Daily Search Forum Recap: January 18, 2024 -

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.

There is this weird trend of some sites being dropped from the Google index on weekends and returning on weekdays – it is super unusual. Google launched Circle of Search and new AI-powered multisearch, which seems gimmicky but might be useful. Bing has gained less than 1% market share a year after launching Bing Chat/Copilot. Google is testing new product and local carousel snippet images. Google will change some of its results for vertical search boxes in Europe in the coming weeks, I share what that might look like.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google Ranking Teetering In & Out Over Weekends – Bug Or Edge Of Quality?

Google Search seems to be ranking some websites just fine during the weekdays and then removing that ranking over the weekends. It seems to be focusing heavily on non-standard TLDs, you know, those new vanity TLDs that you can make up. I am just not sure if this is a Google Search issue or if the issue is with the quality of those websites.

Google Circle To Search & Upgraded AI-Powered Multisearch

Google announced two new search features, the first being circle to search and the second is AI-powered multisearch experience. Both seem like upgrades to Google Lens, let me take you through both.

Report: Bing Gained Less Than 1% Market Share Since Adding Bing Chat

It has been just about a year now since Microsoft launched Bing Chat (now known as Copilot) and Bing’s market share has only grown less than 1% according to StatCounter. Most of you may not be surprised, since our poll shared shortly after Bing Chat launched had most of you thinking Bing won’t gain that much market share from this feature.

Google Search To Show More Third-Party Comparison Websites In Europe

Google announced it will be making changes to its search results to comply with the new regulation called the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This will result in some Google vertical search units being removed and third-party comparison site units being added to the search results.

Google Tests Search Result Snippet Product Listings & Local Images

We have seen Google show product images in snippets in many variations over the years. Now Google is at it again but not just with products but also local listings. The weird thing is that these listings go to product listing pages and not the products themselves.

Doogler In Google Conference Room Meeting

Here is a photo of a Doogler, a Google dog, in a meeting in a conference room at the main Google office, the GooglePlex, in Mountain View, California. I spotted this photo on Instagram.