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🔍 Google core search algo update rolls out

Good morning, search marketers, hello from Seattle!

SMX Advanced kicks off today. If you're unable to join us, follow along on Twitter — @SMX and #SMX — and stay tuned for coverage on the site.

The week is off to an interesting start with Google rolling out the June 2019 core search algorithm update yesterday. Google actually gave SEOs and site owners a heads up Sunday that the update would be coming so we all wouldn't be left "scratching their heads after-the-fact." Google Search Liaison Danny Sullivan also said this month's update isn't a big one.

There's not much you can do if you get negatively impacted by a core update. As Google has stated in the past, "There's nothing wrong with pages that may now perform less well. Instead, it's that changes to our systems are benefiting pages that were previously under-rewarded."

Ahead of the July 1st move to mobile-first indexing for all new sites, Google's rich results testing tool now shows developers and SEOs how Google sees rich results between Googlebot desktop and Googlebot mobile. "The new functionality will help you review your structured data implementation using both user agents to prepare for mobile-first indexing," Google said.

We've updated (and redesigned) our visual history of Google ad labeling to include the latest black "Ad" label that rolled out in mobile search results last month. To our eyes, the labeling has become less prominent since the FTC issued guidance in 2013 for search engines to improve the ways they differentiate ads from organic listings. What do you think?

It appears new antitrust inquiries into major tech platforms are back on the table in the U.S., with the FTC and DOJ reportedly coming to an agreement to divvy up investigations into Google, Amazon and Facebook. Fallout, if any, is likely years away, but Greg Sterling reports the new regulatory stirrings are partly driven by tectonic shifts in public and Congressional attitudes toward regulating big tech companies since the FTC closed its last Google antitrust investigation in 2013.

Read on for a YouTube Pro Tip from Joe Martinez (who will be speaking at Advanced on Wednesday), and more.

Ginny Marvin,
Editor-In-Chief

 
 
 
Pro Tip
 

Why isn't Google letting me change my bidding method for video campaigns?

"In your search network campaigns, you can change your campaign goal in the settings as often as you want. With video campaigns, that is not an option. Once you pick a campaign goal for a video campaign, you are stuck with it," cautions Joe Martinez of Clix Marketing and an SMX Advanced speaker. "This is an important warning to remember for advertisers who love to test different bid strategies. But also important if you want to run a specific campaign like TrueView for Action or TrueView for Shopping. These campaign examples (and some others) require you to select specific campaign goals and subtypes to create them. Your hands may be tied to certain bid strategies in addition to the lack of freedom to be able to change the campaign goals down the road (for now as we know it)."

Read More »

 

The Secret Formula For Determining A Marketing Budget

Sponsored by Sharpspring

Determining a marketing budget can be frustrating. Are you investing enough? How do you know if what you're doing is working? This guide from SharpSpring outlines two simple equations you can use to take a lot of the guesswork out of the budgeting process.

Read More »

 
Search Shorts
 

APIs, carousels, design tweaks and doc updates

Datasets docs updated. Google has updated the datasets developer docs last week. Lizzi Harvey from Google said on Twitter that there are more examples, clearer how tos and more.

Design theme changes can impact Google. Making a theme change to your design may in fact impact your Google rankings. John Mueller of Google said on Twitter it changes how your content is presented, and how your pages are linked.

Reminder on Google's Indexing API. Google's John Mueller reminds SEOs that the Google Indexing API should only be used for job postings and live stream structured data content.

Carousel local packs. Google is testing an interface where the local packs are done in a carousel format.

 
What we're reading
 

We've curated our picks from across the web so you can retire your feed reader

Google outage takes down YouTube, Gmail, and Snapchat in parts of US – The Verge

Google Showing New Local Scroll Pak – Mike Blumenthal

Google Use Archive.org For Checking Past Domain Spam – Search Engine Roundtable

How to Make Money with SEO in 2019 – Whiteboard Friday – Moz

Pick up the pace with three fitness apps, powered by Google Maps – Google Blog

SEO in the Lab: A conversation with Frédéric Dubut from Bing – Merkle

 
 
 
Join Us
 

Gain expert SEO & SEM tactics to drive your campaign's success. Attend SMX Advanced, June 3-5!

Attend Search Engine Land's SMX Advanced, June 3-5, 2019 for expert-led sessions, networking (including the 2019 Search Engine Land Awards), and top amenities including WiFi, delicious meals, and snacks. This is your once-a-year event to learn only advanced SEO and SEM tactics. You'll come away with at least one tactic that you can immediately put to use… we guarantee it. View rates and register today!