Google’s New ‘Cameos’ App Lets Celebs Answer Questions from Search Results
Google launched an app that allows celebrities to record video responses to frequently asked questions in search results.
About
Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Matt specializes in gathering details, checking facts, and making complex subjects easy to understand. In addition to writing articles, Matt oversees strategy development for SEJ’s news department.
Articles
Google Assistant Can Now Read Google News Stories Out Loud
Google Assistant has been updated with the ability to read articles in Google News out loud.
Imposters are Reportedly Using Fake Takedown Requests for Negative SEO Purposes
A new form of negative SEO is on the rise, as imposters use fake DMCA takedown requests to manipulate rankings.
Bing Improves Search Experience for Hotels, Home Services, and Coupons
Bing has rolled out new “intelligent search” features designed to overcome challenges when searching for hotels, home services, and coupons.
Google Improves Accuracy of Search Console Index Coverage Report
Google has improved the accuracy of the Index Coverage report generated by Google Search Console.
Google AdSense Earnings Fluctuations Not Related to Algorithm Update
Google has confirmed that any fluctuations in AdSense earnings is not related to the recent search algorithm update.
Google My Business Insights Show How Posts from Pages are Performing
Google My Business has begun offering insights related to how posts from GMB pages are performing.
Twitter Reveals How it Ranks Tweets in Search Results
Twitter has addressed recent accusations regarding shadow banning accounts by explaining how it ranks tweets in search results.
Facebook Changes How it Measures Video Ad Metrics
Facebook updated its video ad metrics, bringing its metrics more in line with how people watch and interact with videos.
Google Adds a Breathing Exercise to Search Results
A new easter egg has been found in Google search results, which guides users through a 1-minute breathing exercise.
Google to Add Q&A, FAQ, and How-To Features in Search Results
Google recently previewed three new features coming to search results dedicated to Q&A, FAQ, and how-to content.
Google Rolls Out New Markup for Displaying Data Tables in Search Results
Google has introduced a new type of schema markup for displaying data tables directly in search results. This markup is intended to be utilized in...
Bing Webmaster Tools Now Supports JSON-LD
Users can now validate their JSON-LD implementation by logging into Bing Webmaster Tools and using the Markup Validator.
Bing Ads Rolls Out Advanced Bidding Strategies: Target CPA & Maximize Conversions
Bing Ads has two new advanced bidding strategies, one of which is the most user-requested feature so far this year.
YouTube on Desktop Now Plays Vertical Videos Without Black Bars
YouTube now plays vertical videos in their native aspect ratio on desktops, which means no black bars on the sides.
Yext Begins Submitting Local Business Listings to Amazon Alexa
Yext has integrated with Amazon’s digital assistant, Alexa, giving it the ability to deliver local business listings to users.
Google’s ‘Speed Update’ Has Minimal Impact on Search Results
Google’s latest mobile search algorithm update, called the “Speed Update,” has reportedly had little-to-no impact on search results.
Google Assistant is More Accurate Than Alexa, Siri, and Cortana
Google Assistant is the most accurate smartphone digital assistant, beating Amazon Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Microsoft Cortana.
Appearance of Google’s Related Questions Box up by 34%
The rate at which Google shows its “People Also Ask” search suggestions, aka “Related Questions”, jumped by 34% this week.
Google Removes Public URL Submission Tool
Google has removed the public version of its URL submission tool, which allowed users to submit pages to Google’s index.
Google: Word Count Does Not Equal Quality Content
Google’s John Mueller has revealed that content length is not an indicator of its level of quality.
Google Redefines What is Considered Low Quality Content
Google updated its Quality Rater Guidelines, which includes new information regarding the assessment of “low quality” and “lowest quality” pages.
Twitter is Locking Out Users Who Created Accounts When Underage
Twitter is locking out users who created their accounts when they were underage, regardless of how old they are now.
YouTube’s New ‘Explore’ Tab Helps Users Discover Videos Based on Viewing Activity
YouTube is testing a new tab that is designed to help users find videos they may not have otherwise discovered.
Google: Rel=Canonical isn’t a Guarantee
Google’s John Mueller advised that rel=canonical does not necessarily guarantee Google will recognize a page as the canonical version.
Google Has New Markup to Optimize Content for Google Assistant
Google has collaborated with schema.org on new structured data that publishers can use to optimize content for Google Assistant.
Google Tests New Design for Image Search Results
Google has been spotted testing a new design for image search results pages.
Google’s Search Algorithm Does Not Recognize Off-Site Sentiment
Google’s Danny Sullivan has confirmed, once and for all, that off-site sentiment does not impact search rankings.
Google: Don’t Mix Noindex & Rel=Canonical
Google’s John Mueller advises site owners not to mix signals like noindex and rel=canonical.
Reminder: Chrome Browser to Display “Not Secure” Warnings for HTTP Sites on July 24
Google’s Chrome browser will begin warning users that non-HTTPS sites are “not secure” starting this week.