Summary of SEO 101 Episode 374

The SEO 101 Logo for WebmasterRadio.FMThis week John and Ross discuss how Google’s made a few changes this month. It started with the January 2020 Core Update followed by the rolling out of a redesigned desktop search result experience and Google’s latest business purchase of Pointy. John and Ross discuss all of this and more, and finish up answering SEO questions from listeners.

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Notes from SEO 101 Episode 374

Local SEO

Google Rolls Out Business Provider Plan To Replace Trusted Verifier Program.

“The Business Provider program is designed to let organizations like Chambers of Commerce or banks with small business clients facilitate a Google My Business Verification for their members or clients.” – Blumenthals.com

On These Lists” Showing in Google Maps (see image)

 

General News

SEOs Share Impact Of The Google January 2020 Core Update (It started Jan 13)

“Yesterday, I asked on Twitter for SEOs to share charts and data on how the Google January 2020 core update had an impact on their web sites or client sites. Here are some of the responses I have received.”  – Seroundstable.com

Jan 16th: “For those who have asked, the update is mostly done, though as with any core update, it may take two weeks to fully complete.” – Google

Google buys Pointy to bring SMB store inventory online

“The Company offers an elegant solution to the challenge of getting local merchant inventory into search results and ads.” – Searchengineland.com

Google rolling out desktop search redesign with black “Ad” label, favicons for organic results

Google: Structured Data Has No Impact on Ranking in Web Search

“Danny “Using it may simply help pages that already rank well appear more attractive to potential visitors.”

How to Use Guest Blogging for Natural Link Building … Don’t?

 

Questions from SEO 101 Listeners

Ross and John also welcome some SEO-related concerns from listeners. Please listen to the show to find out their detailed answers to these questions.

Noah Lam: When having an e-commerce site selling medical supplies all over. Does it still make sense to write for keywords and town nearby? Or brand name product and town. There’s only so many ways to write the same thing with a different town name. Thanks

Carl Busch: What is everyone’s thoughts on the Google search page design? Moving the breadcrumbs above the result? New font looks like and adding the favicon.

At first, I was WTF but now after a couple days, I really don’t mind.

Ryan Miller: Quick (possible) question! I want to use Screaming Frog to map through a list of manually entered URLs to check their redirect map, and I know that some of the URLs may go through two or three “hops” before getting to their final 200 destination or potentially return as a 404.

Is there a setting I can use so that if I manually put in the old original URLs, I can get to the final destination URL, rather than just seeing the first 301 redirect?

ie, if URL “A” 301s to “B” and that 301s to “C”, which returns a 404, I want to be able to see the relationship of “A” to “C” and that it 404s, not just the relationship of “A” to “B”, and then manually adding “B” to get the hop to “C”.

Hope that makes sense!

 

End of Show Notes

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