THE LATEST IN SEO

Google search results continue to fluctuate, causing concern among SEO professionals

Google's search ranking volatility persists, with significant fluctuations observed over the weekend starting September 27th. SEO professionals report drastic traffic changes and unpredictable search result placements.

Glenn Gabe noted, "There were HCU(X) sites that surged with the August core update that then started dropping back down with the post-Aug core update volatility.

Google AI Overviews shift towards niche sites and product comparisons

Google's AI Overviews (AIO) are increasingly favoring niche-specific sites over general big brands, mirroring changes in organic search results, according to new data from BrightEdge.

As reported by Roger Montti, this shift includes a stronger focus on ecommerce content ahead of the holiday season, with product comparisons and visuals becoming more prominent in AIO results.

Google removes cache: search operator and its documentation

​Google has officially removed the cache: search operator and its documentation, as reported by Roger Montti.

The feature, which allowed users to view cached versions of web pages, was discontinued due to improved page loading reliability. Google has instead added links to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine in its "About this page" feature.

Google Search Console introduces sticky filters in Performance reports

​Google has updated its Search Console Performance reports with sticky filters, which allows users to retain their filter settings between sessions.

This update applies to Search results, Discover, and Google News reports, and includes a new "reset filters" option for quick clearing.

Google updates spam policy documentation for improved clarity and understanding

Google has refreshed its spam policy documentation, as reported by Roger Montti.

The updates include a new definition of site reputation abuse, additional details on manual action consequences, and overall improvements in clarity and conciseness.

Retailers: Google is becoming your new category page

​Google's e-commerce search results now resemble Amazon-style category pages. Retailers must adapt by prioritizing product pages for SEO.

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MORE STUFF FOR YOU FROM OLGA ZARR

Charging SEO Audits $5K +

I was honored to be a guest on Adrijana Vujadin's YouTube channel (she is a mindset coach for SEO professionals) and shared a few things about my SEO auditing approach and career.

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How to track the redirect path of a URL in DevTools

In this quick guide, I’ll explain how to track the redirect path of a URL using Chrome DevTools. This method is quick and requires no additional tools or plugins beyond Chrome itself.

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MORE UPDATES & SEO TIPS

The State and Future of Search Q&A with Danny Sullivan, Google Search Liaison

It's an absolute must-watch from Aleyda Solis.

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Forbes Advisor sees significant traffic drop, potentially due to Google manual action

Forbes Advisor, a separate entity partnered with Forbes for SEO affiliate business, experienced a sharp decline in search traffic shortly after Lars Lofgren exposed their aggressive SEO tactics.

Glenn Gabe shared data showing substantial drops across various Forbes Advisor directories, including health, credit cards, and banking.

This decline may be related to Google's site reputation abuse policy, which is manually enforced. The timing coincides with Google's recent spam guidelines update, suggesting a possible manual action against Forbes Advisor.

Google Trends for SEO

In this video, Daniel Waisberg and Hadas Jacobi discuss using Google Trends for keyword research, staying updated on rising search terms, developing a content calendar, and also some Video SEO ideas.

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Google's SEO tips for faster indexing and traffic growth on new websites

Google's John Mueller offered technical advice about a common mistake that keeps a brand new site from getting picked up

• For new sites, keep DNS disabled or use a custom holding page instead of generic server/CMS pages to get recognized faster by Google.
• Avoid using parked or duplicate content pages, as these take longer for Google to recognize as normal sites.
• When launching a new site, create landing pages for low-funnel keyword opportunities first, then work up to broader topics.
• Claim your brand on major social media platforms and build relevant citations and directory listings.
• Start with reactive digital PR for initial link building efforts.

Read more on SEJ.

How to manually set location for Google local search results

​Dan Hinckley outlines a detailed method to manually set location for Google local search results, crucial for businesses targeting multiple geographic areas. The process involves:

1. Open Google Search in Chrome and right-click to select "Inspect Element"
2. In Developer Tools, enable the Sensors tab
3. Set Geolocation to "Custom"
4. Use Google Maps to find latitude and longitude of desired location
5. Input these coordinates in the Sensors tab
6. Refresh the Google Search page
7. Click "Update Location" or "Use Precise Location" at the bottom of the page

This method allows users to view location-specific search results and autocomplete suggestions, overcoming Google's removal of the location change option from search tools.

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SUPER INTERESTING SEO ARTICLES

Is Google using Chrome for mobile-first indexing and user signals?

​SEO expert Cindy Krum explains how she believes Google is using Chrome user data for rendering, indexing, ranking and beyond.

Google recognizes content creators: A breakthrough for E-E-A-T and SEO

​Jason Barnard reports that Google is now explicitly identifying and highlighting content creators as trusted sources in search results, as evidenced by Knowledge Panel subtitles like "Content Creator (Medicine)" or "Content Creator (Travel)".

This development is significant for E-E-A-T and modern SEO, as it demonstrates Google's focus on recognizing authoritative individuals in specific fields, potentially leading to improved visibility in search results and AI-powered assistants.

SEO and UX: How to optimize your website for both?

SEO and UX are interconnected aspects of website optimization, with Google's recent updates emphasizing the importance of both for ranking and user satisfaction.

​The article from Mangools outlines eight key UX factors that impact SEO, including page speed, mobile-friendliness, content quality, and website architecture, while also providing practical tips and tools for measuring and improving both SEO and UX performance.

Do you lose rankings if a backlink is removed? Exploring the concept of link echoes

​Joy Hawkins reports on the concept of "link echoes," where websites maintain their rankings even after backlinks are removed or unindexed.

Joy provides recent examples from orthodontist, dentist, and divorce lawyer clients where rankings improved with new backlinks and remained high even after those links disappeared, suggesting that Google may continue to value the initial impact of backlinks even after they're gone.

Google updates spam policy, emphasizing manipulation and repeated violations

​Marie Haynes reports on Google's updated spam policies, which now emphasize that content designed to manipulate search rankings is considered spam.

The company removed language about links determining relevancy, clarified site reputation abuse policies, and warned that repeated violations may result in removal from search results.

AI Overviews Research: Google Ads in the AIO-inclusive SERPs

​SE Ranking's August 2024 study shows that 12.47% of keywords now trigger AI Overviews (AIOs) in Google search results, a 5% increase since July.

The research found that 13.51% of AIOs appear alongside ads, with text ads more commonly placed below AIOs. Keywords with lower CPC and search volumes tend to trigger both AIOs and ads more frequently.

Ahrefs reveals top 100 Google searches and trending questions for 2024

​Ahrefs analyzed 28.7 billion keywords to identify the most asked questions on Google in 2024. The article lists the top 100 questions for both the U.S. and global markets, with "what to watch" and "what is my ip" leading their respective lists.

Si Quan also highlights five rapidly growing search queries, including "Who shot Trump" and "Where to watch summer olympic games," providing context for their sudden popularity.

Google's AI Overviews see significant changes in August 2024

​BrightEdge reports major changes to Google's AI Overviews (AIOs) in August 2024. AIOs rolled out to non-logged-in users, varying across industries. The August core update affected AIO and search result overlap.

AIOs now feature more product carousels and lists, expose more citations, and have increased in size. There's a shift towards citing specialized sources, especially in healthcare. AIOs are triggering for more specific and technical keywords across various sectors.

SEO FOLLOWS OF THIS WEEK

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• ​Myriam Jessier​ (Bigquery.pro & Neurospicy.agency)
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