🔍 What users see when there aren't relevant results | Identity verification for all advertisers

Apr 24, 2020

Good morning Search Marketer, what happens when there aren't any relevant results for a query?

In those rare instances, Google may present users with a message that reads "it looks like there aren't any great matches for your search," accompanied by alternative queries and tips on how to refine the search. Most people are unlikely to encounter this message as Google aims to provide relevant results, but it can occur for a small proportion of queries. If this message comes up in performance reports, keyword lists, or analytics, it may be time to rethink your strategy.

On the paid side, Google is rolling out an identity verification program once reserved for political advertisers. If you want to continue running ads on Google's platform, you'll have to submit personal identification, business incorporation documents, and other details to prove who you are and the country you're operating in. The company said it will begin verifying advertisers domestically and eventually expand globally. Meanwhile, advertiser disclosures will be accessible to users from the search results page beginning this summer.

The impacts of the coronavirus have been largely negative, but some B2B businesses have actually seen more conversions and shortened buying cycles as employers focus on long-term goals and reducing red tape so that they can continue to operate remotely. If your business continues to see demand, maintaining your ad budgets may be as important as ever.

Insights like the one above come from our Live with Search Engine Land sessions, and today we'll be discussing content marketing during this unpredictable time. Please join us at 2 p.m. EST, when HubSpot's Meghan Keaney Anderson, TopRank Marketing's Lee Odden, Fractl's Amanda Milligan, and I will discuss ways to stand out while respecting the current situation, how engagement is changing, and more.

Keep on reading to find out how Google My Business has become a lifeline for businesses during times of disruption, as well as your daily Search Shorts and more.

George Nguyen,
Associate Editor

Soapbox

'Good enough' is no longer good enough with Google My Business

Back in December, I wrote about the need for businesses to manage their GMB listings as frequently as possible. I divided businesses into three categories: Google Master (those who update their GMBs daily), Google Journeyman (who update their GMBs weekly), and Google Apprentices (who do so monthly).

Four months later, it's time to revise our thinking: you're either a Google Master or you may be out of business. We're seeing now how a GMB is a business's lifeline during a time of disruption. And there will be more: both natural disasters and human-inflicted ones that disrupt business without warning. When those disruptions occur, a GMB listing provides the first line of response.

The lesson to be learned is this: don't wait for a disruption to mind your GMB listings. Businesses that had already been managing their content closely were better prepared to react to the pandemic than those who had allowed their listings to fall out of date. Businesses that had taken the time to learn how to manage features such as Google Posts were able to move faster to keep their customers informed in the early days of the pandemic than the ones who were caught flat-footed. Master your GMB listings now. And never let up.

– Adam Dorfman is the director of product at Reputation

Your 5 biggest Google Ads challenges & how to solve them

Paid search is more competitive than ever. Search marketers need to be proactive and learn how to get the best out of the right tools to stay on top of their PPC 'A-game' (A for automation). Adthena created this guide to address the top challenges and offer solutions that will help you get better results and make your life easier.

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Search Shorts

Google COVID posters, Noindexing on Bing

Google COVID-19 posters. Google is giving free printable posters for businesses to print and hang in their windows specific to COVID-19 messaging.

Noindexing sitemaps. Bing said that noindexing your XML sitemap file does not hurt how Bing discovers your URLs for its index.

No value content. Google's John Mueller, said about no value content, "generally speaking, if you feel they don't add value, I'd avoid creating them, or if they're useful as navigation but not as landing pages, use noindex to prevent them from being indexed. The 'value' decision is ultimately up to you & your site."

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