This week at SEOPartner, we’re sharing: SEO updates that can deliver significant impact to your results, exciting changes in the marketplace to watch out for, good-to-know studies and information, and tips to try based on recent findings on search, online marketing and more.
New Negative SEO Tactic Discovered in Google My Business
A new form of negative SEO is being used to make attacks via Google My Business listings, a web security company reported.
Attackers target a business by adding inappropriate (or lewd) photos into the business’s location in Google Maps, says the report from Sucuri. Since Google’s Knowledge Graph accepts and displays user-generated content, there’s a strong chance for the maliciously planted photos to show up in the search results of the business under attack.
Tarnishing a business’s reputation through their Google My Business listing can be more detrimental than defacing its website, security experts say. This is because Google is considered the main referral source of organic website traffic.
To thwart such attacks, businesses are thus advised to verify their Google My Business listing and to periodically monitor its content.
Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/watch-malicious-images-google-business-listings/182337/
Google Launches a Fresh and Yummy Look for Recipes on Mobile Search
Google launched a new look and feel for recipes in the mobile search results.
– Richer images are used for all recipe-related queries, plus, there are different recipe cards that come with a link to “view all.”
– Clicking the link provides more details to the recipes, making make food preparation a whole lot easier for homemakers relying on the internet and their mobile devices.
– Search results continue to provide alternative recipes.
Source: http://searchengineland.com/google-launches-new-look-recipes-mobile-search-results-266674
Chrome Requires Use of HTTPS for Websites That Collect Sensitive Information
Google has advocated the use of HTTPS to help protect users, offering incentives to websites that do.
But starting January 17, the search engine giant will now mark as unsecure websites that collect sensitive information like credit cards and passwords if these do not use HTTPS.
According to some experts, even if you only have one web page that collects sensitive information, your whole website can be marked as unsecure if you do not use HTTPS sitewide.
Sources: https://plus.google.com/+GoogleWebmasters/posts/iDUi5pCNuLZ
Good to Know: Why 2016 is an Eventful Year for PPC
The following are the major events in paid search that happened in 2016 and are expected to continue to make an impact in next year and the years to come:
– The Yahoo Bing Network lost relevance for search marketers.
– Mobile became the primary focus in paid search.
– Google made it possible for mobile to be the base bid.
– Shopping & Retail: Google launched carousels of product listing ads, Customer Match for better retargeting, and testing for Purchases on Google.
– The required minimum of 30 ratings for seller ratings to appear in ads was increased to at least 150 rating in the past 12 months.
– Local and Maps: Retailers such as Starbucks, MAC and Walgreens are testing Promoted Places and local trades are keeping an eye on Google’s Home Services Ads program. Store Visits data became available in AdWords reports.
– Audience targeting: The focus shifted from intent targeting to audience + intent targeting. Google launched support for cross-device retargeting, to help marketers create more refined search campaigns.
– Analytics & reporting: Google introduced the Analytics 360 Suite and free versions of Google Data Studio and Google Optimize for landing page testing and optimization.
Source: http://searchengineland.com/2016-paid-search-biggest-changes-266326
Twitter Launces #GoLive Now and Live 360-Degree Video
https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/809035848138178562
Last Dec 14, Twitter introduced #GoLive, a live video sharing feature. A couple of weeks later, the social media site also launched 360-degree live video streaming.
“Live video is the most immersive way to experience what’s happening around the world. From protests and monumental moments to celebrations and things that make us LOL, we’re making it easier for you to broadcast live video – straight from Twitter,” Software Engineering Sr. Manager Sara Haider said in a blog post.
Twitter users will be able to see live videos on their timelines. They can also tap in to join a live video or add comments as well as like, retweet and share it.
Meanwhile, the live interactive 360 video feature is available only at the moment to select users, such as well-known brands and personalities. Other users can watch the live video and swipe or move their screens to watch the scenes behind, above, or below the broadcaster’s view.
Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/golive-now-twitter-launches-live-video/181252/
SUMMING IT ALL UP
Here are the top headlines in this week’s SEO news roundup:
New Negative SEO Tactic Discovered in Google My Business. Lewd images are being used as a new form of negative SEO via Google My Business listings, so marketers must learn how attackers do it and what they can do to avoid it.
Google Launches a Fresh and Yummy Look for Recipes on Mobile Search. Recipes in the mobile search results now look and feel richer, and has become easier to follow, too.
Chrome Requires Use of HTTPS for Websites That Collect Sensitive Information. Google will be marking websites that collect sensitive information but do not use HTTPs as “unsecure” starting January 17.
Good to Know: Why 2016 is an Eventful Year for PPC. 2016 is a giant year for PPC, and the biggest changes that happened the past year will continue to impact paid search in the years to come.
Twitter Launces #GoLive Now and Live 360-Degree Video. Everyone on Twitter will now be able to broadcast and view live videos, as well as watch 360-degree live video streams from select influencers.
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