Social Business Kits

I did more tests with Google's #Veo3. Imagine if AI characters became aware they were living in a simulation!

You can’t follow Instagram hashtags anymore. IG removed the option to stop trending hashtag spam. #Instagram-removes-the-option-to-follow-hashtags:~:text=updates%20to%20com-,Instagram%20removes%20the%20option%20to%20follow%20hashtags,-Starting%20December%2013" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">napoleoncat.com/blog/instagram…

You can now buy plane tickets on TikTok tubefilter.com/2024/12/18/you…

Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore and they look ugly.

We had this in our Search Central blog post, but it's probably worth highlighting that the helpful content system of old is much different now: developers.google.com/search/blog/20… "Just as we use multiple systems to identify reliable information, we have enhanced our core ranking systems to show more helpful results using a variety of innovative signals and approaches. There's no longer one signal or system used to do this, and we've also added a new FAQ page to help explain this change." The FAQ page itself is here, and it explains it's not just a site-wide thing now: developers.google.com/search/help/he… "Our core ranking systems are primarily designed to work on the page level, using a variety of signals and systems to understand the helpfulness of individual pages. We do have some site-wide signals that are also considered." So then to the all pages dropping questions. Pages could drop in ranking for a variety of reasons, including that we're showing other content that just seems more relevant higher. Sort of what I was talking about here: x.com/searchliaison/… If it's more than just moving down a bit, then I'd look to some of the pages that I'd previously gotten a lot of visits to and self-assess if you think they're helpful to your visitors (the FAQ page covers this). If you do, carry on. I mean, when I look for [healthy desserts] I see you ranking second. Which is pretty great. That's not typically a sign we see the page, or your site, as unhelpful. And then I saw the peanut butter cup oatmeal bar recipe on that page which made me think mmm but also hmm so I did [peanut cup oatmeal bars] and there you are first.

I wouldn't recommend people start adding carts because it "shows Google" any more than I would recommend anyone do anything they think "shows Google" something. You want to do things that make sense for your visitors, because what "shows Google" you have a great site is to be ... a great site for your visitors not to add things you assume are just for Google. Also Lily, I don't mean this toward you in particular or negatively. It's just shorthand common thinking that so many understandably deal with. Doing things you think are just for Google is falling behind what our ranking systems are trying to reward rather than being in front of them. Everything I said here: x.com/searchliaison/… Stop trying to "show Google" things. I have been through so many sites at this point (and I appreciate the feedback), and the patterns are often like this: - Something saying an "expert" reviewed the content because someone mistakenly believes that ranks them better - Weird table-of-content things shoved at the top because who knows, along the way, somehow that became a thing I'm guessing people assume ranks you better - The page has been updated within a few days, or even is fresh on the exact day, even though the content isn't particularly needing anything fresh and probably someone did some really light rewrite and fresh date because they think that "shows Google" you have fresh content and will rank better. - The page end with a series of "hey, here are some frequently asked questions" because someone used a tool or other method to just add things they think people search for specifically because they heard if you add a bunch of popular searches to the page, that ranks you better not because anyone coming to your page wants that - I can barely read through the main content of pages because I keep getting interrupted by things shoved in the middle of it. Which isn't so much a "show Google" think as much as it is just an unsatisfying experience And yes. A million times yes. You will find pages that are still ranking, both from big sites and small sites, that do these things. Because our ranking systems aren't perfect, and after this current update, we'll continue to keep working at it, which I also covered before: x.com/searchliaison/… And I very much hope our guidance will get better to help people understand that what Google wants is what people want. I'm pushing for us to have an entire new help page that maybe makes this point better. Part of the current draft says things like: "The most important key to success with Google Search is to have content that’s meant to please people, rather than to be whatever you might have heard that 'Google wants.' For example, people sometimes write content longer than is helpful to their readers because they’ve heard somewhere that 'Google wants' long content. What Google wants is content that people will like, content that your own readers and visitors find helpful and satisfying. This is the foundation of your potential success with Google. Any question you have about making content for Google will come back to this principle. 'Is this content that my visitors would find satisfying?' If the answer is yes, then do that, because that’s what Google wants." Some expectation setting. I'm not @googlesearchc and I don't work primarily on creator issues. So I can't guarantee what pages we will have, what gets approved and so on. My primary role is to communicate feedback back about search quality into the search quality team and communicate back. And so much of the feedback people have been sharing, I have taken that back. "But what about big sites!" Yes, taken back. Sites that I can see are diligently working on real quality content and don't seem as rewarded as they should, taken that back. Will continue to do so. You are heard. Those providing quality experiences, I personally want you to succeed. But please. If you want to succeed, stop doing a lot of the things you've heard second, third, whatever that are supposed to "show Google" something and show your visitors a great, satisfying experience. That's how you show Google's ranking systems that you should do well.

Since my original tweet apparently requires clarification, there, I updated it. 😅 But yeah, in case anyone was unclear, I am not suggesting that adding an ecommerce store is some kind of magic bullet that will solve HCU issues. Those don't exist. My actual point was that expanding into ecommerce is something that could potentially add value for your users (assuming it's actually a high-quality store with products they would enjoy) and can help USERS feel more of a connection and trust with your brand. It also gives your website more of a purpose beyond just recommending products sold on other peoples' sites. I have seen and worked with content sites (some of which actually produce content similar to that of sites affected by the HCU) that have grown over time into a well-known brand, and then expanded into publishing physical books, tote bags or other branded merchandise with success. This is just one example approach. FWIW, the sites I am thinking of were not hit by the HCU. They are real brands with real followings and people want to buy their merch. Their sites' purpose extends beyond writing content that drives search engine traffic. I am not saying this is easy or feasible for most publishers. It's extremely hard work. I hope it's clear by now that nothing I am recommending is ever a quick fix, it almost always involves making major improvements not only to the website, but to the overall branding/content strategy.

Over the last 9 months we’ve deleted close to 80% of the marketing footprint off ibm.com. Tens of thousands of pages. The result is that traffic, conversion and all our experience and NPS metrics are up. It was a gross project but I’ll tell you about it.

The revolution is coming faster than you know. cbsnews.com/news/google-ar…

Twitter revealed its algorithm to the world. But what does it mean for you? I spent the evening analyzing it. Here’s what you need to know:

Instagram boss confirms using a third party video editing tool like TikTok’s CapCut WON’T impact reach EXCEPT if it leaves a watermark

Don’t stress too much about hashtags on Instagram

Effect vs affect seths.blog/2023/02/effect… seths.blog/2023/02/effect…

With the Linkedin Audio Event Experience, creators now have the ability to create immersive audio experiences, share their stories and content, and build meaningful relationships with their fans.

No need to 'cheat'. This will likely become the norm. The faster we all accept the reality, and learn to make AI a "companion", the better. Education is tasked at revisioning education. Policies like these will incentivise creativeness and also let them take responsibility.

#ChatGPT wrote your response for the next "make the logo bigger" 😁

TikTok introduce 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Explore TikTok user interests, behaviors and demographics to maximize advertising results and find new ways to scale.

Introducing Notion AI Leverage the limitless power of AI in any Notion page. Write faster, think bigger, and augment creativity. Like magic! notion.so/product/ai?wr=… notion.so/product/ai?wr=…

Air Canada & Emirates Launch Partnership

What I do know is there’s going to be a big ecosystem of AI models, and it’s not clear to me how an AI model stays differentiated as they all asymptote toward the same quality and it just becomes a price game. techcrunch.com/2022/10/28/gen… techcrunch.com/2022/10/28/gen…