NotiSEO 06/19: SEO Mythbusting, Site Diversity Update, Duplex and more

Hello SEO Pros!, we bring you a new installment of NotiSEO, with news from the world of web positioning, the latest algorithm changes, and launches or improvements of Google products.

As always, we consult the best sources to get the latest news.

Date	Source	News
24/05/2019	SE Round Table	Google Algorithm Update, 2 Indexing Bugs, New Mobile Design, Quality Raters Guidelines & More
31/05/2019	SE Round Table	Google Algorithm Update, Mobile-First Indexing, Indexing Bugs, Favicons, Search Quality & AdSense
31/05/2019	John Muller’s Webmaster Hangout	Google Webmaster Hangout Notes: May 31st 2019
06/06/2019	Webmaster Central Blog	A video series on SEO myths for web developers
07/06/2019	SE Round Table	Google June 2019 Core Update, Domain Diversity, DailyMail Slammed, Bing Bribes & DOJ
10/06/2019	Webmaster Central Blog	Webmaster Conference: an event made for you
11/06/2019	John Muller’s Webmaster Hangout	Google Webmaster Hangout Notes: June 11th 2019
14/06/2019	SE Round Table	Google Core Update News, Icons In Search Bar, Bing Bulk URLs, Google Conferences & My New Vlog
21/06/2019	SE Round Table	Google Algorithm Shift, Google vs Genius Lyrics, Google Search Console, Maps, YouTube & More

Redesign of Google’s mobile search page

For several years, Google has been testing various placement options for SERP elements, the URL, the title, favicon, and the advertising indicator.

Now it’s official, results from mobile will appear like this:

This new element distribution has received some criticism, saying it is to “camouflage” the elements that are ads from the organic results. Google’s official response is that the change is to strengthen a website’s brand, making it the center of attention. To help the user understand where the information comes from.

Here we can see the evolution of ads on Google since 2007. Something has changed, right?

In turn, Google has launched a guide for the favicon, which includes:

1. Both the favicon file and the homepage must be crawlable by Google (i.e., they cannot be blocked by Google).
2. The favicon must be a visual representation of your website’s brand, in order to help users quickly identify your site when they browse search results.
3. Your favicon must be a multiple of 48px square, for example: 48x48px, 96x96px, 144x144px and so on. SVG files, of course, do not have a specific size. Any valid favicon format is supported. Google will resize your image to 16x16px for use in search results, so make sure it looks good at that resolution. Note: do not upload a 16x16px favicon.
4. The favicon URL must be stable (do not change the URL frequently).
5. Google will not display any favicon it deems inappropriate, including pornography or hate symbols (e.g., swastikas). If this type of image is found in a favicon, Google will replace it with a default icon.

Update to Google’s Rater Guidelines

On May 16, 2019, Google published an updated version of the search quality rater guidelines, used by hired personnel as consultants to review Google search results, with the aim of providing information to Google search engineers to make improvements to Google’s search algorithms.

The document in question, a 166-page PDF, does not tell us exactly how the search algorithms work, but rather how to guide the raters to evaluate Google’s search results. It is an important distinction. Still, it remains an excellent guide on how Google wants its search results to look, so it is worth reading.

The main changes:

1. More information about distracting ads or interstitials.
2. Update on the frequently asked questions, relating to YMYL sites.
3. Updates on offensive content, graphic violence, animal cruelty, or child abuse.
4. Required use of headphones or speakers. Apparently, they will also begin to evaluate the quality of voice search results.

More information at TheSEMPost

New speed report in Google Search Console

At the last Google I/O, Google announced a new speed report in Search Console. It is still in beta and they have announced that it will take a while, but it is an indication that speed is a very relevant ranking factor.

Google’s “SEO Mythbusting” series, breaking SEO myths.

Google’s new video series “SEO Mythbusting” launches a new chapter explaining how GoogleBot works. This series is interesting to demystify several approaches that were accepted as axioms in the SEO community.

Here is the complete SEO Mythbusting series.

Google Glass is back. Enterprise Edition

Google announced version 2.0 of Google Glass – again. This time it’s Glass Enterprise Edition 2, which is an update of the version used in companies, especially in industry and healthcare.

Here is the video:

3D Objects and Augmented Reality in Google searches.

3D images in the SERPs are now available. This is an example they have published from the official account:

ARe you seeing this?! With new AR features in Search rolling out later this month, you can place, view and interact with 3D objects right in your own space. #io19 pic.twitter.com/Q61U0r2Hvg

— Google (@Google) May 7, 2019

Popular dishes in Google My Business listings for Restaurants

Now both restaurant owners and customers themselves can add popular dishes to their GMB panel results.

More information in the My Business documentation.

Google Core Algorithm Update + Site Diversity update

Google has set a new precedent with its June 2019 core update by announcing in advance, for the first time in the history of Google Updates, the launch of a major core algorithm change.

The update was announced as scheduled to begin on June 3, 2019 – and the official name would be “June 2019 Core Update”. This information was published on the Google Search Liaison Twitter channel:

Tomorrow, we are releasing a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. It is called the June 2019 Core Update. Our guidance about such updates remains as we’ve covered before. Please see this tweet for more about that:https://t.co/tmfQkhdjPL

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) June 2, 2019

Danny Sullivan explained that Google wants to be more proactive with this type of information and notify people in advance to prevent them from finding out after the update. This is what Danny Sullivan said:

Well, other than the Page Speed Update and the Mobile Interstitial Penalty Update you don't see Google "pre-announcing" stuff often. Must be big. https://t.co/QwuyWB2P4o

— Casey Markee (@MediaWyse) June 2, 2019

Google also announced that it was releasing another update that restricted the number of times the same website can appear in search results.

This update, dubbed the “Diversity Update,” will begin to show up to two results per domain, depending on the user’s query.

Have you ever done a search and gotten many listings all from the same site in the top results? We've heard your feedback about this and wanting more variety. A new change now launching in Google Search is designed to provide more site diversity in our results….

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) June 6, 2019

There was an overlap of dates between both updates, but they are considered two different updates:

New features in Google My Business

Google My Business announced a series of platform updates to help small businesses do more with their Google maps and local ads on Google.

Now the GMB listing will have more customization options, for example:

• Short name: a unique name for your business that will provide you with a URL that points to Google Maps, in the format g.page/YourCompany
• Cover photos: Businesses can easily set their preferred profile cover photo, putting their best foot forward.
• More prominent logos: Businesses have an additional opportunity to create a brand with the logo feature. Those who have completed their basic information (phone number, hours, etc.) will have their logo at the top right of their profile.
• Photo displays: Photos uploaded by a business will appear instantly and prominently in a new dynamic module on the Profile. Captions, which will be enabled soon, will allow businesses to provide a description of the image.
• Offline materials: A website will also be launched where businesses can easily download and request custom assets for their locations – such as stickers – to help promote bookings on the profile, add reviews, and have customers follow business profiles. All this will be done through the website https://marketingkit.withgoogle.com/

First tests of Google Duplex

Google is testing reservations with Google Duplex, a new button is appearing in the Google My Business listings of restaurants. @thibaultadda shared screenshots of this test at an Olive Garden in Florida.

https://twitter.com/thibaultadda/status/1139513512009617408

Last year they showed us how Duplex worked for reservations.

This year they announced “Duplex for the web,” in which the assistant autocompletes the entire purchase process, for example, for booking a car:

There is much more news, but that’s it for now. Have a great SEO Event!

---