LIVE updates: This month in search marketing [October 2023]

Monday 2nd October 2023

Meta begins testing Meta verification for businesses

Meta (formerly known as Facebook) has introduced a game-changing update for tech businesses: Meta Verification for Businesses. This update signifies a pivotal shift in the digital marketing landscape, empowering businesses to maximise their online presence and engage with consumers on a more personalised level.

What this update entails for business:

• Meta Verification enables businesses to showcase authenticity, building trust among consumers.
• By confirming their legitimacy, businesses can access a wider audience.
• The update allows for more personalised and meaningful engagements with customers.
• Businesses can expect a smoother, more effective advertising process.

Tuesday 3rd October 2023

Meta Considers Charging for Ad-Free Experience on Facebook and Instagram in the EU

In a notable development, Meta is exploring the possibility of introducing a paid ad-free experience on Facebook and Instagram in the EU.

While this is not yet an official announcement, the consideration by Meta serves as a timely reminder for businesses of all types to stay adaptable, prioritise user satisfaction, and be prepared for potential changes in advertising and privacy trends.

Wednesday 4th October 2023

Google’s October Spam Update: A Cleaner Online Experience

In its latest spam update for October, Google has reinforced its commitment to delivering a cleaner, more reliable online experience. This update, while not extensively detailed, aims to enhance search quality by penalising spammy content, manipulative tactics, and low-quality websites.

Prompted by feedback from community members who reported increased spam results in their native languages, the update focuses on addressing cloaking, hacked, auto generated, and scraped spam content across multiple languages, including Turkish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Hindi, Chinese and more.

What to look out for: Businesses and website owners should prioritise high-quality, relevant content and ethical SEO practices to maintain their online visibility and credibility.

Thursday 5th October 2023

Google’s October 2023 core update: Insights and implications

A third core algorithm update from Google was announced in October 2023, coinciding with the spam update a few days prior. At the heart of this update lies a strategic focus on optimising search result accuracy and relevance, with the primary goal being to enhance search quality and reduce the prevalence of spammy content in search results.

How to adapt to Google’s core update:

• Focus on creating high-quality content: This is the most important thing you can do to improve your chances of ranking well in Google search. Make sure your content is informative, engaging, and relevant to your target audience.
• Follow Google’s SEO best practices: Google has published a number of guidelines for SEOs on how to optimise their websites for search. Make sure you are following these guidelines to the best of your ability.
• Monitor your website traffic and rankings: After the update is rolled out, it is important to monitor your website traffic and rankings to see how it is affected. If you see any negative changes, you can take steps to try to recover.

Tuesday, 10th October 2023

End of Google spam update

Google has confirmed that the October 2023 link spam update is now finished rolling out. The update took 15 days and 12 hours to roll out, starting on 4th October 2023, and ending 10th October 2023.

Wednesday 11th October 2023

Microsoft advertising & Snapchat collaborate on sponsored links with Snapchat’s AI chatbot

Microsoft Advertising and Snapchat have announced their collaboration to introduce sponsored links within Snapchat’s My AI Chatbot. This development marks a notable partnership in the digital marketing landscape, with potential implications for the industry’s evolving approaches to user engagement.

Brands can expect to:

• Engage a vibrant audience: Snapchat averages 750 million monthly users, exchanging billions of daily messages. My AI is one of the largest consumer chatbots, with 150 million users and 10 billion messages.
• Seamlessly integrate Sponsored Links: Deep engagement enhances user context understanding and content relevance, ensuring a robust ROI for advertisers.

This collaboration reflects the dynamic nature of the digital marketing field, as businesses continue to explore innovative avenues for engaging with a tech-savvy audience. It’s a notable step in harnessing new channels to reach users and create meaningful interactions within the evolving digital landscape.

Friday 13th October 2023

Google removes ‘Indented Results’ SERP feature

On the 13th of October 2023, Google made a significant change in its Search Engine Results Page (SERP) by discontinuing the ‘Indented Results’ feature. This decision comes exactly two years after the initial launch of this feature.

Indented search results are the additional web pages displayed from the same domain, positioned below the primary search result, deemed relevant to the user’s query. This development underscores Google’s commitment to simplifying search results and enhancing the overall user experience.

The removal of indented results carries several implications for the field of SEO. The most crucial takeaway for SEO professionals is the need to optimise content for the primary search result. Emphasising the delivery of comprehensive and valuable information is key to adapting to this change in Google’s SERP landscape.

Monday 16th October 2023

YouTube announces new AI tools for Google ads

YouTube has introduced an innovative AI-powered advertising solution called ‘Spotlight Moments.’ This tool leverages artificial intelligence to automatically pinpoint the most popular and contextually relevant videos for ads to feature on. Furthermore, it presents marketers and advertisers with new content opportunities that align with their target audience.

This advancement empowers advertisers to effectively seize the spotlight during key cultural events, when viewers are most captivated and engaged, enhancing the impact of their advertising campaigns.

Thursday 19th October 2023

End of Google October core update

After a gradual rollout over the course of a few weeks, Google has announced it has completed its latest core search algorithm update on 19th October 2023. As with previous updates, fluctuations in search rankings, both positive or negative, are likely. If your rankings have been significantly impacted, Google suggests a review of your content to ensure it continues to follow their most up-to-date guidelines.