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.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
- JavaScript SEO Google Video: Testing & Debugging
Google has released another video around JavaScript and SEO, this one on how to do testing and debugging to make sure your JavaScript web site is performing well in search. Martin Splitt of Google in the video goes through using the mobile friendly test, Search Console and Lighthouse as some ways to do this. - Google: Rel=prev/next Is Not An Indexing Signal Anymore; Help Docs Removed
Yesterday during the webmaster hangout, I noticed that the documentation on "Indicating paginated content to Google" that talks about rel=next/prev is now gone, 404ing. Also, the blog post about it from 2011 in bold reads at the top "Note: The information in this post is outdated. Rel=prev/next is not an indexing signal anymore." - Google Ads Now With Recommended Columns For Reporting
Google Ads the other day introduced a new feature in their console to suggest to you the columns they think are important for you to see in your dashboard. Google calls this "recommended columns." - Google Search Console Sitemap Report With Delete, Open In New Tab & Detailed Reporting
We reported yesterday that you can now delete an XML Sitemap in the new Google Search Console. Well, it is a bit more than that. Google said on Twitter you can also open the sitemap content in a new tab, review... - Google Knowledge Panels That Are Expandable
Looks like Google is trying out the expandable featured snippets in the knowledge panel location. Mordy Oberstein spotted this and posted on Twitter videos and screen shots of it. I can replicate it. - Google's Gary Illyes Video Bombs John Mueller
You can see Gary sneak in on the video in the back left frame. Then, lucky for John, someone else begins talking and the large screen gets taken over by someone else. But you can see Gary right... - Holding The Google Street Sign
Here is a photo on Instagram of a guy holding the Google street sign by the GooglePlex. It is an illusion of course but hey - it looks cool.
Other Great Search Forum Threads:
- Google's Assistant automated restaurant reservation service tested in the wild! Filmed is the booking process, followed by the call received in the restaurant. #localseo #SmallBiz #googleassistant @mblumenthal @local, Andy Simpson on Twitter
- If you're merging sites, it's not a normal site-move anyway, we'd have to figure that out on a per-URL basis, so I don't see a problem with doing that partially (for real site-moves, I'd avoid doing that though).… https://t., John Mueller on Twitter
- How to get a Do-Follow backlink from Pinterest, Reddit
- Apple applebot increasing activity, WebmasterWorld
- I started regularly using an app at Google designed to memorize a set of co-workers you define, & I've never done anything more frustrating in my life. Im not even sure it helps (the tool revisits people you previously "memorized", Malte Ubl on Twitter
- If we can't show your images in Image Search because you don't allow them to be used within the search results, it doesn't really make sense to show your images there (it's not useful for you or folks looking for your site). Th, John Mueller on Twitter
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Search Console adds new actions to sitemap report
- Google fined another $1.7 billion by EU for ‘abusive’ AdSense publisher contracts
- SMX Overtime: The new realities of local search
- The 5 best digital marketing courses for your digital success this year
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- How to Choose the Right Attribution Model, Portent
- Understanding Enhanced Ecommerce reports in Google Analytics, Wiredcraft
Industry & Business
- Google’s Stadia looks like an early beta of the future of gaming, The Verge
- U.S. top court jeopardizes Google settlement in internet privacy case, Reuters
Local & Maps
- 1 app to stop for better battery life on iPhone, Komando.com
- Bing Maps releases 12M Canadian building footprints as Open data, OnMSFT.com
Mobile & Voice
- 3 Ways B2B Marketers Can Prepare for Voice Technology, MediaPost
- Stadia’s Google Assistant integration is the gaming feature I never knew I needed, The Next Web
SEO
- What Is Latent Semantic Indexing In SEO?, Thrive Global
PPC
Search Features
- The Google News Initiative, one year in, Google Blog
- Tips from Google to stay safe while browsing the internet, Google Blog
