Ignite Search Weekly Wrap – 20th June 2018
100% Curated SEO/Online Marketing Goodness
Key Industry Updates:
SEO: Google changed the way it works, and no one really noticed
If you missed the changes Google made late last year on labelling country services, you’re not alone. Contributor Patrick Stox goes through the update and explains why you’re seeing a better experience for local users.
SEO: Google replacing video boxes with video carousel on desktop search
Notice a change to your video views on some of your more popular videos? Google made a change in search on how they display video boxes.
SEO: Google Search Console Analytics API now has 16 months of data
Google announced on Twitter that the Search Console API now supports 16 months’ worth of data. The Search Console Analytics API lets webmasters and developers query a lot of the data you can get within the Search Analytics report in Google Search Console.
SEO: New Google Search Console adds filter for Web Light search appearance
Google announced it has added a search appearance filter to the new beta version of the Google Search Console to let you filter out search data for Web Light users. Web Light, as Google explains, is when Google will “transcode (convert) web pages on the fly into a version optimized for slow networks, so that these pages load faster while saving data.”
SEO: Google makes some clarifications related to mobile-first indexing
As Google begins rolling out mobile-first indexing to more and more sites, the search giant is seeing some confusion within the industry around mobile-first indexing and has decided to clarify some points on Twitter this morning.
Paid Search: Bing Ads rolling out UI updates to make bulk analysis & changes easier
Bing Ads is rolling out a couple of updates to the UI that make it easier to analyze and optimize campaigns.
Paid Search: Google updates ‘Ad Settings’ to allow users to turn off targeting signals
Google has updated its Ad Settings feature to give users more options for limiting ad personalization and is expanding the “Why this ad?” notices across all services that display Google Ads.
Local Search: Google local pack business categories dynamically change based on query
Google now uses searchers’ keywords to customize the local pack business categories.
Local Search: How social networks usurp Google’s local search dominance
Google may dominate most results, but not local search. Contributor Wesley Young looks at how Facebook and other social networks take a significant share of local search away from Google.
Social: Finally! The 800 million ways Facebook gets serious about local business
For quite some time, the search industry has been wondering when Facebook is going to get serious about local search. With 2 billion monthly users, the world’s largest social media network could potentially become a powerful platform for people to do hyperlocal searches for things to do and buy, just as Google is.
Social: Pinterest Marketing Partner program adds creative segment with 7 ad platforms
Pinterest is adding a new segment to its Pinterest Marketing Partners program, now offering advertisers seven new platforms that provide creative elements for ad campaigns.
Helpful Strategies, Tips & Tricks:
SEO: Should you keep your best content on your site or send it away?
Contributor Julie Joyce looks at the pros and cons of keeping content on your site versus sending it away.
SEO: 5 things to check if your traffic suddenly drops
Has your traffic taken a sudden nosedive for no obvious reason? Let’s investigate the most common underlying issues and the ways to get back on track.
SEO: How to determine if you’ve been hit by negative SEO
Have you ever experienced a rankings decline and suspected it was due to something a competitor was doing? Knowing you’ve been hit by a negative SEO campaign is crucial to fighting it. Contributor Joe Sinkwitz outlines the tools and steps you can take to figure out if you’ve been targeted.
SEO: Reducing the time it takes to write meta descriptions for large websites
The process of writing meta descriptions will likely be improved using machine learning techniques, but in the meantime, contributor Paul Shapiro shares ways to semi-automate writing meta descriptions.
SEO: An 8-Point Checklist for Debugging Strange Technical SEO Problems
Occasionally, a problem will land on your desk that’s a little out of the ordinary. Something where you don’t have an easy answer. You go to your brain and your brain returns nothing.
These problems can’t be solved with a little bit of keyword research and basic technical configuration. These are the types of technical SEO problems where the rabbit hole goes deep.
The very nature of these situations defies a checklist, but it’s useful to have one for the same reason we have them on planes: even the best of us can and will forget things, and a checklist will provide you with places to dig.
When is it right to use metrics like bounce rate, pages per visit, and time on site? When are you better off ignoring them? There are endless opinions on whether these kinds of metrics are valuable or not, and as you might suspect, the answer is found in the shades of grey. Learn what Rand has to say about the great metrics debate in today’s episode of Whiteboard Friday.
SEO: How to Turn Unlinked Brand Mentions Into Links
Monitoring the web for mentions of your brand is essential. Paying attention to brand mentions, and capitalizing on them, can be a highly effective strategy for building links and your reputation. Read our article to find out the must haves link building tactic as part of your strategy.
SEO: Why Content Marketing Is a Fool-Proof SEO Strategy Today
The search engine optimization (SEO) market changes all the time. As search engines implement smarter algorithms, it’s not enough to produce low-quality content in the hope that it sways crawlers to your favour.
Paid Search: 4 ADWORDS AUTOMATED RULES TO TRY
Used correctly, PPC automation works as your sidekick in fine-tuning your campaigns. Automated rules, scripts, and third party tools should be used in addition to your normal everyday management.
Social: How to Use Facebook Ads to Improve Your Video Views
Ever wonder how to get video views on Facebook or how the Facebook suggested video feed can help? This blog will explore a creative way Facebook ads can improve your video views.
Social: How does Yelp’s review solicitation penalty work?
Contributor Joy Hawkins provides an overview of how Yelp’s review solicitation penalty works and explains why you should not ask for reviews.
Read Our Blog Post on: Introducing Fenix SEO: The Best SEO Extension for Chrome
