covered the weekend Google search ranking volatility, Yahoo Search testing new AI features, the new Google Ads PMax features, Bing is testing new AI answer features and there is this weird similar jobs carousel in Google Search. 0:00 - Introduction 1:18 - Google Search ranking volatility 1:50 - Yahoo Search Tests AI features 2:56 - Google Search Quality Raters Guidelines update 3:39 - Goo...

Google search ranking volatility is heated this week, but some of the tools are having issues tracking them. Google is sending out penalties, manual actions, over site reputation abuse in the European regions. Google updated its search quality raters guidelines. Google spam lead updated his bio, saying he works on detecting and treating AI-generated content. Google said that sometimes doing SEO ca...

It's just Mordy & Greg today as they cover Site Reputation Abuse making it's way to the EU, AIOs in Circle to Search, new Yahoo AI, and how Glenn Gabe was able to remove his site from Page Annotations 0:00 - Intro 2:15 - EU Site Reputation Abuse Policy 4:00 - Yahoo's AI Chatbot 5:20 - Successful Page Annotation Removal 7:42 -Mobile Breadcrumb Removal 8:50 - AIOs coming to Circle to...

Today the whole gang is in on the news covering Google Volitility, Service Area Pins and how "doing SEO" can cause problems. Additionally, Mordy covers new Site Reputation Abuse Policies and Expandable Brand Panels. 0:00 - Intro 1:10 - Google Volatility 1:53 - Google Service Area Pin Bug? 2:55 - Site Reputation Abuse Clarification 6:05 - "Doing SEO" can cause problems 8:22 - Ex...

Today the whole gang swings by to cover the "fix" for Google terms on Bing, what Google thinks about word count and new AIO translations to different languages. 0:00 - Intro 3:30 - Google on Word Count 6:16 - Is AI in control of the SERPs? 7:31 - Adaptive Zoom on Bing 10:10 - Private Terms in Google PMax 10:47 - AIO Overviews Translation 11:02 - Search Impression Share in Custom Reports 11:43 - Bi...

This week Greg and Mordy cover some of the issues that tools are having due to potential blocking as well as "Trending Products" on the right rail and a new "Search Max" spotted in the wild within Google Ads. Additionally, there is more to PMax Insights and the Google Ads Liasiaon breaks down how daily budgets work. 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - Trending Products 3:05 - Tool Issue 7:31 -...

This week I covered how the third-party search rank checking tools seem to have cooled, but the chatter is still pretty heated. Maybe Google is blocking these tools, as I covered. Google still shows sites in AI Overviews even if they have manual actions. Google updated its manual actions for News and Discover policy violations. Google says it selects third-party review boxes algorithmically. Googl...

This week we talk about authorship and why you need to include name & contents. A new deal between the AP and Gemini. Chat being more promintently featured in Google Ads, new Ads rules for Children & Teens on Google as well as some fancy new swipe and zoom features in Google. 0:00 - Intro 1:06 - Authorship with Name & Comment 2:13 - AP & Gemini Partnership 5:16 - New Chat Placement...