Welcome to episode #83 of the SEO Newsletter by #SEOSLY!
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And now let’s dive into the world of SEO news…
The SEO Newsletter by #SEOSLY is sponsored by JetOctopus
JetOctopus is a cloud-based website crawler and SEO log analyzer. The tool allows you to analyze your website structure, check for broken links, detect technical SEO issues, and monitor your website’s ranking in search engines.
JetOctopus is the fastest and most affordable SaaS crawler and logs analyzer without limits.
Let’s start with a few things I’ve prepared for you and then jump onto the news.
Barry Schwartz & Olga Zarr Talk SEO, Google Updates, AI & More [50th Episode Special]
This is the special 50th episode of the SEO Podcast by #SEOSLY where I have the pleasure to have Barry Schwartz as my guest.
Technical SEO Masterclass w/ Olga Zarr & Jason Barnard [Bonus Episode]
Together with Jason Barnard, we dived deep into technical SEO questions. Don’t miss that episode.
SEO Cash Flow #5: Let’s Talk SEO Deliverables.
In this episode of SEO Cash Flow, together with Myriam Jessier, we talk about SEO deliverables, which is a really important topic.
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Top SEO & AI news
Here is the most important SEO & AI news from last week.
2023 Google Merchant Center Product Data Specification Updates
Google has done its yearly update for its Merchant Center product data specification. Some of the changes listed below went into effect yesterday, some go into effect July 18, 2023 and some don’t go into effect until September 1, 2023.
Generative AI Insights From Google Search Central Live In Tokyo
Discover the latest about Google Search and generative AI from speakers at the Google Search Central Live Tokyo.
Google’s Generative AI FAQs [PDF]
I don’t know how I missed that but Google has the entire PDF document containing FAQs about generative AI. It is a must-read for every SEO.
Google files lawsuit over fake review scams
Google said in this case the alleged scammers created 350 fraudulent Business Profiles and over 14,000 fake reviews.
Reporting search quality issues with a new user feedback form
Google has revamped its Search Quality User Report, enabling users to report various search quality issues such as spam, paid links, and low-quality content, aiding the tech giant in improving its spam detection systems and ranking algorithms.
SE Ranking Special Deal
SE Ranking is an awesome SEO tool that allows you to track rankings across multiple search engines, which is something we may all soon get interested in.
I have a special deal for you. One-month free access to SE Ranking. You will love it.
Local SEO news
Here is the most important SEO & AI news from last week.
Does Hiding Your Address Impact your Google Business Profile Ranking?
Hiding your address on your Google Business Profile can significantly impact your ranking and the number of calls received, according to an experiment by Joy Hawkins. Despite Google’s guidelines for home-based businesses, removing the address caused a substantial drop in ranking, which recovered once the address was reinstated, suggesting Google needs to address this issue if it wishes users to comply with its rules.
Google Search Generative Experience Sources Reviews & Photos From Business Profiles
Google has upgraded its Search Generative Experience experiment to include reviews and photos from Google Business Profiles, enhancing its ability to assist users in planning trips, choosing restaurants, and more by providing an AI-powered snapshot of helpful information.
By Barry Schwartz.
The Mysterious Appearance Of “Local Guide Program” Queries In Google Search Console
The Google Search Console is displaying an unexplained anomaly where websites unrelated to Google’s “local guide program” are inexplicably ranking and receiving traffic for this query, a situation that is mostly observed on desktop search and has left many in the SEO community puzzled.
Reported by Barry Schwartz.
Recent SEO interviews
My most recent interview is with Barry Schwartz, Adrijana Vujadin, David Schneider, and Daniel K Cheung. Check them out!
Boost Your SEO Confidence Big Time With This Coaching Session W/ Adrijana Vujadin
Watch this if you want to know how to gain more SEO confidence.
Lessons from a Million-Dollar Nomad: An Interview with David Schneider
Watch this episode if you want to hear an inspiring and successful story of another SEO.
Semantic SEO & Schema W/ Daniel K Cheung, SEO Manager at Adobe
Watch this if you don’t believe that Schema and semantic SEO can be made simple.
Top SEO Tips
And here are the Google SEO tips for you.
#1: Google ignores 103 early hints HTTP server status response
Gary Illyes from Google clarified that Googlebot will ignore the 103 Early Hints HTTP server status response and will instead wait for the subsequent response from the server, allowing the browser to preload resources even as the server prepares the final response.
Reported by Barry Schwartz.
#2: Google Deems Search Console Desktop Indexing Report Bug as Low Priority for Fixes
John Mueller of Google indicated that fixing the Search Console bug, which incorrectly reports some sites as still being on desktop indexing even after shifting to mobile indexing, is not a priority as it’s just a reporting issue and webmasters can verify their crawl stats independently.
Reported by Barry Schwartz.
#3: Google Debunks The “Index Bloat” Theory
Google debunks the “Index Bloat” theory on the latest Search Off The Record podcast. Rather than worrying about excessive indexing, focus on providing useful pages for indexing. Identifying and managing indexed pages is part of regular website management, not a symptom of an “index bloat” problem.
Reported by
Reported by Matt Southern.
Videos to watch this week
And here are the videos you don’t want to miss this week.
Mastering 3 Click + Engagement Signals for Higher Rankings/Traffic [MozCon 2021] — Cyrus Shepard
Even though this video is from 2021, it still contains tons of value and super actionable tips. I loved it!
Becoming an SEO freelancer – The Knowledge Panel Episode 36
What does it take to become an SEO freelancer? And how do you run a successful SEO freelance operation? With Genie Jones, Natalie Arney, Nick LeRoy and Lukasz Zelezny.
Google Ranking Update, Perspectives Filter, SGE Business Profiles, Bard With Lens, Bing Chat Visual
Other articles & resources to read
And you need to allocate some time to read these articles from other SEOs. They are brilliant.
Local SEO in 2023: 5 simple ways to dominate local search
New to local search? Wondering where to start? Here are five tactics to help you kick off your local SEO campaign.
By Sherry Bonelli.
How to become an SEO
Here is my latest guide where I discuss (step by step) how to become an SEO based on my experience. A corresponding video will be published soon.
How to check if SEO is working
I invite you to check my latest 4500+ word article where I share how to check if your SEO results are working. I share my hands-on experience with no fluff whatsoever.
Website migration checklist
Check my website migration checklist (created based on my experience with SEO migrations) that will guide you through the entire site migration process, from pre-migration planning to post-migration monitoring.
How to build your own SEO ‘second brain’ (and why you need it)
The concept of building a “second brain” can help SEOs better store and retrieve crucial documents and key learnings between websites.
By Toon Limivphuwat.
How to Prepare Your Brand for Upcoming AI Features in Search
These are Lily Ray’s slides from the SEOnthebeach 2023 conference in Murcia, Spain, where she shared some of her findings and new experiments.
Should Service Area Businesses Show or Hide Their Address for Local SEO?
Whether a service area business shows or hides its address on their Google Business Profile has no direct impact on their rankings; however, if a business hides its address and the original verification address differs from the current one, Google’s ranking radius will revert to the original address, which may falsely appear as a drop in rankings.
By Darren Shaw.
The Complete Guide to the Basics of Google’s E-E-A-T
A deep deep dive into Google’s view on what us a quality website. This article talks a lot about the concept of E-E-A-T, where it comes from, Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines, YMYL, and more.
By Bruce Clay.
A storefront for robots
“The SEO arms race has left Google and the web drowning in garbage text, with customers and businesses flailing to find each other.”
By Mia Sato.
Generative AI For E-Commerce: Everything SEOs Need To Know
Learn how you can implement generative AI for e-commerce into your SEO strategy and start reaping the benefits for your business today.
By Emilia Gjorgjevska.
Your Burning Questions About Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) officially launches July 1, 2023. If you’re here, it’s probably because you’re not quite ready for it. Fear not, friend! We’ll get you up to speed.
By Amanda Natividad.
How to find and fix keyword cannibalization for your eCommerce website
To help you get the most return (and organic visibility) from your SEO efforts, let’s take a look at what keyword cannibalization is, how it can affect eCommerce sites, and how you can go about resolving it for potentially more traffic and conversions.
By Joshua George.
Thank you for reading my newsletter! I hope you found the information useful. If you enjoyed this issue, be sure to check out the next one next week.
