We hope you are in good health. Here are some of the major SEO news updates of the week that you need to know:

Search Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine

Google Completes the Rollout of June 2024 Spam Update

Google completed its spam update, which aimed at addressing policy-violating websites. This update was designed to improve the overall search quality by ensuring that websites adhered to Google’s guidelines and policies. As a result of this update, search rankings may experience fluctuations as the algorithm adjusts to the changes and reassesses the quality and relevance of websites. Website owners and developers should be aware of these potential fluctuations and continue to focus on creating high-quality content that meets Google’s guidelines in order to maintain or improve their search rankings.

Google’s Search Liaison Says “Our Ranking Systems Aren’t Perfect”

In a recent statement, Google’s Search Liaison acknowledged that their ranking systems are not perfect. This is not a new development, as they have previously admitted to the imperfections of their algorithms. They recognize that there is room for improvement in terms of the content they prioritize and the content they reward. However, it is important to note that Google’s ranking system does not rely on individual reviews to determine the ranking of a webpage. With trillions of pages indexed from across the web, it would be impractical for a search engine of this scale to operate solely based on human evaluations. 

Google Search Director, Product Management, Elizabeth Tucker, Reveals How Google Measures Search Quality

In an episode of Google’s Search Off The Record podcast, Elizabeth Tucker discussed how Google measures search quality. According to Tucker, Google employs a multi-faceted approach to evaluate the quality of its search results. This includes conducting surveys to gather feedback from users,  consulting with industry experts to ensure accuracy and relevance, and analyzing user behavior to understand their needs and preferences. However, as Google strives to improve search quality, it often faces the challenge of dealing with trickier searches that require more complex algorithms and ongoing efforts to meet the evolving demands of users.

Google Ends Continuous Scroll in Search Results

Google announced that it would discontinue the continuous scrolling feature in its search results, also known as SERPs (Search  Engine Results Pages). This decision was made in order to enhance the speed at which search results are served. Initially, this change will be implemented in desktop search results, with mobile search results to follow suit at a later stage. By eliminating continuous scrolling, Google aims to optimize the user experience by providing faster and more efficient access to relevant search results. This update reflects Google’s commitment to constantly improving its search engine to meet the evolving needs of its users.

Google Tests Sliding Pages for Search Results on New Query

Google is testing a new feature where the search results page slides over to the right when a user enters a new query. This visually appealing animation gives users a seamless transition between search queries on the Google Search results page. Instead of seeing a static page reload, users will experience a smooth slide to the next set of search results. While this feature is still in the testing phase, it showcases Google’s commitment to enhancing user experience and making the search process more intuitive and engaging. By incorporating innovative animations, Google continues to evolve its search platform to serve its users better.

Google Announces New Features and Improvements for Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

Google unveiled new features and enhancements for Google Analytics 4 (GA4), aimed at empowering marketers with AI-generated insights for quicker decision-making. These advancements include robust cross-channel reporting capabilities, enhancing visibility into campaign performance across different platforms. Additionally, GA4 introduces enhanced budgeting tools designed to streamline and optimize marketing expenditures across channels, ensuring efficient resource allocation for maximum impact. 

PPC Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine

Google Ads Announces New Updates for Search Query Matching and Brand Controls

Google Ads announced some significant updates to enhance search query matching and brand controls. One of the key updates is the aggregation of misspelled queries in search term reports. This means that advertisers will now have a more comprehensive view of the different variations and misspellings of their targeted keywords. Moreover, negative keywords will automatically block misspellings,  saving advertisers time and effort in manually adding them. Additionally, Google Ads has introduced new brand inclusion and exclusion features, giving advertisers more control over brand-related traffic. These features allow advertisers to target specific brand terms or exclude them from their campaigns, enabling them to align their ads with their brand strategy better.

Google Adds Automatically Created Assets To Ad Level

Google introduced a new feature that allows advertisers to add automatically created assets to the ad level. This feature aims to streamline the process of creating and managing ads on Google’s platform. With this update, advertisers no longer need to create and upload individual assets for each ad manually. Instead, Google will automatically generate and add assets such as headlines, descriptions,  and images based on the ad campaign’s settings and the content available on the advertiser’s website. This not only saves advertisers time and effort but also ensures that the ads are tailored to the specific campaign and audience. Overall, this new feature enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of ad creation on Google’s platform.

Author

Navneet Kaushal is the Editor-in-Chief of PageTraffic Buzz. A leading search strategist, Navneet helps clients maintain an edge in search engines and the online media. Navneet is also the CEO of SEO Services company PageTraffic which is one of the leading search marketing company in Asia.