Google has been testing multiple variations of a less colorful and more black mobile UI this year. This test includes an interesting feature – adding bubble style buttons in place of the usual sitelinks links at the bottom of some search results. Here is the screenshot of the test, shared by Faisal Ahmed on Twitter. […]
Archives for 2017
Google Asking Searchers to Submit Tags in Movie Knowledge Panel
Google is making a new change to their movie knowledge panels. Google is asking searchers to add tags related to the movie they search for, at the bottom of the movie knowledge panel on mobile. Paul Shapiro spotted the test. When you click to vote for tags, it brings up a pop over to […]
Google Adds Follow Button to Search Results in Google Search App
Google has added an interesting new feature to their Google search app – the ability to follow search results, allowing Google to show updated stories related to those searches in the Google search app feed. Here is what it looks like: When you click the follow button, you get the confirmation that stories related to […]
Using Meta Keywords Tag Not a Google Spam Signal
We have known for some time that Google ignores keywords placed within the meta keywords tag, something Google officially announced back in 2009, as it was something that was heavily spammed many, many years ago. But what about the possibility of Google using it as some kind of spam flag, in a reverse use of […]
Google Encouraging Local Ratings & Reviews With Call to Action Test
Google is encouraging searchers to leave ratings and reviews for local businesses with a new call to action test in the mobile search results. It adds a new “Tell everyone about your experience” above the usual five empty stars. Sergey Alakov spotted the test. Here is what it looks like: The interesting part of “tell […]
Google Testing More Visible AMP Icon in Search Results
Google is testing a much more visible version of their AMP logo in the search results. Instead of the usual light grey that you see in the mobile search results, the new test shows them in black instead. Aleyda Solis posted screenshots of the new style on Twitter. They show in both the regular search […]
Google: Using Nofollow on Links to About Us, Terms, and Policy Pages
When looking at crawl budgets, pages like terms and policy pages are usually among the first to get their links nofollowed, so that Google focuses on pages a site owner thinks are higher priority. But should you nofollow links to those types of pages by default? The question came up in the last Google webmaster […]
Google: Check Your Mobile Site Has Alt Text Tags on Images
Most site owners are pretty good about ensuring their images have alt tags, especially ones that might also be used as links, as Google will use that alt text for SEO purposes. But John Mueller had an interesting side note about the use of images when they are on a mobile site, which could have […]
Google: Position & Weight of Internal Links for SEO Value
An interesting question came up in the last Google webmaster office hours, with Google’s John Mueller being asked about internal links, and how Google weights those links for SEO purpose. While one use for internal links is for users to enable them to easily find their way around a site, there is also a great […]
Google Flags User Submitted Store Hours in Local Knowledge Panel
Google has received some criticism when hours listed in a local knowledge panel don’t match a location’s actual hours. Google is now showing when a user submits hours that don’t match the hours either Google has added or that the business has submitted, and flags them clearly as being different hours that someone has submitted. […]