Industry News

Google Search has this "recommendation" for businesses to sign up for Google Business Profiles directly in the search results. It says "Google can help you stand out." It directs you to set up a free account on Google Business Profiles.

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...

Google has released the 2023 Google Ads safety report sharing that Google has removed 5.5 billion ads, suspended 12.7 million advertiser accounts and restricted ads from showing up on 2.1 billion publisher pages. That is about 6% more ads removed, 90% more suspended advertiser accounts and 40% more ads removed from publisher pages.

Back in October we reported that Google has confirmed its search ads, Google Ads, can show up mixed in the middle of the organic search results. Now Google is updating its help documentation to change the definition of top ads to say the ads may appear below the organic results, ultimately not making the ads appear at the top.

Google is now rolling out the ability to share ad campaigns within Google Ads for Performance Max campaigns without the need for the person you are sharing it with to have a Google Ads account. This is a new Share Ad Preview button available in Google Ads account for this.

You can now search Google for any of your wallet addresses across bitcoin and five new Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) networks. So you can look up your balances within those networks directly on Google Search.

Google announced a number of new(ish) shopping and maps/local features yesterday, a lot of them using AI features that Google likes to tout. There are glanceable AI-generated reviews, swipe left/right shopping, AI-generated product ideas, local trip ideas, recommendation lists for locations, and more.

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.

Google Local Service Ads is asking for more photos. SEOs...

Google is sending some Local Service Ads advertisers emails asking them to upload photos to their profiles. The email says, "Photos are coming to your Local Services Ads. Upload images to your profile to help your business stand out." But don't LSAs already contain photos?

Google sent an email to European based hotel and vacation property managers that with the new European rules, they can now remove pricing information and other information from showing in the Google Search results. Google said this is available to hotels in the European Economic Area (EEA).