02/08/2021: SEO Rewind

Google adds "About this result" to SERPs in the U.S. Starting early February, you may notice three dots next to search results (on desktop and mobile). This icon leads you to a new "About this result" screen that shows more information about the selected website. It usually shows a brief excerpt from Wikipedia (if available).

A quick way to learn more about your search results

Starting today, we’re piloting a new way for you to find out more about where your search results come from.

GoogleJK Kearns

Search Console Discover report now includes Chrome data. Previously, the Discover report in GSC showed data only from the Google app on Android and iOS. Over the next few months, data from Chrome will start appearing as well (Discover is available from Chrome's new tab interface).

Search Console Discover report now includes Chrome data

Google DevelopersPosted by Janice Wong and Ziv Hodak, Product Managers

Also, please note that the referrer will change too:

Discover traffic from Chrome will be using a new origin referrer https://www.google.com/ so it is consistent with what's used for Discover on the Google app. This will replace the previous www.googleapis.com/auth/chrome-content-suggestions referrer.

Google clarifies rules for GMB and companies working from co-working spaces. Google recently updated its guidelines for businesses on Google with more specific rules for companies and freelancers working from co-working spaces:

Businesses can't list an office at a co-working space unless that office maintains clear signage, receives customers at the location during business hours, and is staffed during business hours by your business staff.

Google My Business Adds Guidelines For Co-Working Spaces

Google has added one line to its Google My Business guidelines around co-working spaces. In short, if your business is out of a co-working space it must have signage, accept customers and be staffed t

Search Engine RoundtableBarry Schwartz

Are Coworking Spaces Against the Google My Business Guidelines? - Sterling Sky Inc

Recently I have seen more and more discussions around coworking spaces and how Google My...

Sterling Sky IncJoy Hawkins

Some sites experience bot traffic inflating Google Analytics data. Spambots recently seem to be more active than usual. If you see a sudden increase in your organic traffic in GA around February 1st, it might be caused by these bots. It affected me as well on a couple of sites that I manage.

Sitebulb released version 4.7. This new release brings minor improvements in:

• the handling of timeout URLs,
• new 'overwrite canonical' option for staging,
• and new error messages in structured data validation.

They also experience issues with the "save to a cloud folder" functionality - read the release note if you've been affected by this.

Sitebulb Latest Updates and Release Notes

Download the latest Sitebulb update, and catch up on all the updates in the funniest Release Notes in the world (of all UK based SEO tools whose name sounds like lightbulb).

Sitebulb

Btw, have I ever mentioned how hilarious their release notes are? 😁

We recently encountered some websites whose pathetic reaction to being crawled was decidedly Trumpian, where the server would hang on to URL requests, obstinately refusing to move on.

BuzzSumo introduced a new journalist research tool. BuzzSumo added Journalist Profiles to their product. These new profiles will "reveal journalist interests, emails and the publications they write for, in a single click."

BuzzSumo | Journalist research made simple

Try our new Journalist Profiles for yourself by signing up to a free 30-day trial, no credit card required.

BuzzSumo.com

Introducing BuzzSumo’s New Journalist Outreach Tool

Journalist Profiles will help you better understand and connect with the people who have the power to push your content and brand forward.

BuzzSumo.comLouise Linehan Content Manager

New technical SEO certification series by Moz. If you want to learn the basics of technical SEO and have a 'formal' certification for it, check out this new course. This 5-part series costs $295.

Announcing the New Technical SEO Certification Series: What It Is & How to Get Certified

The Moz Learning Team has put in many, many hours of work to develop a technically focused, in-depth training series that hones in on the nuts and bolts of technical SEO. We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the Technical SEO Certification Series through Moz Academy.

MozKavi Kardos

Reminder: Google no longer supports data-vocabulary.org. If you still use data-vocabulary.org format for rich snippets, you should act fast and adopt one of the newer formats.

See you on Monday with the next Rewind!