Kicking off the November news roundup, we look at a Google link update every site owner using desktop and mobile versions for their content should know about. A study that shows Google search snippet results vary depending on how you frame a question. And John Mueller advises splitting your site’s image load across sub-domains to improve crawling.
Elsewhere around the web, Search Engine RoundTable’s Barry Schwartz reports on Google, announcing that on January 6, 2025, it will shut down the Google Local Service Ads app. And Search Engine Journal writer Roger Montii looks at a BrightEdge data report on the effect AIO is having on SEO.
Google Update Says Same Links For Desktop And Mobile Pages Are Essential
Google’s latest crawl budget best practice update advises site owners using desktop and mobile versions for their content to use the same links to ensure crawl efficiency and maximize search visibility.
Key takeaways:
- Google’s new crawl budget guidelines recommend that sites using a separate HTML for mobile and desktop versions use the same links.
- Google clarifies that it only indexes a site’s mobile pages, meaning that using the same link is essential for optimized crawling.
- Google warns that using a different link for both versions could reduce its ability to discover new content pages.
Google Search Snippets Results Are Bias Study Finds
A Dragon Metrics survey says Google’s Featured Snippets provide contradictory information from the same source. Sarah Presch, who ran the study, says Google is biased in the information it provides, answers depend on how you ask your question, and Google prioritizes user intent when choosing its search results.
Key takeaways:
- Sarah Presch’s survey aimed to prove if Google’s Featured Snippets provided opposing information from the same source by framing her question differently; her results are pretty shocking.
- Sarah said, “I started looking at how Google handles topics where there’s heated debate,” she says. “In a lot of cases, the results were shocking.”
- Presch says the most conflicting results were in health and politics.
- Sarah believes her study contradicts how Google says it sources relevant information.
- She also said, “What Google has done is they’ve pulled bits out of the text based on what people are searching for and fed them what they want to read; it’s one big bias machine.”
Google Explains Image Sub-domain Use For Crawling Optimization
Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, advised an SEO expert who asked if he should use separate sub-domains for his website’s images to make Googlebot’s job easier when crawling.
Mueller’s advice refers to large websites using a lot of images, saying if Google is having problems crawling your site, then it makes sense to split your image load.
Key takeaways:
- Mueller was asked to confirm if he recommends using separate domains to host images to improve crawling.
- Mueller said splitting the image load across other domains makes sense.
- However, he also said splitting won’t help rankings, and most sites don’t need it.
From Around The Web
Google Local Service Ads App To Stop Working In Two Months
Search Engine RoundTable editor Barry Schwarts reports on Google announcing it will close the Google Local Service Ads app on January 6, 2025.
Schwarts said it made sense to remove the app because it has terrible reviews, no one uses it, and it hasn’t worked on Android for some time.
Key takeaways:
- Google emailed advertisers, saying, “On January 6, 2025, we will be turning down the Google Local Services Ads mobile app.”
- Google wrote, “As of today, the Google Local Services Ads app is no longer available to install from the Google Play Store and iOS App Store.”
- Google advises advertisers to use the Local Services Ads website to create and manage their ad campaigns on desktop and mobile.
- Google also told advertisers, “Your existing ad campaigns, ad-related data, and ability to create new ad campaigns will not be affected by this change.”
Latest Google AIO Updates May Impact SEO
SEJ writer Roger Montii covers a BrightEdge survey into Google’s latest AI Overviews update for shopping queries; the report suggests that as AI increases, it will push organic search results down the rankings.
Key takeaways:
- BrightEdge began tracking consistent search queries across nine industries in 2023.
- In September 2024, BrightEdge noticed AI overviews showing more links to websites that matched the organic search results.
- BrightEdge says the critical change was Google adding advertising to AI Overviews, which is forcing organic search results down the listings.
- The research shows that AIO volatility is stabilizing in shopping queries.
- BrightEdge’s survey gives marketers valuable insights into the content AI Overviews now prioritizes.
