In the middle of January, Google rolled out its first search algorithm update in 2020. It seems to be a big one with many websites got affected.
The article above looks at an example of a pair of winner-loser in attempts to see what exactly Google changed in this update. It also has a list of links to other posts on the same topic so that you can dig further if you would like to.
While this is nothing new and surprising, the update contained also some other changes that significantly affect websites. Look at this tweet by Danny Sullivan, Google’s public Search Liaison 🤯
If A Web Page Listing Is Elevated Into The Featured Snippet Position, We No Longer Repeat The Listing In The Search Results
Before, if your page managed to appear in a featured snippet for a keyword, it meant that it is ranking #1 for that keyword and a link to it appeared on the first page.
Well, it’s no longer the case 😩
Now, it’s either a featured snippet or a link 🤷♀️
I checked my keywords I got featured snippets for and I confirm I lost the 1st-page links… 😭 they are all now in the 1st position on the 2nd page 😭
But at the same time, it makes sense. Me as a user, I used to be quite annoyed when I skimmed through a featured snippet and then I also had to sort out the 1st-page results in order to not click on the same link that was in the featured snippet.
So, it’s good for the users 😏 bad for the webmasters 😭
Apart from that, in this update, Google also changed the look of paid and organic search results on desktop. Let’s see how it may impact you.
The article talks about a potential impact on CTR and about how you can improve your CTR by manipulating your favicon. We are now doing the image SEO 🤣
We have to bend to Google since it completely dominates the search field. However, there are more and more signs showing that it might change in the (near?🤔) future.
Bing Loses Out To DuckDuckGo In Google’s New Android Search Engine Ballot
As you can read in this article, antitrust organizations watch Google closely and sometimes they even manage to even the internet search field. If you are all about the European online market, you should take note and start paying attention to other search engines. For us non-Europeans, it’s a tiny warning bell that may or may not grow into a full-blown sirene 🚨
However, as you may already know, Bing and DuckDuckGo are not the only search engines 😮😲🤯 Let’s check a roundup of search engines tried and tested by Ahrefs (BTW, did you know Ahrefs is building its own search engine? 🤯)
I was a bit surprised to see how many search engines exist out there.
Aaand at the same time, it was kinda expected.
I think everybody and their 🐈 are waiting for Google to have less and less dominance in the search field. And they are preparing for it in advance 😼 Check out this good article to see what’s special about each of these 7 search engines.
Now, let’s talk about another widely popular baby of Google that can affect our affiliate lives: the Chrome browser.
Chromium Blog: Introducing Quieter Permission UI For Notifications
In the next major version of Chrome that is due Feb 4, you should be able to experience a new version of the internet without popup notifications 😲 If you close them all the time without being engaged, good news: Chrome will be doing it for you in the background! 😳
To see all other features of this important Chrome update, check this feature schedule.
And Google does not want to stop there. They recently announced that “they are officially shutting down third-party cookies over the next two years” in Chromium. What does it mean for us, ad publishers?🤔 Does it mean… the death of display ads? 😱
I know many of you are probably afraid that third-party cookies shutdown means the death of display advertising. Adthrive, one of the biggest ad platforms, does not think so. Read their post to find out why 🤗
On the note of display advertising, let’s find out if you should have display ads on affiliate websites at all.
Case Study: Should you Put Display Ads on Affiliate Websites?
Should you? Conventional wisdom tells us “no” and if you are on the same side, you should read this case study! If you are not, you should still read it to see how to properly set up an experiment to find out if these findings are applicable to you. I personally did find some interesting bits there… 👍
If you don’t want to read the article, watch a video summary instead:
And finally, some interesting predictions for SEO 2020!
15 Experts Reveal The Trends For Technical Seo In 2020
Welcome to my new post about interesting topics in the SEO and niche/affiliate marketer blogs and forums I read about this month 🎉 In this round-up, we will talk about:…
Merry Christmas! 🎄🤶🎅 I wish you to have a great time with your family and friends!❄⛄❄ This is my last SEO & Affiliate Marketing News Roundup📰 for the year. In this…
Here in Montreal, Canada, it’s pretty much winter with snow ❄ and temperatures below freezing ⛄. For me, it’s the best time to snuggle at home and to double down…
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