THE LATEST IN SEO

New Google core update expected in weeks

Google has announced that a new core update to its search algorithm is expected to be released in the coming weeks, though an exact date has not been set. Many websites affected by previous updates, particularly the September 2023 helpful content update, are hoping to see recoveries with this upcoming core update.
​From Barry Schwartz

Billions of Google redirects to stop working next year

Google has announced that its URL shortener service will cease functioning on August 25, 2025, affecting billions of redirected URLs. Starting August 23, 2024, users clicking on these redirects will see an interstitial page warning of the impending shutdown, with the service completely stopping a year later and returning 404 errors for all goo.gl links.
​From Barry Schwartz

The Google Maps pin scam: A new Google Business Profile threat

A new scam involving Google Maps allows competitors to move a business's location pin, potentially harming its rankings and visibility without notifying the owner. To safely correct a moved pin, users should suggest an edit using an email not associated with the Google Business Profile, rather than directly editing the listing to avoid potential account suspension.
​From Search Engine Land​

Google Merchant Center Next Coming To All Merchants

Google is rolling out Merchant Center Next, an updated version of Google Merchant Center, to all merchants this month. This new interface aims to simplify product management on Google, offering improved usability and insights, despite some advertisers expressing concerns about the changes.
​From Barry Schwartz

Google announces new approach for Privacy Sandbox, prioritizing user choice

Google's Anthony Chavez reveals a shift in the Privacy Sandbox strategy, moving away from deprecating third-party cookies to introducing a new Chrome experience that allows users to make informed choices about their web browsing privacy. This decision comes after extensive feedback from stakeholders and early testing, with Google continuing to develop privacy-preserving alternatives and engaging with regulators to finalize the approach.
​From Google​

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SEO STUFF FOR YOU FROM OLGA ZARR

$5K to $20K per Website Audit - The SEO Audit Masterclass You Can't Mis 😱

In this interview with Doug Cunnington, I'm pulling back the curtain on my journey to becoming an SEO audit expert.

I dive deep into how my ADHD and introverted nature actually became superpowers in my SEO auditing career. You'll hear about my transition from agency life to running my own consultancy, and how I've built a 6-8 week waitlist for my services.

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Personal Injury Lawyer SEO Masterclass: In-Depth Keyword Analysis & Optimization (SEO for Lawyers)

In this video, I analyze the highly competitive keyword "personal injury lawyer" in Chicago, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to SEO optimization.

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SEO TIPS & TRICKS

Here are a few cool tips from the English Google SEO office-hours from July 2024.

Google warns rapid content expansion may trigger site re-evaluation

John Mueller cautions that dramatically increasing a website's content volume can cause Google to view it as an entirely new site, necessitating a full re-evaluation. He suggests that strategic, phased growth may be preferable to avoid potential disruptions in search performance that could result from such large-scale content expansions.

Google confirms local domains and languages boost regional rankings

Google's spokesperson revealed that using country-specific domain names (ccTLDs) and local languages can provide a slight ranking advantage in regional search results. While the impact of ccTLDs is minor, matching the website's language to the user's query language is likely to have a more significant effect on local search performance.

Google clarifies impact of blocking crawling on link effectiveness

Google's spokesperson explains that blocking crawling or indexing of a URL effectively cancels the "linking power" from both external and internal links on that page. He suggests considering this issue from a user's perspective: if a page is inaccessible to users, any links on it become irrelevant. The advice emphasizes the importance of making important pages discoverable through links from indexable and relevant pages within a website.

Google clarifies importance of heading hierarchy for SEO

Gary from Google confirms that while using heading elements (H1-H6) in hierarchical order is beneficial for accessibility, it doesn't significantly impact SEO performance. He emphasizes that Google's SEO Starter Guide is regularly updated and remains accurate, cautioning against relying solely on third-party SEO tools for Google-specific recommendations. The response highlights that Google's approach to headings aligns with flexible HTML standards rather than rigid hierarchical rules.

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SEO Article Looking Ahead To The Future – SGE, Gemini…And AGI?

Marie Haynes discusses how Google's AI initiatives, including AI Overviews and Gemini, are revolutionizing search and information retrieval. She predicts these technologies will profoundly impact SEO and digital marketing in the coming years, offering new opportunities for businesses to leverage AI capabilities and potentially monetize their content through Google's evolving platforms.
​From Marie Haynes​

Mark Traphagen outlines the three pillars of SEO success: Authority, Relevance, and Experience

Mark Traphagen explains that successful SEO strategies are built on three fundamental pillars: authority, relevance, and experience. He emphasizes that optimizing these three aspects - by earning quality links, creating relevant content, and ensuring a positive user experience - is crucial for improving search rankings and satisfying both search engines and users.
​From Mark Traphagen​

Tim Soulo reveals how to gain search traffic without ranking: Second-hand search traffic strategy

Tim Soulo explains the concept of "second-hand search traffic," a strategy to gain search visibility without directly ranking for target keywords. He emphasizes that by getting featured on high-ranking pages relevant to your business, you can tap into their search traffic, providing a faster and potentially easier way to reach your target audience compared to traditional SEO methods.
​From Tim Soulo​

Miriam Ellis reveals 11 Google Business Profile fields that impact local rankings

Miriam Ellis outlines 11 key Google Business Profile fields that significantly influence local search rankings, including business title, address, categories, and reviews. She emphasizes the importance of optimizing these fields to improve local visibility, providing detailed explanations and practical tips for each factor to help businesses maximize their local search performance.
​From Miriam Ellis​

How to bulk export translated results from Google Search Console by country via the GSC API and Analytics Edge

Glenn Gabe outlines a method for bulk exporting Google's translated results data from Search Console by country using the GSC API and Analytics Edge. He highlights the importance of understanding this data for SEO strategies, explaining how to access and analyze it to inform content translation decisions and improve international search visibility.
​From Glenn Gabe​

The use of XmR charts for identifying Google updates' impact on website traffic

Ryan Law discusses the potential of using XmR charts, a statistical tool, to analyze website traffic data and identify the impact of Google algorithm updates. He explains how XmR charts can help distinguish between normal traffic fluctuations and significant changes, while also highlighting the limitations of this approach and the need for careful interpretation when applying it to complex web traffic data.
​From Ryan Law​

Harry Clarkson-Bennett outlines comprehensive guide for SEO in news publishing

Harry Clarkson-Bennett, SEO Director at The Telegraph, provides an in-depth guide on SEO strategies for news publishers. He emphasizes the unique challenges of publisher SEO, including high content volumes and fast-paced environments, and offers key tips such as prioritizing technical SEO, optimizing for Google's "Top Stories," and building strong relationships with editorial teams. Harry also discusses the importance of E-E-A-T, team structure, and analytics in creating an effective SEO strategy for news websites.
​From Harry Clarkson-Bennett​