Daily Search Forum Recap: December 4, 2023 -

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.

Looks like there was a big rumbling this weekend with major volatility in the Google search results. Google now supports new vacation rental structured data. Google LSA reviews can be hijacked. Google Merchant Center Next rules and supplemental feeds will be coming early next year. Google Groups gets a big visibility boost in Google Search. Google Search Central posted a cute countdown of 2023 page. Google launched its Chanukah decorations in the search results. And I posted another vlog with Dave DiGregorio on local SEO.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

Google Search Algorithm Ranking Update Winter Blast Continues

Last week we reported on the early signs of big Google Search ranking volatility, fluctuations, chatter within the search results. We just don’t know if that was related to the ongoing November 2023 reviews update, tremors from the recently completed November 2023 core update or something new and unrelated to those two updates.

Google Search Adds Vacation Rental Structured Data, Rich Results & Reporting

Google has announced it now supports new structured data for vacation rentals, which adds rich results to the Google Search results for vacation rental listing pages. With that, Google also announced a new Google Search Console and an updated Rich Results testing tool for this structured data.

Google Merchant Center Next To Support Rules & Supplemental Feeds Early Next Year

Google has confirmed that it will begin supporting rules & supplemental feeds in early next year for Google Merchant Center Next. Google added that all existing rules will continue to function after migrating and if you need them now, you can switch back to the legacy Google Merchant Center until then.

Google Groups Gets Ranking Boost In Google Search?

It seems like Google Search is now giving its old Google Groups forum area a massive ranking and visibility boost in the Google Search results. This started a couple of months ago and it may be related to Google surfacing more hidden gems around then? I am not sure.

Report: Google Local Service Ads Reviews Being Hijacked

There are some reports of the reviews left on some Google Local Service Ads that say those reviews are being hijacked. In a sense, the reviews are being taken from one local listing and placed on another.

Google Search Central Countdown 2023 Microsite

Google launched a special page on its Search Central portal with a countdown to 2023. This page has these hidden doors that contain resources that they found interesting or were otherwise noteworthy to the Search Central team in 2023.

Google Hanukkah Decorations Are Live For 2023

Hanukkah (aka Chanukah) starts this coming Thursday night, December 7th. Google has added its Hanukkah decorations to the Google Search results interface to celebrate. Google does this every year and I expect to see the same rollout in the coming weeks for Christmas and Kawanzaa but for now, since Chanukah is in the coming days, we have the Hanukkah decorations live at Google Search.

Super G Google Log In Bush Landscape Design

Outside of the Android building in Mountain View, California, at the GooglePlex, is this bush that was carved into the Google super G logo. I’ve never seen that done to landscaping before but I found

Vlog #251: Dave DiGregorio On Local SEO Business Strategy, Evolution & Culture

In part one with Dave DiGregorio we spoke about his journey from working in sports memorabilia to getting into SEO. Then, in part two we talked about some local pack reductions, diversifying your local SEO efforts, the services feature, and the amazing SEO community…