Google Spam Update, Volatility & Indexing Bug, AI Overviews Tracking & FAQs, Google Maps Exploit, Google Ads, AppleBot & More

Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

We had a new Google spam update, the June 2024 spam update and what would be an SEO video recap within Google Search ranking volatility, at least this time it was on Father’s Day weekend. Google Search seemed to have an indexing bug last night. If your image snippets disappeared from Google months ago, it is likely a quality issue and not a technical issue. Glenn Gabe posted his adventure on trying to track AI Overviews in Google Search Console. Google posted FAQs on AI Overviews, asking why you can’t disable it but not giving a real answer. Google may be showing fewer links to Reddit and Quora, maybe. Google’s Gary Illyes gave two reasons why a spike in crawling may be a bad thing. Google warned on using JavaScript for structured data in Google Merchant Center. Pound signs in the Search Console reports are about sitelinks, not canonicalization. Google updated its hreflang documentation last week. Bing Webmaster Tools can show a clickthrough rate of over 100%. Google is testing people also ask with 6 results by default. Google’s people also ask mostly show Wikipedia content. Google has this scary Google Maps exploit where you can ruin a business's local ranking. Google added menu buttons to the Google local panels. Google Maps updated its fake engagement policy. Local Service Ads are coming to Google Maps. Google Ads is forcing some advertisers off credit card payments. Google AdSense has new privacy and messaging for users in some US states. Apple updated its Applebot documentation. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

0:57 - Google June 2024 Spam Update Takes Target

1:57 - Google Father's Day Weekend Search Ranking Volatility

2:30 - Google Search Bug: Not Indexing or Serving New Content?

3:38 - Google Search Images Go Missing? Might Be A Quality Issue.

4:35 - The Maddening Adventure Of Tracking AI Overviews In Google Search Console

5:01 - Google AI Overviews FAQs Including Why You Can't Disable AI Overviews

5:46 - Report On If Google Showing Fewer Reddit Links In Search?

6:16 - Google: Two Common Reasons When A Spike In Crawling Is Bad

6:54 - Google Warns On Using JavaScript For Structured Data

7:56 - Google: #s In Google Search Console Reports Are Unrelated To Canonicalization

8:42 - Google Updates hreflang Documentation While I Was Offline

8:58 - Bing Webmaster Tools Clickthrough Rate Over 100%

9:38 - Google Tests Two More People Also Ask Results (6 PPA)

9:49 - Most Google People Also Ask Responses Are Wikipedia

10:10 - Google Map Pin Exploit Leads To Local Rankings Drop & Possible Suspension

11:14 - Google Local Panels Gains Menu Button

11:32 - Google Maps Updates Fake Engagement Policy With More Detail

11:42 - Local Service Ads Coming To Google Maps On iOS

12:05 - Google Ads Forcing Some Advertisers Off Credit Card Payments

12:47 - New Google AdSense Privacy & Messaging For Users To Opt Out

13:10 - Apple Updates Applebot Docs With Applebot-Extended, Reverse DNS & More

13:35 - Conclusion