December’s third weekly news roundup reviews Google adding a handy new 24-hours performance report feature to Search Console, releasing its new official guidelines for managing faceted navigation, refreshing its Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy, and rolling out the final spam update of 2024.
From around the web, Search Engine Journal Roger Montii writes about the HCU effect on sites during recent core and spam updates, and Search Engine Land`s Barry Shwarts reports on Google sending its proposed remedies to the Department of Justice in the US monopoly trial against the tech giant.
Google Adds ’24 hours’ Data View To Search Console
Google added a ’24 hours’ data view feature to the Search Console that shows recent data with minimum delays to help site owners identify the most popular search queries driving traffic to their websites.
Key takeaways:
- Google launches its ’24 hours’ view feature to enable site owners to monitor their most recent content performance.
- The feature provides hourly data breakdowns and works across Search, News reports, and Discover.
- The ‘ 24 hours’ view provides fresh data and helpful insights into the performance of recently published content, which is available in performance reports.
- Users can organize data reports into country, page, and query categories.
- Google says the feature will be available to all properties in the coming months.
Google Makes Old Faceted Navigation Doc New Official Guidelines
Google repurposed a 2014 blog post on faceted navigation best practices as the new “Managing crawling of faceted navigation URL guidelines” website owners must follow to optimize their site’s crawling and indexing performance.
Key takeaways:
- Google warns site owners that faceted navigation can cause problems with search engine crawling and indexing, which can lead to serious SEO issues.
- Gary Illyes from Google says faceted navigation can be a nightmare for SEO because it generates near-infinite URL numbers.
- The new guidelines confirm that faceted navigation is the leading cause of crawling issues, and most importantly, it is avoidable.
- Google advises SEO professionals and site owners to review their faceted navigation to ensure it complies with its new guidelines.
Google Updates Its Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy
Google followed in Microsoft and Open AI’s footsteps last week by releasing an updated Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy outlining the tool’s correct uses, prohibited behaviors, and exceptions.
Key takeaways:
- Google refreshed its Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy to list prohibited behaviors in an easier-to-understand format using simple language the layperson can understand.
- The policy doesn’t have any new rules; instead, it provides examples of what Google says are acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.
- Google explains the exceptions to the updated policy, saying,” They include documentary, educational, artistic, or scientific considerations and where harms are outweighed by substantial benefits to the public.”
- Upon releasing the refreshed policy, the company said, “Generative AI models can help you explore, learn, and create. We expect you to engage with them in a responsible, legal, and safe manner.”
Google Rolls Out December 2024 Spam Update
Just when we thought Google had finished rolling out its annual updates, it unleashed a last-minute spam update, which the company said would take one week to complete.
Key takeaways:
- The last spam update of 2024 came one day after the December core algorithm update finished rolling out.
- On its Search Status Dashboard, Google said, “Released the December 2024 spam update, which applies globally and to all languages.”
- Google confirmed it should finish rolling out within a week.
- You can track the latest update’s progress on Google’s Search Status Dashboard.
- It’s too early to tell what effect the latest spam update might have so close to the holidays, leaving site owners more than a little worried.
The HCU Effect In Google Updates
Search Engine Journal writer Roger Montii reviews an analysis of Google’s Helpful Content Update signals that say it’s impossible to tell if the HCU affects a site as it’s now built into every update.
Montii also explains what a black box is and why all SEOs should know about it, and reaffirms that people-first-content is essential to rank well in Search.
Key takeaways:
- Google incorporated the Helpful Content Update into its March 2024 core algorithm update.
- The HCU no longer exists as a separate update; it’s now a component of the ranking algorithm.
- You can’t isolate the HCU signal effects from the thousands of other signals, so it’s impossible to determine whether the HCU is the reason a site loses rankings during updates.
- Black box systems prevent misunderstandings about the consequences of Google Core and spam updates.
- Google advises site owners to read its documentation about signals for helpful “people-first” content, saying it will help you understand the effects of HCU issues.
Google files its proposed remedies in DOJ’s monopoly case
Search Engine Land writer Barry Shwarts reports on Google sending a list of remedies to the US Department of Justice in the ongoing antitrust lawsuit where the tech giant has been found guilty of running a monopoly.
Key takeaways:
- The DOJ required Google to file proposed remedies for removing its monopoly in Search.
- Google wrote in a blog post that it disagrees with the DOJ ruling but is legally required to file its remedies.
- The company proposed remedies across Android contracts and browser agreements.
- The DOJ has yet to reply to the remedies, and its decision could seriously affect Alphabet and Google Search.
