Daily Search Forum Recap: February 19, 2024

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

Google gives us more detail on how long it takes to recover from a helpful content update. Google has a new ad policy to prohibit the use of famous people or brands to entice people to give you their money or information. Google is placing “Forums” in the search bar. Google is also testing a new search bar design. Google shop with Google AI seems to be fully live.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• 
  More From Google On Helpful Content Update Recovery Time
  
  
  A week ago we wrote about the timing it takes to recover from a Google helpful content update. Then on Friday, Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, added more clarity on the fastest time a site can possibly recover after being negatively impacted by the helpful content update.
• 
  Google Investigating Search Issue Where Adult Sites Not Ranking Home Page For Brand Name
  
  
  Google is investigating a possible issue with its search results where Google is not ranking adult-oriented sites for its brand name in some regions. Instead, Google ranks the adult site’s help and support section above the home page for its name.




• 
  Google Search Shop With Google AI Live
  
  
  Google seems to have rolled out the Shop with Google AI feature to some users after announcing it back in November. I cannot see it unless I am logged into my personal Gmail account which is opted into SGE, on the Google Search app on iOS.
• 
  Google Search Tests New Search Bar Design
  
  
  Google Search seems to be testing a new search bar design on mobile search. The bar shows the images, videos, news, shopping, maps, etc buttons but with a light blue background color, as a curved button.
• 
  Google Search Tests Forums In Search Bar Menu
  
  
  Google is testing a new menu item in its search bar. The new item is “Forums” and it filters the search results to forums, such as Reddit, Hacker News, and other forums on the internet.
• 
  Google Ads To Prohibit Using Famous People Or Brands To Part With Money Or Information
  
  
  Google Ads will update its unacceptable business practices portion of the misrepresentation policy in March 2024. The update says you cannot entice “users to part with money or information by impersonating or falsely implying affiliation with or endorsement by a public figure, brand, or organization.”
• 
  Yahoo Ads All Hands Video Recording Q1 2024
  
  
  I spotted this photo from the Yahoo offices of Yahoo recording its “First Yahoo show for 2024.” I noticed the screen says “Q1 2024 Yahoo Ads All Hands.” I thought it was interesting, so sharing it here.

Other Great Search Threads:

• A good idea! We want to give people ability to look/edit their profiles. Still needs work – when I looked at my first version of a profile, it wasn’t very flattering – I was like “no, I’m not!” after every sentence, Mikhail Parakhin on X
• Google has a view in 3D feature with the option to celebrate in your space, Khushal Bherwani on X
• To clarify, there are no changes to the existing Google Ads certifications on Skillshop. The professional certifications are in pilot, are optional & don’t count toward Partner program requirements. More h, AdsLiaison on X
• No, it’s because we underestimated people’s ingenuity in breaking things. They were all really a form of the prompt injection attacks, we beefed up the defenses quickly (it does cost extra response latency, unfortunately)., Mikhail Parakhin on X
• Spotted this “Recently Used” CTA next to the Performance Max campaign type when setting up a new campaign. Made me smile, Thomas Eccel on X
• Featured Snippets & Things to Know SERP features dropped on Feb 15th, now back as of Feb 16th. All other SERP features stable. It seems that Google fixed it and we’re back to normal. Likely cause of ranking fluctuations seen on weath, Shay Harel on X
• Pushing hard. I know, once you use the feature for something complicated, it’s hard to go back., Mikhail Parakhin on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

Industry & Business

Links & Content Marketing

Local & Maps

Mobile & Voice

SEO

PPC

Search Features

Other Search

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