Google Ranking Volatility, Apple Intelligence, Navboost, Ads, Bing & Local

Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

Well over a week after the Google August 2024 core update finished, we still have a ton of volatility. Apple Visual Intelligence was demoed at the Apple event this week, it is neat. I covered a bunch of statements on Navboost over the years from Googlers and others. Google replaced the cache link with a link to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. Google added a spam warning to the Indexing API documentation. A new report shows that about half of the links in the AI Overviews are from the top traditional search results. Google is showing AI Overviews for commercial shopping queries again. Google is testing a new interface for AI Overviews. Google said Exif data is not used for rankings. Google Search now supports a new ineligible region property. Bing may use ProductGroup markup in the future. Bing also treats 308 redirects like 301 redirects. Google Ads is sunsetting eCPC in March 2025. Google Ads is testing a new ad label design. Google Ads introduced confidential matching for privacy reasons. Google is emailing LSA advertisers about verification requirements. There has been an increase in complaints from advertisers about fraud in the Google Ads Search Partner Network. Google Business Profiles emails about broken appointment links. Google Maps shows business photos in reviews. Bing is testing Facebook and Yelp icons in the reviews in the local pack. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:01 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Still Heated A Week After Core Update

1:51 - Apple Visual Intelligence - Local, Shopping & More

2:56 - Ex-Googler Forum Statements On Google Navboost

4:40 - Google Replaced Cache Link With Internet Archive's Wayback Machine

5:37 - Google Indexing API: Submissions Go Undergo Rigorous Spam Detection

6:06 - Report: Half Google AI Overviews Links Overlap With Top Search Results

6:50 - Google AI Overviews Show Shopping Results For Commercial Queries Again

7:11 - Google Tests AI Overview With Small "More" Link

7:38 - Google's Martin Splitt: We Do Not Use Exif Data For Ranking

8:10 - Google Search Supports Ineligible Regions Property For Videos

8:38 - Bing May Use ProductGroup Markup In The Future

8:57 - Bing Treats 308 Redirects Same As 301 Redirects

9:11 - Google Ads Saying Goodbye To Enhanced CPC In March 2025

9:35 - Google Tests New Ad Label / Design That Makes Ads Stand Out

9:48 - Google Ads Introduces Confidential Matching

10:34 - Google Emails Advertisers On Local Services Ads Verification Requirements

10:50 - Complaints On Google Search Partners Ad Network Fraud

11:19 - Google Business Profile Appointment Link Broken Notifications

11:33 - Google Maps Showing Business Photos On Review Sentiments

11:51 - Bing Local Pack Tests Review Source Icons Instead Of Review Stars

12:05 - Conclusion