As expected, it’s been another busy week in the world of search. That’s why we’ve gathered and recapped the latest news from Google so that you can stay on top of your search game. Read on to see what’s new.
New Site Names for Mobile Search
There is a new way to stand out in search results. Google recently added site names to mobile search returns, and the ability to assign larger favicons to your URLs. Not only will these new additions help catch the eyes of users, but they will also make your snippets appear more professional and trustworthy on search.
The site name will show up above your search result snippet. Here’s an example of what this looks like, from Google:
The new, larger favicon will be to the left of your site’s name and URL. Google recommends following its guidelines on favicon use, which includes using an image that is at least 48 pixels square.
Here’s a GIF of what the new site name and favicon look like:
Google will use a variety of sources to identify your site’s name, according to its official announcement. The best way to make sure your site is named correctly is through structured data. Google’s released new site name documentation so that you can make sure your preferred site name is indexed on search.
New to structured data? Structured data is a set of "clues" provided to Google’s crawler about what defines your content. Using schema, or a vocabulary you share with Google about every page on your site, you can tell Googlebot the story of your content in human language. Click here to learn more.
Google says the new site name feature is currently available in English, Japanese, French, and German. Additional languages will be rolled out within the next few months.
Google’s Data Studio Rebrands to Looker Studio
Google rebranded its popular Data Studio product to Looker Studio. In its official announcement, Google said that the new name is part of an effort to unify its business intelligence products under the official “Looker'' umbrella. Google also announced the launch of Google Looker Studio Pro, an enterprise version of Looker Studio that has enhanced features that are not available in the free product.
Another Google Update in the Works?
Search expert Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable reported indications of another update to Google’s algorithm. It’s unconfirmed so far, but the SEO community reported web volatility that typically accompanies algorithm updates beginning on October 14, 2022. Keep an eye on your site’s traffic to see if you may have been impacted.
If there was in fact another update, it would be joining a recent slew of updates from Google that has kept the SEO community on their toes. The helpful content update competed in September 2022, followed by both the September 2022 core update and the September 2022 product reviews update.
We will keep an eye on traffic within the RebelMouse site network and keep you up to speed on if we learn anything else about this potential algorithm update.
Don’t Stress Over Updates From Google
If you’re a content creator, web developer, site owner, or anything in between, it’s impossible to find the time to keep up with all of these changes from Google. The constant updates can be a bit unnerving, because sometimes even the smallest change from Google results in a big impact on your web traffic.
But you don’t have to wonder if your content is up to Google’s rigorous, ever-changing standards. RebelMouse is a modern publishing platform that anticipates major changes before they even happen. Our holistic search strategy makes sure that the sites within our network consistently rank highly on search and crush industry standards on site performance.
Request a proposal today and let’s boost your search traffic together.
