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Google has pushed a routine update to its search quality raters guidelines PDF ( accessible here ). This is a routine update to its guidelines document, where the updates primarily focused on spam. What changed.  Google posted the following details in its change log in the document: Updated Page Quality Lowest and Low sections to better align with  Google Search Web Spam Policies ; added illustrative examples Expanded guidance on assessing minor interpretations and intents for Needs Met ratings and added illustrative examples Minor changes throughout (updated rating ranges, removed outdated examples; fixed typos; updated browser requirements; etc.) This update also refreshes some language for clarity and provides additional useful examples to help raters.👨 Previous updates.  The last update was over  10 months ago  on March 5. Before that was  Nov. 16, 2023  and then before that  Dec. 15, 2022 . Google normally refreshes these guidelines every y...

Since Search Engine Land launched, we have given SEO experts a platform to share their in-depth knowledge and timely insights – with the goal of helping you solve problems, manage challenges and understand the constantly shifting SEO landscape. What follows are links to the 10 most-read, must-read Search Engine Land SEO columns of 2024 that were contributed by our fantastic group of Subject Matter Experts. 10.  The SEO’s guide to Google Search Console Dive into Google Search Console’s features and reports, plus how to navigate the tool like a pro, from basic setup to advanced SEO analysis. (By Anna Crowe. Published July 8.) 9.  15 AI tools you should use for SEO 👆💁 Get more done in less time with these must-have AI tools to automate tasks, optimize content and improve your search engine rankings. (By Ludwig Makhyan. Published Sept. 27.) 8.  How to use Google Search Console to unlock easy SEO wins Steps for using GSC to review your traffic, analyze the search landscape a...

Google’s  November 2024 core update  is now done rolling out, a Google spokesperson told us. It started on November 11, 2024 and completed about 24 days later on December 5, 2024. This update was a typical core update where Google updates its core ranking system to make search results more relevant and helpful. What Google said.  Google said about this core update: “This update is designed to continue our work to improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people find genuinely useful and less content that feels like it was made just to perform well on Search.” What we saw.  Based on what I’ve been tracking, this update started to be felt a couple of days after it was announced on  November 13th and 14th , and then seemed to hit a wider set of sites this past weekend, around  November 16th and 17th . Towards the end of this update, many of the tracking tools showed relatively low ranking volatility but then we saw a larg...

Google Maps now will show you products from nearby stores if you search Google Maps for product related queries. Google  wrote , “Now, you can search in Google Maps for items like pickleball rackets , board games, ice cream makers and more to find nearby stores that have them in stock so you can pick up what you need, stat.” What it looks like.  Here is a screenshot of the new “Products nearby” section within Google Maps: How it works.  GoogleMaps lets you search for items and find nearby stores selling them. Simply open Google Maps, enter the item name in the search bar, select a store from the results, and get directions to pick it up. Inventory includes home goods, electronics, apparel and items from grocery stores. Here is a video of it in action: Why we care.  If you sell product, using Google Merchant Center and product feeds can help you get business directly from Google Maps. Your products will not just show up in Google Search and Google Shopping but now al...

Google is explicitly identifying people it understands to be content creators.  This article explains how we know that Google is recognizing content creators, why it’s important and what  SEO  professionals need to do in response. Google’s growing recognition of content creator entities I recently discovered Knowledge Panel subtitles like “Content Creator (Medicine)” and “Content Creator (Travel)” in the SERPs. This shows Google’s explicit identification of individuals as authoritative content creators within specific fields. This is a significant  E-E-A-T  development for content creators as it gives visible and meaningful proof that Google has recognized them as credible sources of information on a specific topic. It’s also a huge advantage in modern SEO, since the person’s content is more likely to appear in today’s search results and tomorrow’s AI-powered assistants. Here are some examples from the Kalicube Pro dataset (tracking over 17 million person entiti...

Many redesigned websites fail to improve  SEO , often damaging existing rankings and creating challenges for SEO teams trying to recover lost traffic. This can severely affect business visibility, lead generation and sales. I have been handed many a brand new website and asked to “SEO it” when untold damage has been done and significant time and effort must be spent just to get traffic levels back where they were before the redesign.  Many articles help with  website SEO  and  how to retain SEO traffic during a redesign . There are also helpful books and frameworks for website planning. Yet, seemingly no resource combines a sensible approach to planning a new site with the retention and improvement of SEO.  This article will outline how to plan a new website effectively to retain existing traffic and create a platform to improve your SEO.  To make following along easier, you can fill out the steps in the template below: Website planning to maximize SEO...