SEO News Roundup for July [Bonus Tip From Google: Pay Attention to Internal Linking]

The Boulder SEO Marketing team is here with your monthly SEO update. Let's dive into the latest developments shaping our digital landscape:

1. Reddit Blocks Bing Search Crawlers

Reddit has updated its robots.txt file, blocking Bing and several other search engines from crawling its site. This strategic move, stemming from unresolved agreements on content usage for AI applications, favors Reddit's recent partnership with Google. It's a development worth watching, as it could impact both large websites and smaller publishers.

2. Google to Introduce Ads in AI Overviews

Google will soon begin testing search and shopping ads within AI Overviews in the U.S. These ads will be clearly labeled as sponsored and appear when relevant. While the exact rollout timeline is unspecified, this move is anticipated to affect advertiser ROI and user engagement.

3. Google URL Shortener to Cease Operations

Mark your calendars: Google's URL shortener service will permanently stop functioning on August 25, 2025. Users are advised to transition their links to avoid disruptions, as billions of redirects will be affected.

Friday SEO Tip - Internal Linking Best Practices

This week, Martin Splitt from Google's Search Relations team shared valuable insights on internal linking. He emphasized the importance of proper HTML references and anchor text application. For a deeper dive, check out our blog post: "Do You Know the Best Practices for Internal Linking?"

As for the summary that BSM founder Chris Raulf recorded, check out the video below:

Upcoming Events

- Webinar: "Transitioning to Google's New Algorithm: SEO Hacks for Tech Brands" - August 15, 9 a.m. PDT

- SearchCon 2024: I'll be speaking on optimizing for AI Overviews - September 12-13, Renaissance Boulder Flatiron Hotel

- Webinar: "Adapt or Fall Behind: Leveraging Google AI Overviews for Success" - October 2, 9:30-10:30 a.m. MDT

Pro Tip: Control your online information by setting up alerts at myactivity.google.com. This tool helps you manage where your personal details are published and request removal as needed.

Have an SEO question or noticed an interesting search trend? We'd love to hear from you! Reply to this post or message us directly.

Wishing you a great weekend!

The Boulder SEO Marketing team