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 Business Profiles websites are now offline and redirecting elsewhere. Google updated its StoreBot user agent. Google Search is testing a more colorful buttoned up search app. Google Ads officially launched its “solutions” tool. Microsoft added Copilot settings to Bing Search. Microsoft Advertising launched Performance Max globally.
Oh, and yea, there was a big big big Google March 2024 core update and March 2024 spam updates – more on that tomorrow as I dig through the early impact. I wrote about it in detail on Search Engine Land but more tomorrow from Search Engine Roundtable.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
Google Shut Down Google Business Profiles Websites This Morning
Yesterday we reported that despite Google saying they would shutdown and redirect the Google Business Profile websites on March 1st – they were still working. Well, as of this morning, March 5, 2024, these websites no longer work. -
New Copilot Settings Now In Bing Search
Microsoft is adding new copilot settings to Bing Search. These settings let you define if you want Copilot to show responses on the search results page and if you want to scroll up to see Copilot. -
Microsoft Advertising Performance Max Globally Available Today
Microsoft announced that Performance Max campaigns are available globally on Microsoft Advertising today, March 5th. So now any advertiser can start using PMax campaigns. -
Google Ads Solutions Tool Now Officially Live
A couple of months ago, we caught Google testing Google Ads solutions under the tools, bulk actions section. Well, now, Google officially announced it on its Google Ads developer blog. -
Google Search App Tests Colorful Search Buttons
Google is testing new specialty search buttons to access search by image, translate, homework, and song. The Google App currently has this slider to access these search features but now Google is testing four colorful icons that can be tapped without swiping to see the options. -
Google Updates Google StoreBot User Agent With Dynamic Chrome Version
Google has updated the Google StoreBot user agent to use a placeholder version of Chrome. So instead of it using a specific Chrome version, it now can use a dynamic version of the Chrome version.
Other Great Search Threads:
- 87% of the domains didn’t even resolve -> Based on more of my tweets about the disavow tool, and how 99.99% of site owners DO NOT need to use it, I had two more site owners reach out about nuking their files. Both ended up removing t, Glenn Gabe on X
- Are link-based penalties still a thing? Can your website get penalized because of the backlinks point at it?, Tim Soulo on X
- ChatGPT can now read responses to you. On iOS or Android, tap and hold the message and then tap “Read Aloud”. We’ve also started rolling on web – click the “Read Aloud” button below the message., OpenAI on X
- Hey Greg, I get the thought, but this impacts Search ad groups that haven’t received impressions for over a year. We don’t expect pausing ad groups that have been idle for at least 13 months to have a noticeable impact on, AdsLiaison on X
- I’ll be straightforward & make some assumptions: if you’re focusing on “signals” like this, your website is probably not as well-aligned on users. Instead of hoping some signals from a subdomain propagate up, why not just, John Mueller on X
- If you’re moving URLs, even if you’re a month late, I’d try to get the redirects in. You will very likely see a significant effect as it is now, with redirects you might be able to get some of that ba, John Mueller on X
- Well, this is a new one — a site that’s cloaking a HTTP 418 to Googlebot smartphone but serving users normally. When we said we switched Search to caffeine, this was not what we meant., John Mueller on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
Links & Content Marketing
Local & Maps
Mobile & Voice
PPC
Feedback:
Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, on Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky and you can follow us on Facebook and on Google News and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or just contact us the old fashion way.
