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Good morning, Marketers. There’s a lot happening in the search world today,
Google launched the final algorithm update of the summer. It’ll take a week or two to roll out completely. If you noticed fluctuations with the first update in June, your data might shift again with this change.
We’ve also got the latest on un-skippable video ad pods on YouTube. This may be advantageous for advertisers but could annoy viewers. Google says ad pods are better for long-form viewers.
Don’t forget to check out our SEO Periodic Table. We’ll feature a section from it every Friday for the next few weeks.
Carolyn Lyden
Director of Search Content
The July Core Algorithm Update Has Launched Just in Time for Your Holiday
As Americans prep for a long holiday weekend and Canadians celebrate Canada Day, Google announced the rollout of the July core algorithm update. It will take about one to two weeks to fully roll out.
This is the latest update in the 2021 Summer of Updates. The product reviews update began in April, followed by the June core update, the page experience update, and two spam updates—all in June. The final update was announced yesterday. We knew this one was coming, but it’s been a busy season.
Google has previously provided tips on what to consider if you are negatively impacted by a core update. There aren’t specific actions to take to recover, and a negative rankings impact may not indicate issues with your pages.
In Your Inbox: The Updated Search Engine Land Periodic Table
Since its debut in 2011, Search Engine Land’s Periodic Table of SEO has become a widely recognized tool for search professionals, helping them understand the elements essential to a winning SEO strategy.
This year, we’ve expanded our Periodic Table to encompass even more aspects of SEO. Along with regular updates of individual elements, we’ve added a new Niches section. While the overall SEO Periodic Table outlines best practices, the Niches section focuses on the nuances of Local, Publishing, and Ecommerce SEO.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll dive into each section to provide an overview of what’s essential for success in SEO. It’s not all about rankings; it’s about achieving positive results from increased visibility in search engines. Stay tuned every Friday for these sneak peeks.
While SEO is both an art and a science, we hope this updated tool serves as an essential reference for your endeavors.
Ad Pods on YouTube Will Soon Be Eligible for Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads
Ad pods, introduced in 2018, are instances where two video ads play back to back. This was designed to compact the ad-viewing experience, reducing interruptions for viewers watching longer content.
“We saw that users who engaged with multiple ads in an ad break experienced up to 40% fewer interruptions,” noted Tript Singh Lamba, Director of Product Management at Google. The new format will make ad pods eligible for both non-skippable and skippable in-stream ads, as well as bumpers.
Why we care: This is beneficial for advertisers looking to reach their audiences on YouTube without being skipped over. However, it may frustrate viewers who now must sit through multiple unskippable ads. Either way, YouTube benefits from increased ad revenue or subscribers opting for their ad-free service.
On the Hunt for Something New in 2021? Here Are the Latest Career Opportunities in Search
Digital Marketing Analyst @ Fidelity Life (Chicago, remote)
- Provide data analysis and insights related to digital purchase performance to help accelerate sales growth and profitability of the digital purchase experience.
- Track and analyze the digital purchase funnel KPIs such as page conversion rates, cart abandonment, and sales conversion by marketing sources.
Head of SEO (Native French Speaker) @ JoinJump (remote, Europe only)
- Perform ongoing keyword discovery, expansion, and optimization.
- Create and manage the content marketing plan.
- Manage freelance writers.
Head of Social Strategy & Execution @ Catch Co (remote, USA)
- Develop and continuously update social strategy across various networks (including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube).
- Build rolling content calendars and execution plans based on a deep understanding of consumers and data analysis to uncover opportunities.
Growth Marketing Manager @ Netgear (remote, USA)
- Drive and oversee all activities associated with the growth and success of the company’s subscription business.
- Implement marketing strategies and campaigns for the subscription business by acquiring, activating, and retaining subscribers.
Enter a job opening for an opportunity to be featured in this section.
SEO and PPC Mentorship, Managing a Content Team, and Instagram Experiments with Full-screen Videos
Search Engine Land mentorship applications are due by 5 pm ET today. We’ve had a large influx of applications for both mentors and mentees. If you want a chance for a mentorship spot, submit your application ASAP. The mentorship is open to everyone and includes both SEO and PPC.
How to manage a content team: “CMOs and VPs have unrealistic expectations for their content team leads,” wrote Jimmy Daly for Superpath. This article is Part 1 on how to manage the people-side of a content team.
Instagram to start showing users full-screen, recommended videos: Instagram will experiment with new features to compete with TikTok. “We’re also going to be experimenting with embracing video more broadly—full screen, immersive, entertaining, mobile-first video,” said Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri.
What We’re Reading: Top Online Platforms Commit to Tackling Abuse of Women Online
Yesterday, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and TikTok pledged to help make women safer online through new platform features. This commitment was made at the UN Generation Equality Forum in Paris, following consultations with Tim Berners-Lee’s Web Foundation. Over 120 women from 35 countries shared their experiences online and helped determine the best solutions.
The companies have committed to enhancing reporting and control features. “Companies have promised to offer more granular settings that will give women more control over who can interact with their posts,” wrote Katie Collins. Regarding reporting, platforms will provide more features that allow women to track and manage their reports, offering greater insight into how their reports are handled. The Web Foundation will publish reports on the companies’ progress toward their promises.
