SEO newsletter issue #487
Simon Schnieders
Founder of the UK's largest specialist SEO agency | Educating and elevating | B Corp
Editor's notes
‘Site reputation abuse’ is being hotly debated in the SEO community after Google announced an updated policy. I personally think more broadly, Google should be considering what has led publishers to needing to monetise in this way and how a fair ecosystem could work without the need for publishers to resort to these tactics. That, is the core issue.
Simon Schnieders
Blue Array
Founder and CEO
SEO News ???
Why Google's Chrome monopoly won't crack anytime soon
*Summary: A U.S. antitrust case accuses Google of monopolistic practices by making Chrome the default browser through lucrative contracts, stifling competition. The DOJ is pushing to separate Chrome from Google, citing similarities to the Microsoft case in the 1990s. Despite criticism, Google argues this benefits users by providing the best tools easily. Legal proceedings may take years, and Google could appeal or counter by open-sourcing Chrome to address regulatory concerns.
Read more by…
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols on The Register
Google site reputation abuse policy now includes first-party involvement or oversight of content
*Summary: Google has updated its site reputation abuse policy to include first-party involvement or oversight of content. This change means that even if a website's own team is involved in creating or overseeing third-party content designed to exploit the site's ranking signals, it will be considered a violation. Previously, such involvement was excluded from this policy. Enforcement remains through manual actions, with site owners notified via Search Console.
Editor's note: Via Glenn Gabe “For those sites trying to circumvent those manual actions by moving that content to another directory that's NOT impacted by the manual action, just realise that Google has clearly documented their view of 'policy circumvention'. It's right in their spam policy documentation.”
Read more by…
Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Land, or follow him on X
Google Discover has become Reach’s ‘biggest referrer of traffic’
*Summary: Google Discover has become Reach’s largest traffic source, surpassing search referrals. While nearly half of Reach’s content is picked up by Discover, the platform favors “soft-lens” articles like lifestyle and niche topics over traditional or hard news. News stories often face delays of up to 48 hours before appearing on Discover, posing challenges for timely coverage. This shift highlights the importance of understanding Discover’s algorithm for content optimization.
Read more by…
Bron Maher on PressGazette
5 ways Gemini Live can make your workday easier
*Summary: Google’s Gemini Live introduces tools to boost productivity and simplify workflows. Key features include task automation, real-time collaboration enhancements, and seamless integration with existing Google Workspace tools. Designed for hybrid work environments, Gemini Live leverages AI to reduce repetitive tasks, streamline communication, and provide actionable insights, enabling professionals to focus on higher-value activities.
Read more by…
Laurian Clemence on LinkedIn
Advanced SEO Industry News ??
Google People Also Ask For Content Ideas Warning
*Summary: Google's John Mueller warned against overusing "People Also Ask" (PAA) for content creation, emphasizing that mass-producing low-value pages based on PAA queries can harm a site's overall quality. While PAA offers useful insights, creating hundreds of minimally valuable pages risks diminishing a website's credibility. Instead, focus on producing selective, high-quality content that aligns with user intent and adds genuine value.
Read more by…
Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Roundtable or follow him on X
Documenting Google’s site-level evaluation and impact on search rankings using the ‘Gabeback Machine’ [Googler Quotes, Videos, Documentation and more]
*Summary: Google’s site-level evaluations can significantly impact rankings across entire domains, as evidenced by major updates like Panda, Penguin, and the Helpful Content Update (HCU). Despite recent comments suggesting a focus on page-level factors, historical evidence shows site-wide quality classifiers can penalize domains for systemic issues. Glenn Gabe’s “Gabeback Machine” documents these patterns, emphasising the importance of maintaining consistent quality to avoid broad penalties during algorithm updates.
Editors note: Google responds (seemingly to Glen’s post) saying that it uses both page-level and site-wide signals for search rankings
Read more by…
Glenn Gabe on G-Squared Interactive or follow him on X
Google AI Overview Ads In The Wild
*Summary: Google has started rolling out ads within its AI Overview results in mobile search, marking a new step in integrating monetization into AI-driven search experiences. This initial implementation appears in U.S. mobile searches and demonstrates Google's expansion of sponsored listings into AI-powered contexts, offering marketers a fresh avenue for advertising visibility.
Read more by…
Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Roundtable or follow him on X
Microsoft Mixing Ads & Organic Results In Bing Search
*Summary: Microsoft is reportedly testing a new feature on Bing that mixes ads with organic search results, placing sponsored listings in between unpaid results. This strategy, similar to Google's dynamic ad placements, raises concerns about transparency, as ad labeling may not always be clear. The move highlights a growing trend of blending paid and organic results, prompting marketers to adapt their strategies for visibility in such mixed formats.
Read more by…
Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Roundtable or follow him on X
Google Search Console removing the Page Experience report
*Summary: Google is removing the Page Experience report from Search Console to streamline the tool and reduce clutter. While the report, introduced in 2021, is being retired, Core Web Vitals and HTTPS data will remain available for monitoring page experience. Google encourages site owners to continue prioritizing user-focused page experiences as part of its ongoing SEO and content quality standards.
Read more by…
Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Land, or follow him on X
Google Discover & AI Overviews Featuring YouTube Videos A Lot
*Summary: Google Discover and AI Overviews are increasingly featuring YouTube videos, positioning YouTube as the most cited source in these features. This trend underscores YouTube’s dominance in video content and its integration into Google’s ecosystem. Creators impacted by Google’s updates are diversifying traffic to YouTube, leveraging its visibility potential in both Discover and AI-driven search features. This strategy highlights the importance of multi-platform content distribution for SEO resilience.
Read more by…
Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Roundtable or follow him on X
Google iOS App Page Annotation (Opt Out)
*Summary: Google has launched the "Page Annotation" feature in its iOS app browser, extracting key entities from web pages and linking them to search results. While this can drive users back to Google Search, publishers can opt out using a form that requires renewal every 30 days. Critics argue this disrupts user engagement on websites, emphasizing concerns over Google redirecting traffic away from publishers' pages.
Read more by…
Barry Schwartz on Search Engine Roundtable or follow him on X
Google AI Overviews massively surge in travel queries
*Summary: Google AI Overviews have surged in travel queries, now appearing for 30% of searches in this sector, with a 700% increase from September to October. These overviews answer specific questions like “family-friendly activities in [city],” highlighting opportunities for brands to gain visibility if cited. YouTube remains a key source for these overviews, emphasizing the importance of video content in travel marketing.
Read more by…
Danny Goodwin on Search Engine Land or follow him on X
Google’s AI Sales Assistant: What it means for SEO and how to prepare
*Summary:
Google is testing an AI Sales Assistant in search results, offering users personalized product recommendations directly within the SERPs. Positioned below organic listings, this feature could disrupt traditional SEO by bypassing detailed product pages. While it enhances user convenience, concerns include how inventory is displayed and the limited control brands have over messaging. To adapt, businesses should focus on creating detailed, specific content to align with AI-driven interactions.
Read more by…
Jessica Bowman on Search Engine Land
Blue Array News ??
Blue Array affiliate scheme
Do you know someone in your network who would benefit from Blue Array's SEO services?
Are you an SEO freelancer?with more work than you can handle?
Refer customers to Blue Array and earn 10% of the customers?ongoing retainer for up to two years! On average that's ￡5,000 per referral!
Sharing is Caring ??
Forward this email to a friend
*Article summary text’ is generated by AI and human vetted. Copyright ? 2024 Blue Array Ltd, All rights reserved.