10th Week Roundup: Microsoft Introduces Feed Labels, Google Search Turned off Events Rich Results and More!

Greetings, and welcome to our most recent blog roundup! This week’s roundup will delve into the latest advancements on different digital platforms such as Google Business Profiles, Instagram, Threads, and more. Be prepared to uncover how these alterations are influencing the digital realm, from innovative features to temporary tool disruptions.

 

Google Business Profiles Tools Temporarily Unavailable: What You Need to Know

Google Business Profiles users might experience temporary interruptions when trying to access important features such as verification status checks, appeals management, and review management. Google has recognized the problem and wants to assure users that they are working diligently to fix it.

At present, individuals using Google Business Profiles may encounter error messages or face challenges while navigating through certain functions in these affected tools. Google recommends utilizing specific contact forms to request help with verification, profile appeals, content appeals, and review removals. The leading SEO company in Mumbai says while the exact timeline for resolution is uncertain, a representative from the Google Business Profiles team is committed to ongoing efforts to swiftly resolve the issue, expressing appreciation for users’ patience.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/google-business-profiles-tools-are-temporarily-unavailable-438244

 

Google Ads Implements Limit on Country-Level Exclusions: What Advertisers Need to Know

Google Ads has implemented a new restriction on country-level location exclusions. Advertisers are now limited to excluding a maximum of 120 countries. This change is aimed at simplifying the process of targeting specific locations. If advertisers exceed this limit, they will receive warning notifications.

A Google Ads marketing agency, PPC Sauce, brought attention to the change by sharing a screenshot of the warning notification received after exceeding the 120-country limit. Google Ads Liaison Officer Ginny Marvin explained that the goal is to simplify location targeting procedures and promote the use of specific geographic targeting. Despite potential worries about decreased control over ad placement, Google assures advertisers that ads will not show in areas not specifically targeted, easing concerns for those excluding certain locations.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-now-limits-country-level-location-exclusions-438239

 

Google Introduces Meridian: Privacy-Centric Measurement Tool for Advertisers

Google recently introduced Meridian, a measurement tool that focuses on privacy and helps advertisers analyze campaign performance in light of the upcoming phase-out of third-party cookies. Meridian, an open-source Marketing Mix Model (MMM), emphasizes user privacy and offers valuable insights into campaign effectiveness.

Google intends to make Meridian accessible to all users in the near future after initially limiting access to a select group of marketers and data scientists. The experts from the leading SEO company in Mumbai say that Meridian provides a transparent and user-friendly approach to MMMs, which have traditionally been known for their high cost and complexity.

Meridian aims to improve innovation, transparency, and actionable insights for advertisers by offering features such as calibration through incrementality experiments and cross-channel budget optimization. Harikesh Nair, Google’s Senior Director of Data Science, emphasizes the increasing importance of MMMs in the advertising industry and highlights Meridian’s role in guiding advertisers towards measurement solutions that prioritize privacy and effectiveness.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/google-meridian-marketing-mix-model-438237

 

Google Search Console Enhances Recipe-Rich Result Reporting with New Properties

Google Search Console has recently added two new properties, namely recipe instructions and recipe ingredients, to its recipe-rich result report. As a result, starting from March 6, 2024, there may be an increase in warnings related to recipe items within the Search Console reports. It is important to note that these warnings are not a result of any recent user changes but rather a reflection of the accurate reporting of the newly supported properties.

The addition of these properties presents an opportunity for recipe creators to enhance the information displayed in Google Search results. By addressing these warnings, creators can improve the visibility and comprehensiveness of their recipe details, ultimately benefiting users who are searching for specific culinary guidance.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/google-search-console-recipe-rich-result-report-adds-two-new-properties-438230

 

Microsoft Introduces Feed Labels: Simplifying Cross-Border Advertising for Retailers

Microsoft has introduced Feed Labels, a new tool designed to streamline international advertising for retailers. Scheduled to launch in mid-March and expected to be fully operational by the end of the month, Feed Labels will simplify the process of running advertisements across various countries.

Retailers can use Feed Labels to organize products from different feeds based on shared characteristics like language or product category. This organization makes it easier to create targeted shopping campaigns, allowing advertisers to display products to potential customers in specific markets. By making use of Feed Labels, advertisers can effectively oversee campaigns in multiple countries, reducing their workload and enabling them to concentrate on other important campaign duties.

To avoid confusion between Feed Labels and Custom Labels, Microsoft has clarified that custom labels are used to categorize products within a single feed. At the same time, Feed Labels are meant for broad targeting strategies across multiple feeds and campaigns. Furthermore, Microsoft will continue to support the use of country/region of sale for both product feeds and shopping campaigns, giving advertisers the flexibility they need.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/microsoft-feed-labels-438197

 

Google Search Alters Event Rich Results: Implications for Website Traffic

The best SEO company says Google recently implemented changes to event-rich results, impacting their appearance in search results and potentially causing a decrease in clicks and impressions, as reported in the Google Search Console. The modification, which was officially announced in the data anomalies section of the Search Console help area, became effective as of March 4, 2024. Although Google has clarified that this alteration does not necessarily indicate a decrease in traffic, website owners who heavily rely on event-related traffic may observe a decline in their metrics.

As per Ryan Levering from Google, even though some event rich features still make use of events data, rich snippets specifically have been disabled. This highlights the need for website owners to stay alert to changes in their reporting metrics and adjust their strategies accordingly despite having limited control over Google’s feature adjustments.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/google-search-turned-off-some-event-rich-results-438191

 

Google Probes Error Affecting AdMob Messages Functionality

Google Ads is presently looking into a problem affecting AdMob, which is preventing impacted users from creating or publishing new messages in the platform’s privacy and messaging section. This issue, verified by Google, began at 9:30 am ET on March 5, leading to an active investigation by the company’s engineers starting at 10:48 am ET.

For individuals facing error messages while trying to create or publish messages in AdMob, it is important to note that the problem originates from Google’s side, and efforts are underway to resolve it. Although a specific timeline for resolution is not provided, Google assures that updates will be given. Search Engine Land will continue to monitor the situation. Update: Google has confirmed that the problem has been resolved, restoring normal functionality to AdMob.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/google-issue-admob-messages-438160

 

Google Business Profiles Websites are Now Redirected to Google Maps

Google has initiated the process of redirecting websites that are created and hosted on Google Business Profiles to their corresponding Business Profile listings on Google Maps. This redirection is part of the ongoing transition away from Business Profile websites and was originally scheduled to be completed by March 1, 2024. However, the redirects will now remain in place until June 10, 2024, after which visitors attempting to access these websites will encounter a “Page not found” error.

The experts from the best SEO company say this move highlights the significance for businesses to migrate to alternative website-building platforms recommended by Google, such as Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress. It is strongly advised for those who have not yet made the transition to take immediate action in order to avoid any disruption to their online presence. It is crucial to update Google Business Profiles with the new website URL to ensure continued accessibility for customers.

Read more: https://searchengineland.com/google-business-profile-websites-are-now-redirected-to-google-maps-438154

 

Can Google Identify Which Information is Reliable?

Danny Sullivan, the Search Liaison for Google, has recently discussed the measures taken by Google to evaluate the credibility of information displayed in search results. While it is not a straightforward process, Google places importance on prioritizing content that users perceive as reliable and trustworthy. Sullivan has highlighted the implementation of systems that identify dependable information and take into account the consensus on facts across the internet.

Google’s commitment to reliability is evident through various means such as algorithm updates, AI-generated responses, and alerts for unreliable sources in search results. Furthermore, Google’s emphasis on scientific consensus demonstrates its unwavering dedication to providing users with high-quality and accurate information. As Google continues to enhance its algorithms and guidelines, ensuring the reliability of information remains a paramount objective in delivering a gratifying search experience.

Read more: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-reliable-information-37017.html

 

Doubts Loom Over Google’s March Updates’ Efficacy in Reducing Low-Quality Search Results

A recent survey carried out on X indicated that around 80% of participants, totalling 1,385 votes, expressed doubt regarding the effectiveness of Google’s March core and spam updates in decreasing low-quality content in search results by 40%. Despite Google’s reassurance that these updates, along with previous initiatives, would result in a substantial decrease in unoriginal content, SEOs remain skeptical.

Although Google seems confident in its strategy, the difference between its expectations and the opinions of SEO professionals raises concerns about the perceived impact of these updates. The results of these updates will likely be closely examined in the upcoming weeks to determine if they meet Google’s commitments to enhancing the quality of search results.

Read more: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-march-core-spam-updates-poll-37011.html

 

Google Maps Hides View Counts for New Reviews, Prompting Speculation

Curtis Boyd has drawn attention to a recent change made by Google on Google Maps. The change involves the removal of view counts for new reviews, although older reviews still display this information. This alteration has raised questions about Google’s intentions and whether it is in response to anticipated regulations on fake reviews.

Although this change’s reasoning is unknown, it has sparked speculation about Google’s commitment to combating fraudulent or deceptive reviews. The absence of view counts for new reviews indicates a shift in Google’s strategy towards review transparency. This may lead to an increased examination of the platform’s policies regarding user-generated content.

Read more: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-maps-hides-views-on-new-reviews-37004.html

 

Elon Musk Plans to Simplify X by Removing Engagement Buttons Raises Questions

Elon Musk’s recent announcement regarding X, previously known as Twitter, involves the elimination of reply, like, and re-share buttons on in-feed posts. The leading social media marketing company in Mumbai say this strategic move is intended to create a more streamlined feed, showcasing only view counts and post times, while introducing new action controls for responses. Although Musk believes this will improve the platform’s clarity, it could have a significant impact on engagement metrics, similar to past Twitter experiments.

For example, Twitter’s removal of the retweet button during the 2020 U.S. election resulted in a decrease of overall tweet sharing by 20%, despite reducing the spread of false reports. X’s decision to restrict engagement options may have a comparable effect on user interaction and platform sentiment. Given X’s reliance on reposts and quotes for engagement, the absence of these prominent features could lead to a decrease in interaction data for customizing feeds and affect creators’ ad revenue sharing.

Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/x-formerly-twitter-will-soon-remove-like-re-post-and-reply-buttons-in-stream/709650/

 

Threads Introduce In-Stream Camera and Draft Options for All Users

After a period of testing in selected regions, Threads has officially rolled out its new in-stream camera and post draft features to all users. Exiting an unfinished post now prompts the option to “Save Draft,” accessible via the bottom compose button, albeit limited to one draft post per user presently. Additionally, the in-stream camera enables users to capture photos directly within the app, with video capability yet to be introduced.

While these updates may seem incremental, they signify Threads’ commitment to enhancing user experience and aligning itself with established social media platforms. With ongoing development expected, users can anticipate further enhancements and functionalities to be introduced in the future, making Threads a more competitive option in the social media landscape.

Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/threads-makes-drafts-and-in-stream-camera-available-to-all-users/709652/

 

Instagram Enhances Messaging Experience with New DM Features

Instagram recently rolled out a series of new features for its Direct Messages (DM) function, with the goal of strengthening its position as a central communication hub. One of the updates is the ability to edit messages, giving users a 15-minute window to make changes after sending, similar to a feature found on WhatsApp. In addition, users can now pin up to three chats at the top of their DM inbox for quick access to important conversations.

Other improvements include the option to activate read receipts for all DM chats or specific threads, as well as new chat themes for personalization. Moreover, Instagram has added a feature for saving favorite stickers, making it easier to include them in DMs. The experts from the leading social media marketing company in Mumbai say these enhancements align with the evolving user preferences towards increased engagement in private messaging, reflecting a broader trend seen across various social media platforms.

Read more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-launches-new-dm-updates-including-message-editing/709218/

 

Conclusion of the Roundup

Stay updated with our most recent blog recap, which discusses updates in Google Business Profiles, Instagram, Threads, and other platforms. From the introduction of new features to the unavailability of certain tools, these changes showcase the ever-changing digital landscape. If you like this blog check out our previous blog Google Ads ‘solutions’ now to automatically generate performance reports