Google is pushing full steam ahead as always. This month we saw a couple changes. Some were expected and others were out of the blue. In this post, we look at 5 recent changes to SEO and SEM.
Toolbar PageRank Update
In a sneaky move, Google rolled out a PageRank update on 12/06/13. Google’s Matt Cutts has previously said that they would not be updating the PageRank toolbar this year. However, he apparently lied and they did.
For those of you who don’t know, PageRank is “an algorithm used by the Google web search engine to rank websites in their search engine results. PageRank was named after Larry Page, one of the founders of Google. PageRank is a way of measuring the importance of website pages.” – Wikipedia
Google is now Linking to Apps in Search
Just a short time ago, Google released the technical documentation to enable applications to show in search results. Apparently, they meant business. Applications can now be opened from search results.
Smartphone Errors report in Webmaster Tools
Google has launched a new Smartphone errors report on Webmaster Tools. This is a very welcomed report, as it allows you to see if there are any configuration issues with your mobile website. Mobile websites are so often set up incorrectly. This report should be a big hit.
Smartphone Errors Report and SEO Example
Google Trends Gets More Sophistication
Google Trends is an amazing tool. If you have not used it, you should give it a try. This month, Google added some advanced functionality to Google Trends. It now really hones in on what the keyword actually is by asking you what you are searching about.
Google Knowledge Graph Shows Car Data
Google knowledge graph now shows car data. This is going to be a big blow to car sites. If you search for a car on a PC, you will see the black Knowledge Graph bar at the top. If you search on a mobile phone, the search results are pushed way down the page. If you search for a car in Google Glass all you see is knowledge graph!
Google has new AdWords Format
You might have noticed this. Google has rolled out a new format for AdWords. It is really rather striking. There is now a big yellow ad button next to the top ads.
Was there an SEO or SEM update we missed? Comment below!
