3 key observations about the Google March 2024 core update

Google’s March 2024 core update will hands down be one of the most talked-about SEO topics of the year, if not the last few years.

There’s so much around the update, from its length to the death of the helpful content update (HCU) to all of the quality issues on the SERP (talking about you, Reddit). 

There is going to be a lot said about this update. Here are a few things I wanted to share based on data Semrush shared with me, scouring through hundreds of SERPs and looking at the ranking patterns along with the sites themselves. 

To be clear: none of this is definitive. The following analysis is what I’ve seen and my interpretations. 

1. Analyzing this update is hard 

Analyzing the Google March 2024 core update difficult for many reasons. Even just understanding what happened in terms of the HCU and integration (or lack thereof) into the core is a whole basket of confusion for various reasons. 

The other elephant in the room is how long the update took to roll out, which presents a heap of complications compared to traditional data.  

The full rank volatility fluctuation pattern seen during the March 2024 core update (with just a tad of pre-update volatility to boot)

For example, one of the “metrics” tool providers show is the level of “peak volatility.”

As I’ve mentioned at various times (including SMX Next 2023), this metric is often the least telling when gauging the impact of an algorithm update, but it can still help paint the overall picture. 

I’d say, in this case, it’s almost entirely irrelevant. 

If you look below, the levels of peak rank volatility seen during the March 2024 core update are actually lower than what Semrush tracked back during the November 2023 core update. 

Shocking? Not really. 

The March 2024 core update was a very different update. It wasn’t about a quick week or so burst of intense algorithmic activity – it was a prolonged series of many moments of algorithmic intensity.

Looking at a “peak” moment in time (in our case, one out of 45 days) is not how this update should be analyzed. 

The same applies to another metric that is often pretty telling: volatility change. This data looks at the levels of rank fluctuations during a baseline period (a period of relative calm) and compares them to the level of fluctuation seen during the update. 

Looking below, it turns out the March 2024 core update and the November 2023 core update show the exact same amount of relative change per Semrush:

Here, too, the metric relies on comparing one moment in time to another moment. With the March 2024 core update, it’s not about specific algorithmic moments that can be analyzed but the whole shebang. 

It all makes gauging the impact of Google’s March 2024 core update far more difficult than usual (and it’s usually very difficult). 

2. Huge movement at the bottom half of the SERP across the web

I must have looked at around 300 SERPs and the ranking patterns of the top 20 results over the course of the entire update.

One of my early observations was that there was a ton of movement toward the bottom of “page one of the SERP” but the top results didn’t seem to see any increased volatility relative to other updates I’ve analyzed. 

That’s not to say sites were not impacted by key ranking losses at the top of the SERP. I’m saying that, overall, I expected to see more movement at the very top of the SERP. 

(If you’re screaming, “No, I’ve seen crazy ranking swaps at the top of the SERP you fool!” you’re not wrong – I’ll get to it.)

This assessment seems to be corroborated by the data Semrush provided me. 

If we look at the percentage of URLs ranking top 10 post-update that prior to the update didn’t crack the top 20 you’ll see a disparity between the March 2024 core update and the November 2023 core update: 

In November, 6.46% of the URLs ranking in the top 10 came from beyond position 20. That number jumps noticeably to 9.38% in March. 

To me, this is more telling than peak volatility or volatility change. It’s the analysis of where things were and where they ended up over the course of the update. It’s not just looking at a one-shot moment in time.

It also helps to see how drastic the rank volatility was and whether Google was really rewarding what it hadn’t known to reward before. 

That said, the same pattern doesn’t hold true when looking at the top 5 results: 

Among the top 5 results, the gap between the March 2024 core update and the November 2023 core update is far less significant. 

This would point to the March 2024 core update not being disproportionately potent relative to other core updates where it matters most – the very top of the SERP. (Again, when looking at it through this very specific lens). 

It also points to what I saw and mentioned before – the update was heavy-handed toward positions 6-10.

Beware – this is a horizontal data analysis that was meant to try to sweep across the web – it’s very normalized. We still need to dig a bit more “vertically” and that’s part of what makes analyzing this update so hard. 

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

See terms.

---

3. The aggregate data only tells one part of the story 

With this update in particular, I think you can’t just sweep across the web and look at the top-level data. It’s, in a weird way, too normalized. 

Looking at the web horizontally includes sites that lost and gained rankings but mostly includes sites that did not do much of anything. 

To get a better understanding of the update, you have to hone in on who was impacted and the nature of that impact. That’s a more vertical and qualitative analysis. 

From what I see (again, it’s just what I see, and it’s anecdotal at that), the March 2024 core update had a bite to it that you don’t always see with a core update. 

Below is a site that slowly started to see growth in September 2023 (ironically right around the September 2023 helpful content update) and really took off in Q4 2023 (suspiciously so, but I have not dug enough to say that with any confidence).  

The March 2024 core update destroyed it. 

Since I mentioned the September 2023 HCU, below is a site that saw a ranking reward with the August 2023 core update but a loss with the September 2023 HCU a month later. 

The March 2024 core update all but finished it off.

There does seem to be a bit of a pattern with sites getting hit by the September 2023 HCU and seeing subsequent losses with the March 2024 core update:

My personal theory is that no, Google did not throw away the HCU. It makes zero sense to me that they invested so heavily to create the construct only to throw it in the trash can.

What I personally think happened is the classifier used by the HCU was built upon and serves as the foundation of the now multifaceted way Google algorithmically assesses helpfulness. 

Think of it like the Model T. No, the Model T is not produced anymore, but the process used to mass-produce it serves as the basis and foundation for mass-producing the cars we drive today.

For the record, not all sites got hit; some got rewarded. Here’s a site’s informational content folder getting a massive uplift with the March 2024 core update:

So how ‘big’ was the March 2024 core update? 

Trying to size up any algorithm update is such a precarious task. All the more so with the March 2024 core update.

I hate to use the age-old SEO cliche, but it depends. It depends on how you look at it. 

Do you define the impact of the March 2024 core update by its reach across the web as a whole? If so, there are indications that it was more potent than your typical update but not definitively so. 

However, if you define the impact of the March 2024 core update by its ability and tendency to be heavy-handed, then the March 2024 core update, by all accounts, seems to have had some extra bite. 

My personal take: there was something different about this update. If you combine it all, the extra bite the update had in negatively impacting sites, the extra rank volatility seen at the 6th – 10th rank positions, etc., paints a picture of what is a very “unique” update. 

from Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/j863RsE
via IFTTT

Localized SERPs: Winning traffic and leads with service area pages

Google’s local search results have been shifting quite a bit since the start of 2024. As with the rise of Reddit and other forums, Google is trying to serve users more relevant and relatable content – and in the local space, that means showing users more localized content.

Specifically, we have seen a major shift in the pages Google shows for searches they think have a local intent. We are now seeing an influx of localized service area pages showing on the SERPs instead of generic, non-location-specific pages and homepages.

Take this example of what the SERP in Altamonte, Florida looked like in November 2023 for [personal injury lawyer] – mostly generic pages, a homepage and even a Wikipedia article. 

Flash forward to March, this same SERP is almost exclusively full of service area pages for the specific city I’m searching from.

With this clear shift to more localized SERPs, businesses should invest both in improving their current service area pages and building new service area pages targeting the cities/towns where they want to generate more organic leads.

How to optimize local pages to win more local traffic

All of your service area pages should target your most important keyword patterns, along with any long-tail supporting keywords you want to rank for in those areas (i.e., “[service] in [city]”).

You should also add instances of “near me” type phrases to help the page show up for “near me” searches, which we’ve tested and found still works well in organic search.

You should write about your most important services on each page and link to the generic service pages if needed to provide more context. Don’t sleep on internal linking to and from these service area pages to help Google and users navigate your most important content.

For example, you will likely want to link to all your service area pages on your Google Business Profile (GBP) landing page, your homepage and relevant service pages. If you have more than one GBP landing page, link to the service area pages closest to that GBP location. 

Dig deeper: Local SEO in 2024: 6 simple ways to dominate local search

Does duplicate content work for service area pages?

Many people worry about duplicate content when creating many service area pages. There are only so many unique ways to talk about your most important services.

In reality, duplicate content really isn’t an issue, as Google likely will not penalize your site for having it, and it actually works when it comes to ranking service area pages in multiple locations.

The one con to this tactic is that it will likely not work well in competitive markets. How does one combat that?

Provide unique, real-world value that people in the local area will connect with on each page. This can look very different depending on your industry. Generally, you can provide local value by adding some or all of these elements to your service area pages. 

Let’s take a look at a few ways to add relevant local content to your service area pages to make them unique while also being helpful to users:

Customer reviews

I cannot understate the power of user-generated reviews. Highlighting city-specific reviews on your service area pages can be a game changer. 

You can source these reviews directly from Google or other third-party sites where people already leave reviews. Sites like Yelp and NextDoor add the location a reviewer is from to the review itself. You only need to manually source a few per SAP.  

If a reviewer on Google or another site mentions their city directly in the review, that would be even better!

Long-format client testimonials are also a great way to highlight a job well done by a happy customer in a particular city. Bonus if you can get video testimonials – those are gold!

Dig deeper: How to get reviews for local SEO: The must-do list 

Case studies and jobs completed

Using case studies from completed jobs or clients served in your area is an excellent strategy for adding distinctive content to your service area pages. It showcases the exceptional work your company does locally.

People love to see examples of work you’ve done, and providing that right on the page they are likely to land on is a great way to instill trust and showcase expertise immediately. In your case study, you can include:

• The problem the customer had.
• Your plan to fix said problem.
• Specific steps you took to fix the problem.
• Any issues you had along the way and how you overcame them.
• The end results.

Dig deeper: How to create local content that builds trust and drives sales

Unique photos + videos

On top of case studies, add photos/videos of completed jobs or the clients you have worked with in the area.

Users love consuming before and after photos for anything home service-related, so give the people what they want right on the service area pages! This is also a great way to showcase your expertise.

If you have employees or technicians dedicated to serving a specific service area, with their permission, add their photos directly to that page. This: 

• Creates more unique content for the page.
• Allows customers to put a face to the name and makes your brand more “real.”
• Provides a small level of comfort and security, knowing who will be showing up at your house or who you’ll be meeting with.

To instill even more trust, you can add photos taken by actual customers to these pages, too. Photos taken by customers can be an important decision-making factor in certain industries, per BrightLocal’s 2023 Local Business Discovery and Trust Report. 

Consumers also rated photos taken by the business and photos of staff as important factors that help them make a decision on whether to trust a business enough to call or book a service.

There isn’t one type of photo that rules them all, so having as much variety on each page as possible can help convert more users into customers.

City-specific statistics

You can also add statistics from your business data related to that particular city. This provides unique, real-world data that Google hasn’t seen before, which is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition. You can add data around:

• Number of jobs you’ve done in the city.
• Number of homes you’ve sold/leased in that city.
• Number of cases settled from clients in that city.

Cost data

“Cost” keywords are a great way to drive more traffic to your service area pages. Not only do “cost” related keywords get searched a lot, but we have found they convert well, too.

Adding cost/price data directly to your service area pages is a great way to rank for these types of searches across your service area. You can phrase it like, “how much is [service] in [city]”.

Related businesses in the city

We have seen that adding related businesses in the local area helps boost local signals on service area pages. Over time, these pages gain traction in the SERPs, and they can be extremely helpful for the user.

For example, a realtor who sells a home will likely recommend various home service businesses to the new homeowner. It makes sense for them to recommend local roofers, lawn care companies, HVAC experts etc. Since they are likely to already give those recommendations to clients anyway, why not add them directly to the service area pages?

This can also be a great way to build relationships with other small businesses in your community. You probably already know some of them and would refer business to them, so add them to your site.

If you don’t know anyone, research the “best” adjacent companies in your area and reach out to them. Build a real-world connection, then add them to your website when confident. Also, let them know you did this.

So, what exactly should you add to the SAP about them? Add their business name, the main point of contact’s name, address, phone number and website. Make it easy for users to contact them.

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

See terms.

---

Prioritize what cities you create service area pages for

Suppose you’re a multi-location business, especially one operating in multiple states. In that case, there are likely many cities you want to create service area pages for, but only a finite amount of time and resources.

A few things to consider when determining what cities to write content for are:

Check GBP data

• Check your GBP Insights search terms report to see if your listing gets any searches for explicit keywords outside the city where you are physically located. 
• If you get these types of searches, that’s a good indicator that you’ll get organic traffic for a SAP for that city. 

Competition in the area

• If there are fewer competitors in a specific city, chances are you can rank there with less effort than in a crowded city. 
• Check on Google what businesses are physically located in that area and then check organic SERPs to see what, if any, service area pages already rank for your target terms.

How far away customers are willing to drive

• BrightLocal tested to see how far customers are typically willing to drive to a business, and the sweet spot was 17 to 20 minutes. 
• Cross-reference this with your own customer data to determine how large of a radius around your business you should focus your SAP efforts.

Another thing to keep in mind is the value of each sale. One sale can mean thousands of dollars for high-sale-value businesses like personal injury lawyers. So, investing the time to create a service area page in a low-competition area may only result in one case, but that one case could be worth a ton.

Yes, service area pages do convert

Sometimes, clients wonder if service area pages will produce conversions. In my experience, the more localized a page is, the further down the conversion funnel users who land on it tend to be.

The right mix of CRO can produce leads like crazy. Even before the shift in local SERPs, service area pages were one of the top-converting pages on many of my local business clients’ sites. 

Now, the trend is compounding, and I am seeing service area pages bring in more onsite conversions than ever before. Especially for multi-location businesses operating in multiple states, service area pages can be a game-changer and save you some money in the long run, as you won’t be forced to run ads all the time across your service areas. 

Take this example, where onsite conversions from organic traffic have increased 7% YoY, largely thanks to service area pages, despite organic traffic being down sitewide. 

Note the “24/7 emergency” page, which is a nationally targeted page, took a dip in traffic and conversions YoY, as did most of their generic pages.

Dig deeper: Local SEO success: How to track rankings, conversions, calls

from Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/svcybK4
via IFTTT

Effort shaming: Balancing work ethic and burnout in marketing

There seems to be this new “thing” emerging online. I’m not sure whether you’d call it work shaming or effort shaming, but people are being called out for wanting to work more. 

Don’t get me wrong – burnout is real. No one wants to see anyone get to that stage.

But there is a real difference between working because you have to and working because you enjoy your work.

Passion vs. obligation

I spoke to a technical SEO professional, let’s call her Jo, as she wanted to remain anonymous. She works for a fairly well-known SEO agency in the UK. 

• “I often work in the evenings or weekends and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I love what I do and I prefer to do certain types of tasks when it’s quiet,” she said. 

But recently, Jo has felt like she has to hide the fact that she’s working outside of traditional working hours.

• “I just don’t mention it anymore. When I say anything, the response I get is concern from people. It’s bizarre to me, no one would say anything if you were learning a language or going to the gym.”

I asked her about burnout and whether she felt pressure to work long hours.

• “I think burnout is a term that’s become quite trendy to use now. I appreciate that some people feel pushed into working really long hours or are using work in a negative way, but why shame someone who wants to work? It seems crazy to me.”

Turn to any social media platform, and you will find posts and videos from people talking about balancing work and life, avoiding burnout and maintaining well-being. These messages, while well-intentioned, seem to paint all extra work outside normal hours as detrimental, neglecting the joy it brings to some.

Jo, like many professionals, finds personal satisfaction in her work. Her story highlights a growing disconnect between societal expectations and individual work ethics. 

• “Work isn’t just a means to an end for me,” Jo explained. “It’s a passion. I don’t keep odd hours because I have to; I do it because that’s when I feel most productive and fulfilled.”

This emerging trend of “effort shaming” raises important questions about our attitudes toward work and leisure. While advocating for healthy work limits is crucial, there’s a thin line between preventing burnout and undervaluing genuine enthusiasm for one’s profession.

In an era where personal and professional lives are increasingly blended, the concept of work as a purely contractual obligation is becoming outdated for some people.

Critics of this new “shaming” trend argue that it may discourage people from pursuing excellence. There is the belief that individuals who engage deeply with their work often experience higher levels of satisfaction and mental well-being.

As we navigate these complex social dynamics, it’s essential to foster a culture that respects diverse work styles and recognizes that work is more than just a job for some.

The challenge lies in balancing advocacy for mental health with respect for individual work preferences and motivations. Ultimately, understanding and flexibility may be the keys to effectively addressing burnout and effort shaming.

Dig deeper: The secret to work-life harmony in SEO: Setting boundaries

Striking the right balance: Signs of burnout

We need to be careful in finding this balance. It is not always obvious if a love for work is tipping over into something more damaging. We can all be aware of our colleagues around us and look out for any warning signs.

Some of the signs to watch out for include a noticeable drop in energy levels or enthusiasm compared to their usual self. They may begin to express a more pessimistic view towards their work and life in general, often seeming irritable or unusually critical.

Isolation is another red flag; those experiencing burnout might start withdrawing from social interactions, which can manifest as skipping team meetings or social gatherings they once enjoyed.

Their work performance might also suffer. Tasks they would handle efficiently before might now seem to overwhelm them, or you might notice an increase in errors or missed deadlines. It’s not just about being busy; it’s a deeper change in how they cope with everyday work pressures.

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

See terms.

---

The company’s role: Supporting employee well-being

Simon Rhind-Tutt from Relationship Audits believes that companies need to do a better job of identifying the signs of burnout and supporting their staff and that many of them don’t currently do enough. 

• “We need to get better at spotting stress and identifying when the workload is getting too much, especially with the move towards hybrid roles. The ones that do better often have an operations manager-type role in place. That person has a deeper understanding of how much work is involved in achieving deliverables.” 

This can help to prevent workload from creeping up too much before it becomes a problem.  

Burnout is a real issue, but it can be really difficult for many managers to see the difference between someone who thrives on long hours and those who feel an obligation to maintain a certain level to stay on top of what is often an unachievable to-do list every day.

I asked Rhind-Tutt what approach businesses could take to better demonstrate what is and isn’t expected. 

• “It’s down to the business leaders to make it clear that their teams aren’t obligated to work outside of their contracted hours. It’s also useful to have trusted eyes and ears in each team that can identify those that are struggling. Lastly, an open reporting system should be encouraged so that people are able to be honest about the amount of work they can do to retain quality.”

Recognizing burnout within yourself

Identifying burnout in ourselves requires self-awareness that can sometimes be clouded by the very stress we’re trying to manage. It often begins subtly, sneaking up as a series of bad days that gradually morph into constant fatigue and disillusionment.

Initially, you might notice a significant drop in energy levels. This isn’t just the usual end-of-day tiredness or the feeling you get after a particularly trying client meeting; it is a profound exhaustion that doesn’t seem to go away with rest. You wake up as tired as when you went to bed, and your reserves feel perpetually low.

Things can start to shift emotionally, too. You might find yourself feeling more cynical and less hopeful about your work.

Tasks and projects that once sparked interest or pride might now provoke a sense of dread or a dismissive attitude. You could catch yourself feeling unusually irritable, especially about aspects of your job that used to be manageable or even enjoyable.

This is very different from the scenario Jo describes, in which she is enthusiastic about work and eager to get the laptop out.

Another indicator that things are going too far is a sense of detachment that wasn’t there before. This might mean isolating yourself from colleagues and dreading interactions that involve your work. You feel like you’re just going through the motions, as if you’re watching yourself from a distance, unable to engage fully with your role.

Performance will undoubtedly take a hit as well. You may notice a decline in your productivity or the quality of your work. It becomes harder to concentrate, and procrastination might set in, not out of laziness but as a form of avoidance.

This all impacts your overall outlook. You might start questioning the value of your work or feeling stuck in a loop, wondering if any of it really matters. This is a strong signal that your engagement with your work is not just waning – it’s wearing thin to the point of breaking.

Recognizing these signs is crucial, not just for your professional life but for your overall well-being. Identifying burnout early can help you mitigate its impact by adjusting your workload, seeking support, or finding new strategies to inject meaning back into your work and life. 

If you find yourself in this position, speak to your line manager, and if you don’t gain the support you need, then take it higher. It’s too important an issue to be kept hidden away. It’s something that will only get worse if not addressed.

Dig deeper: How to avoid search marketing burnout

Creating a healthier work environment

It’s ironic that this “work shaming” trend only adds stress and overwhelm to those who simply love what they do. This connotation aligns with the hustle culture of no sleep, high levels of productivity and time for little else.

But working long hours doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy life! 

• “I spend lots of time with people I like, in and out of work. Just because I work a lot doesn’t mean I don’t make time for other things. I read a lot, and spend time with friends and family. I just don’t spend hours in front of the TV all night, I’d much rather grab my laptop and work on something that feels meaningful to me. That’s not to say watching TV is wrong. It’s just not how I choose to spend my time,” Jo says.

Maybe that’s the distinction: working long hours because you want to and gain massive satisfaction from doing so. 

On the other hand, feeling pressured into working long hours or knowing you won’t get your work done if you don’t because your workload is too high are very different scenarios.

So, instead of shaming, why don’t we acknowledge and support those struggling at work and those who want to do more? We are all different people who have different ambitions and goals in life.

We can all do more to appreciate and accept every person, regardless.

You could argue that it is the responsibility of the business to ensure that, as much as possible, their staff feel valued and appreciated and aren’t heading toward an unhealthy relationship with work.

But it’s also the responsibility of each of us to do the same. By respecting and looking out for our colleagues, we can all create a much healthier culture at work and at home.

Dig deeper: Understanding quiet quitting in SEO – the silent exodus

from Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/ObEHsI0
via IFTTT

Small review site lost 91% of its Google traffic to affiliate-focused SEO content

HouseFresh, a small, independent product review website that called out Google after being consistently outranked by larger publishers – has lost 91% of its Google traffic following the March 2024 core update.

In a new blog post, HouseFresh has virtually disappeared from Google Search results. Now what?, Gisele Navarro highlighted ongoing issues with Google’s product search results favoring “affiliate-focused SEO content” from big media brands, what they’ve learned and what’s next for the site.

Why we care. There has been a lot of anger about Google killing websites and industries in the wake of the March 2024 core update – and more is on the way in the form of Google’s new reputation abuse policy, which goes into effect after May 5.

Keyword swarming. Big media brands (e.g., Dotdash Meredith, Forbes) are using a tactic called “keyword swarming” and flooding the web with subpar content, yet dominating Google’s search results.

• Meanwhile, hollowed-out carcasses of legacy brands (e.g., DeadSpin and Money) pump out commercial (sometimes AI-generated) content, all designed to drive affiliate revenue while squeezing out every ounce of brand value that remains.

Traffic loss. HouseFresh also revealed how much traffic it has lost since October:

• “Since October 2023, we’ve gone from welcoming 4,000 people from Google Search each day to just receiving 200. And of those 200, most are adding ‘HouseFresh’ to their searches to find us specifically.”

Google doesn’t owe HouseFresh traffic. Navarro acknowledged that “Google doesn’t owe us anything. We don’t simply deserve to get search traffic because we exist or because we say we should.”

• She also hit back at people for “gaslighting us into thinking that our content is not helpful enough for readers.” (However, from what I saw, this was an honest critique, not gaslighting).

History repeats itself (again). SEO pioneer Mike Grehan discussed a similar experience that occurred at a search conference right after Google’s huge Florida update in 2003:

“So many attendees … felt that Google was putting them out of business.

One guy … explained loudly to the packed room that he had been the number one result at Google in his niche for two years, and his business was booming. Then, after the update, there was no sign of him in the SERP. 

I suggested that he, perhaps, should not have ‘bet the farm’ on this one source of revenue to sustain his business. I also suggested that, yes, we should go to Mountain View and visit Google. And when we see either [Larry] Page or Sergey Brin come through the reception, he should walk right up to whichever one it was, kneel down and kiss his ass ‘because he’s been sending you free customers for two years!'”

Google’s Florida update: 20 years since the SEO ‘volcanic eruption’,

None of this is new. People have complained about Google driving them out of business for 20+ years. That won’t make HouseFresh feel better – but the reality is Google doesn’t owe you traffic, rankings or a living.

What’s next for HouseFresh. Navarro promises to be “relentless” on every platform where it makes sense for them to be. Sounds a bit like diversification, doesn’t it?

from Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/2jSHREd
via IFTTT

Google restricts promotion of deep fake sexual content

Google introduced new restrictions on deep fake sexual content for Shopping ads. Google also updated its general content policy prohibiting promoting synthetic content that has been altered or generated to be sexually explicit or contain nudity

Why we care. Google will issue a warning to advertisers if they violate this policy. Continued violations could result in an account suspension.

What changed. Google advertisers can no longer use Shopping ads to:

• Promote services that generate, distribute or store synthetic sexually explicit content or synthetic content containing nudity. This includes services that create “deepfakes” and other manipulated imagery.
• Create ads for content that provides instructions on the creation of synthetic sexually explicit content or synthetic content with nudity.

Enforcement. The enforcement started yesterday (May 1) for Shopping ads. For all other ad types, advertisers have until May 30 to make all necessary changes to ensure their ads fall within the scope of the policy.

from Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/rnHWTV7
via IFTTT

7 ways to use the ‘inspect element’ tool for SEO

The Inspect feature on Chrome (also called “inspect element”) lets you check under the hood of any page or website. You can use it to diagnose problems, test changes on your site and even spy on your competitors.

Right-click on any page and scroll down to Inspect to see the code with which the site is built. 

You’ll see the page on the left window and different tabs on the right with all the site’s code. You can expand and collapse elements to browse that page’s code. 

From the Elements tab, you can see what the page would look like if you edited, removed or added elements. You can also find information about how a website is set up. The Console, Sources, Network and other tabs can also help with more advanced technical audits.

It helps to know basic HTML and CSS, but you can answer many basic questions just from the Elements tab if you know what kind of code to look for.

1. What color is that?

Find the unique hex code for any color on the web by using Inspect. 

• Right-click on the element you want to see.
• Scroll down to find the color swatch and hex code.
• Click the swatch to play around with different colors for that element.

Every color has a unique hex code or a universal 6-digit code combo that represents the color. For example, pure white is #FFFFFF, pure black is #000000 and mint green is #98FF98.

If you don’t see the color you’re looking for, check for any parent element color settings that might override the child elements.

This is handy for solving questions like:

• What colors do users prefer? Can I find a fresh color to try?
• What color is my competitor testing for their call to action?
• Are my site colors following brand guidelines?
• Does that color combo follow usability guidelines?

2. What font is that?

Serif fonts are hot right now. You can find new fonts on any site by right-clicking the element and looking for the font CSS.

• Right-click the copy.
• In the Styles tab at the bottom, look for the same tag.
• Scroll down to the font tags.

If you see multiple fonts listed in the code, those are backup fonts. The first font is the default, which will appear if the user’s browser has access to that font. If that font isn’t available for some reason, the browser will fall back to the second font listed and so on through the list.

You can also check the font size and line height too.

Choosing a good font size depends on the font, line height and boldness. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a minimum of 14 pixels for body copy and 20 pixels for header fonts.

• H1: 30-34 pixels
• H2: 28-30 pixels
• H3: 24-26 pixels
• H4: 20-22 pixels
• Body: 16-18 pixels

3. Will that content change look good?

Use Inspect to see what a change will look like before going live. This is especially helpful if you need to take a screenshot to get approval before or after you go live with a page edit or if you want to check how a change will look on desktop and mobile first.

• Inspect the element you want to change.
• Double-click the copy you want to edit. 
• Edit the copy.
• Click outside the element.
• Make tweaks until you’re happy with it.

If the element you’re editing has multiple pieces of code within the element, like a link within a paragraph, you can right-click the copy and choose Edit as HTML to edit the entire selection.

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

See terms.

---

4. What image is that?

Find an image link, size and alt text by right-clicking to Inspect any image. 

Answer basic technical questions about any image:

• Does my image have good alt text?
• Is that image a duplicate?
• Is the image size too large?
• Could the image size impact page speed?
• Where is the original image source?
• What kind of image is my competitor using?

This works for any kind of image, including icons and background images. If you don’t see the image you want, look for phrases in the code like image, background, src, img, jpg, png or carousel.

5. What kind of link is that?

Use Inspect to check to see if your links are set up the way you want without actually clicking any links. Test whether links are set to nofollow or follow and if they open in the same or a different tab. Or use Inspect to find a redirect chain or 301.

• Right-click any link.
• Find the <a href> tag.
• Check what URL the target is linking to.
• Look for a tag like rel=“nofollow”, which tells Google to ignore that link for ranking purposes.
• Look for a tag like target=“_blank”, which tells the browser to open the link in a new/blank tab.

You can also confirm whether you got a new follow or nofollow backlink on another site. This is handy if you just want to check one link instead of running a check in a backlink tool like Ahrefs or Semrush.

If you check links often, you can also use browser extensions to automatically highlight different types of links depending on their tags.

6. Which piece of code is broken?

Troubleshoot issues with your site elements using Inspect. Once you figure out which piece of code is causing an issue, you can solve the problem. 

If you need to work with your developers or technical team to fix the problem, it’s easier to be able to highlight exactly what you need within the code.

• Right-click anywhere on the element.
• In the Elements sidebar, hover over each HTML element to find the one you want.
• Use the arrows to expand sections to see child code elements.
• The element that the code corresponds to will be highlighted on your site in the left window. Keep hovering and expanding until you find it.

7. What kind of schema is that?

Most sites let you check their site schema using Schema Validator. However, some sites block the Schema Validator bot from using the Fetch URL option directly. 

You can still check your competitors’ site schema with this tool or directly into the code.

• Go to the page you want to check.
• Right-click anywhere on the page and click View Page Source.
• Select all the page code (Ctrl+A and Ctrl+C).
• Go to https://validator.schema.org/.
• Click Code Snippet.
• Paste all the code (Ctrl+V).
• Click Run Test.
• You’ll see all the detected schema elements for that page.

If the validator tool seems incorrect or flags broken schema, you can check for any schema-like code directly in the markup. This is helpful if you’re trying to troubleshoot schema fields or discover why your schema isn’t appearing in the SERP.

• Right-click anywhere on the page.
• Expand sections in the Elements tag until you find the schema.org tags. Schema is usually contained somewhere in the <body> tag.
• If it’s not organized cleanly, right-click and edit as HTML, then copy the whole block into a Notepad program.
• If you still don’t see it, right-click on the page to View Page Source, then search for “schema” in the page code (Ctrl+F).

from Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/fVKhcDN
via IFTTT