14 Feb 2024
- 01 Dec 2017
- 4 Min read
November 2017: Essential SEO news & Google updates
- by Emily Park
November 2017 was a very busy month in the world of SEO and digital marketing news. There was a significant drop in featured snippets, Google started to merge local panels and knowledge graphs, and the search engine has teamed up with the Trust Project to identify credible content online. Plus, Google started to prepare for the festive season by adding more information to its Shopping pages, and rolled out restaurant waiting times in Search and Maps.
If you would like to find out more about these developments and how they could affect your business, read on to learn everything you need to know.
Significant drop in Google featured snippets
© Moz
Back in August, we reported that featured snippets were on the rise. STAT had release a study that found these coveted spots were appearing on 23.25% of Google’s SERPs, which was up from 9.28% in January 2016 and 15% in July 2016. But, featured snippets took a significant hit at the very end of October 2017, according to Moz. From the keywords they’re tracking, they estimated that there was a drop of approximately 10%.
Their research found that the majority of keywords that had lost their featured snippets had gained knowledge graphs instead. In fact, in the time that some featured snippets went missing, there was a 30% rise in knowledge graphs.
It’s likely that Google was seeing quality or consistency issues with its featured snippets, which might be why they’ve made this move. And, it could be possible that the search engine giant is trying to reduce how much it relies on outside sources for answers.
If your SEO strategy involves trying to secure featured snippets, you shouldn’t abandon it just yet. They’re still very common, and trying to win them can do wonders for your organic ranking. If you would like tips on how to secure these coveted spots, make sure you check out our guide to earning featured snippets on Google. Just be aware that, even if you do manage to get one, Google could eventually remove it in favour of a knowledge graph.
Google starts to merge local panels and knowledge graphs
For large companies with a number of local venues, Google has started to merge local panels and knowledge graphs on mobile, according to Search Engine Land. It’s doing this by adding additional tabs of information, such as Locations, About, and Google Posts.
This means that, when people search the names of large companies, they’ll be given plenty of information about the establishment they’re thinking about visiting. For example, here’s what it looked like when we searched for McDonald’s:
While this is a very new feature, there’s a chance it will be expanded. So, if you have a business with multiple locations, it’s likely you will eventually be able to take advantage of it.
Google shows more information in Shopping results
Google has announced that, to prepare for the Christmas shopping period, it’s improving its mobile shopping experience. This is in an effort to “help you browse, research, compare, and get the items crossed off your holiday gift list”.
Mobile Shopping has been given a makeover, and it’s now much easier for searchers to find the product information they need. It’s also become much simpler to compare items.
Google has taken note that researching items and comparing prices are two of the most common mobile shopping activities, so they’ve enhanced knowledge panels in Google search to give users product photos, videos, reviews, descriptions, and more. And, to help shoppers narrow down their searches further, Google will also show trusted buying guides for broad terms such as sewing machines and coffee grinders.
These changes are bound to make shoppers’ lives far easier, but how will they affect retailers? Businesses should ensure that all of their product descriptions are comprehensive and accurate, as it will be easier than ever for shoppers to compare these with those of your competitors. It’s also a good idea to encourage customers to review your products, as these ratings have also become much more prominent.
Google teams up with the Trust Project to identify credible content online
On 16 November 2017, Google announced that it would be joining forces with the Trust Project to come up with indicators that should help internet users to distinguish between quality journalism, promotional content, and misinformation. This is the next step in the search engine’s attempt to tackle fake news.
Google already labels stories in its News section to indicate whether articles are opinion, local, highly cited, or in-depth. More than a year ago, it also started to add ‘Fact Check’ tags to pieces of content that had been independently verified by news publishers or fact-checking organisations. And, now, Google and the Trust Project will be working with more than 75 news organisations to implement eight trust indicators. This should give users a better idea of what is fact and what might be fiction when they’re browsing Google News.
Only publishers considered to be an authoritative source of information will be involved in this scheme. And, their content must adhere to certain criteria: for example, it must fulfil the standards set out in Google’s News General Guidelines.
Restaurant waiting times added to Google Search and Maps
Google has started to add restaurant waiting times to Search and Maps, which will make it much easier for users to plan their visits. This is an expansion of the existing feature, which shows businesses’ busiest times, and will update in real time so searchers can see how a restaurant’s waiting times tend to change throughout the day.
If you have a restaurant business, you can use this waiting time information to your advantage. For example, you could make a conscious effort to publish content on Google Posts at your quietest times, as this might help you to get more people through your door.
You’re now up to speed with the biggest SEO and digital marketing news from November 2017. If you would like more updates in real time, we also post the latest news on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, so make sure you follow us!
