How on page factors & Google updates, Learnings from a G Quality Rater, What is the future of SEO?

03/16/24 • 52 min

What on-page factors are associated with sites that see big gains or declines after Google updates?
Cyrus Shepard explains his recent research looking at correlations between a range of on page factors that might affect Google’s perception of your site and analyzes which factors were associated with increases or decreases in site visibility. Are stock photos a death knell? Are ads a deal breaker? Should contact information be on every page?
What Cyrus learned from being a Google Quality Rater?
It isn’t easy to become a quality rater. It is hard work and pays beans but someone had to do it, right? Cyrus jumped into the breach and from his experience explained how these guidelines should inform your site.
What is the future of SEO?
Things are changing fast. Ai is stealing eyeballs and impacting search results. How long does SEO have and should we all be looking for other jobs or will generative AI solutions to search just increase the opportunities? Will Google continue to be the main source for leads going forward?
The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
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Google’s Core Update & FUD, Brightlocal Consumer Review Survey, Do Searchers Use the Local Finder?

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Google’s March Core Update & FUD:
David Mihm sheds light on Google's March core update, marking it as an unusually impactful monthly adjustment from the tech giant. The update has sparked extensive conversation among SEO experts. He highlighted three key focus areas of the update: scaled content, largely driven by AI technologies; site reputation abuse; and what is known colloquially as "parasite SEO." The latter involves strategies to boost article visibility and rankings through dubious means, undermining the quality and reliability of search results.

The concept of "scaled content" pertains to the bulk creation and dissemination of AI-generated articles, a trend that raises questions about content originality and value. Meanwhile, the term "site reputation abuse" remains somewhat ambiguous, with Mihm relying on insights from a LinkedIn post by Solis to decipher Google's intended targets with this update.

How much of this is enforceable and how much is FUD is debatable.
Brightlocal Consumer Review Survey:
We discuss the key findings from the recent BrightLocal review survey

Trust in Reviews: The survey confirms that online reviews continue to be a critical factor in consumer decision-making, with a strong preference for businesses rated at four stars or above.
Importance of Recent Reviews: Consumers place high value on the freshness of reviews, indicating the necessity for businesses to continuously generate new, positive feedback.
Expectation for Response: There is a clear expectation among consumers for businesses to engage with and respond to reviews, signaling this as a factor in building trust and loyalty.
Concerns Over Review Fraud: The survey highlights consumer concerns regarding the authenticity of reviews, emphasizing the need for transparency and authenticity in review management.

How Often Do Searchers Use the Local Finder?
We discuss data from our recent search behavior study that sheds light on how frequently users access the Local Finder. Search behaviors diverge significantly across devices and verticals, with a marked preference for using the Local Finder feature more on mobile devices and more on queries that are less price sensitive and more reputation driven.
The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
near memo ep 149

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Google Goes to Brussels & attempts to defend their DMA compliance

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In this special edition, Mike and David discuss their visit to Brussels to attend Google’s report on their compliance with the European Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA, targeting large tech entities including Google, aims to regulate their status as gatekeepers to the internet. This session, specifically addressing Google's compliance, saw over 20 presenters from Google over an extensive eight-hour period, detailing their view of adherence to the DMA's regulations across various aspects of their operations.

The workshop was organized by the European Commission and attended by a diverse group, including industry trade groups, direct competitors such as DuckDuckGo, and consumer organizations. Discussions spanned from Google's dominance in online search and data portability to interoperability issues, with Google outlining its efforts in adapting its services to meet DMA requirements. Google specifically excluded Local, the Local Pack, Google Maps and entities from a need for compliance.

Google's argument primarily revolved around the challenges of balancing stakeholder needs while continuing to innovate within the constraints imposed by the DMA. Despite this, skepticism persisted among attendees and the commission regarding Google's compliance, particularly concerning self-preferencing. The commission's quick initiation of an investigation into Google's compliance post-workshop indicates both a rigorous approach towards enforcing the DMA and great deal of skepticism on the part of the EU as to compliance.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
near memo ep 151

Subscribe to our newsletters and other content at https://www.nearmedia.co/subscribe/