Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.
Google expanded its video guidelines to the video mode interface, where the video needs to be the main content. Google has this weird invalid sitemap error. Google SGE is testing search by image. Google Search Console dropped its mobile usability report and mobile-friendly test. Google is testing line separators between ads and free listings. I also posted the monthly Google webmaster report.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- Google Expands Video Guidelines (Primary Content) Change To Video Mode Results
Google is now requiring that the video be the main or primary content on the page for it to show your video in video mode, not just as video thumbnails in the search results like it did back in April. Google announced, “we’re extending this change to search results in Video mode.” - Complaints With Google Invalid Sitemap URL Detected Error
Over the past few days or so there has been a spike in complaints around Google Search Console reporting an invalid sitemap error for sitemaps URLs that should be valid. Some are saying adding an allow before the sitemap URL in the robots.txt file fixes the issue but many are curious as to why. - Google Search Tests Line Separator Between Organic & Paid Results
Years ago, Google use to separate the ads in its search results not just with clearer ad labels but also with a line separating the ads from the organic/free listings. Google may be testing that again, as we spotted a line separator between the ads and organic results just recently. - Gone: Google Search Console’s Mobile Usability Report & Mobile-Friendly Tests
Google has removed its mobile usability report within Google Search Console and has dropped the mobile-friendly test and API. This was expected, Google told us this would happen back in April and now it happened. - Google SGE Tests Search By Image Feature
Google SGE, the Search Generative Experience, is testing the ability to not only type your questions with text but also to upload images to your query. So yes, Google SGE is testing search by image. - December 2023 Google Webmaster Report
Here is the December 2023 Google webmaster report for all of you. Here I recap what happened and changed with Google Search on the organic space over the past month or so. The big items, the November 2023 core and reviews updates rolled out. Google also told us the hidden gems algorithm was live. Google Search got more personalized, new follow feature, notes and more. - Wooden Google Bike
A wooden bike was found in or near the Google Boulder office. At least it looks like a bike made out of mostly wood to me. I found this on Instagram and it was tagged as being in the Google office in
Other Great Search Threads:
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
SEO
- 7 Bad SEO Practices & How to Avoid Them, Semrush
- Deciphering SEO Audits: Your Roadmap to the Top of the Search Results, Stolber
- Google Discover, authorship, must-know SEO concepts and more: Your questions answered, SEO For Journalism
- How SEOs Make the Web Better, Ahrefs
- Competitive Analysis: The Lean Guide (With Template), Ahrefs
- Organization Structured Data: A Comprehensive Guide, Omi Sido
- Ultimate Beauty Marketing Guide: SEO, Content & More, Go Fish Digital
PPC
Search Features
Other Search
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