Ban on TikTok, Google on Links & 404s, Meta AI, GMB Updates

Since the last round of Core and Spam updates knocked nearly 40% of websites out of Google’s search index, it seems like all we’ve talked about lately is what NOT to do. For a change of pace this week, we thought we’d start with a palate cleanser of things Google doesn’t care about and won’t pull you off the SERPs.

Ban on TikTok Passes Senate & President Signs Off, Next… Court

The Senate passed the bill to ban TikTok, and soon after, the President signed it as well. As outlined in the bill, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has a nine-month sell-or-be-banned timeline. There is an opportunity for a 90-day extension that only the President can enact, but only time will tell what will happen from here.

That said, we shouldn’t pull TikTok from our social search optimization strategy just yet. TikTok was ready for this. We should expect to see a challenge to the bill which could tie up the ‘banning’ of the app for some time. So carry on with business as usual, but maybe expand those videos to other platforms if you haven’t done so already.

Google Doesn’t Care About Your Links and External 404s

In the late 1990s, links were found to be a good indicator for search engines when validating a website’s level of authority. But we are no longer in the ‘90s, and no matter how many times Google says links are not the high-value ranking factor they once were, there are still those who keep asking about it. So, we share with you again that backlinks are not a top-ranking factor.

If you want to focus on high-quality links, focus on brand mentions and get that anchor text with that backlink. But what about spam backlinks? Ignore those, too. Google does.

External 404s Are Expected But May Still Cause Ranking Issues

The question was around external 404s and whether or not they cause ranking drops. The answer is no… and also maybe.

External 404 errors are expected to some degree, and although the ‘expected’ amount doesn’t necessarily penalize our websites, they are still not user-friendly. If the 404 IP is from somewhere like China, then there is an assumption that it was created by a hacker.

Quarterly Technical Audits Set Historical Precedence for 404s & Keep Website Fully Operational

You should be performing quarterly technical audits and will be able to see a historical record of what is ‘normal’ 404 error reporting compared to an influx of 404s. You can also check phpMyAdmin to see the origin of the 404 URLs or use a WordPress plugin as well.

From a user’s perspective, 404s do not make for a pleasant experience by clicking on a link that you thought was going to take you to ‘x’ but instead took you to a full-on dead end. As you review your 404 errors, you might want to peek at your Google Analytics to review URL activity. If there are 404 pages generating a steady amount of traffic to your website, then it may be time to begin remediation efforts because the negative user experience is what will be the cause of the ranking impact.

Meta AI to Include Google and Bing Search Results

Using social media as a search engine is not a new idea. In fact, TikTok was reported as the go-to for Gen Z and Millenials earlier this year. But Zuckerberg is not to be outdone. Meta comes out swinging, ready to battle for that top social media search engine spot with their new Google integration with Meta AI. Bing, however,  has been part of Meta AI since September of 2023.

You can use Meta AI across all Meta apps and now desktop platforms courtesy of meta.ai:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• WhatsApp
• Messenger

Meta AI will populate results from both Google and Bing, depending on what answers the query most efficiently. However, it is worth noting that the results are not in real-time, meaning that they are not current webpages but a historical offering of results, similar to when ChatGPT first launched.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Plan Left Facebook Mobile Meta AI Screengrabs

Google My Business Has a New Add Post Option

Google My Business has seen quite a lot of activity lately with new guidelines on images, integration of social media accounts, and now, a new ‘Add a post’ option. With the weight of GMB profiles on local SEO, it makes us wonder if this new feature is taking GMB in a direction further down the ‘social media’ style platform for GMB profiles and brand engagement.

Source: Plan Left Google My Business Screengrab

It’s no secret that Google wants to see interactions with reviewers—the good and the bad—and that responses to reviews are part of the search ranking determination process. But will we soon see GMB profiles weighted for overall engagement?

Regardless of what you think will come to be, one thing is for sure: it wouldn’t hurt to add GMB to your social search optimization strategy. Some social tools like Sprout Social allow you to connect your GMB profile, giving you the same posting opportunities you have with your social accounts. Since you are already there scheduling posts for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, why not include GMB and boost your GMB profile activity?

Watercooler Highlights

It’s easy for big things to slip through when our focus is diverted elsewhere, but when it comes to SEO and digital marketing, can you really afford to miss out on even the smallest details? We don’t think so, either.

Google is Already Taking Action Against Parasite SEO

You may know it as Parasite SEO, Piggyback SEO, or maybe even Hosted SEO, but whatever the name, the intent is on Google’s radar, and efforts to reduce its effectiveness are already in place. According to Gary Illyes of Google, measures are already in place with the Core and Spam updates to stop parasite SEO from being a useful way to boost website rank.

If you’re not familiar with it, parasite SEO (or whatever you know it as) is a way to use established website authority and ranking to boost your website and ranking, whether for your website or specific content. Is it black hat SEO? Not technically, but it’s not a white hat strategy, either.

With Google’s attention on spammy websites and unhelpful content, you may want to reconsider or risk being penalized if you’re using this method to gain a presence on the SERPs.

Restaurants Now Have Menu Options in GMB Profiles

There are now options for how your Google My Business profile gets your menu information. You are able to either download it from your website, create a menu, or copy and paste it into your profile account. This streamlines the process but also allows for consistency across your GMB and website so your customers have the most current and accurate information.

Source: SEO Round Table

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Auditing our websites is not another task to be checked off but a way to reassure us that our websites are working as they should and are aligned with search algorithms. We spend all this time and money investing in our websites because they have a job to do, and in order for them to do that job efficiently, it is vital that we do ours and keep them running at optimal capacity. Contact us today and let us do what we do best so your business can operate at its best.