Rap Genius returns to Google after link penalty In 2014, 10 days after being penalized for “unnatural links” that it helped create, lyrics site Rap Genius returned to Google’s search results. On Dec. 24, 2013, Google confirmed it was looking into an “affiliate” program Rap Genius created in order to get unnatural links pointing to their website. By the next morning, Google officially penalized Rap Genius for link schemes. Anyone searching Google for [rap genius] would not find rapgenius.com on Page 1. However, there were links to their Twitter account, Facebook page, Wikipedia profile and stories like this about them […]

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web…

In search, one of your most effective and profitable strategies is to leverage your most valuable asset – your brand. People searching for products by brand name are further along in their buyer journey than those that don’t – a fact often overlooked. Making the most of your brand in paid search can lead to a significantly shorter sales cycle. Join this engaging webinar and learn how to protect your brand in a competitive search landscape. Register today for “Paid Search Tactics That Will Give You Brand Dominance in 2023,” presented by Adthena. The post Webinar: Paid search tactics for […]

On the latest episode of YouTube’s official trends podcast, company representatives discuss the video trends they predict will dominate the platform in 2023. The post YouTube Predicts What Will Go Viral In 2023 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Commerce Components by Shopify (CCS) is the latest innovation from Shopify that gives large ecommerce retailers direct access to its component infrastructure. CCS is Shopify’s composable stack for enterprise retail. Why we care. Advertisers and retail brands could see higher conversion rates when they integrate with Shopify’s new features such as 99.99% checkout uptime, one-click checkout, flexible APIs, and agency partnerships. What’s new. Featuring an all-new back-office management designed specifically for enterprise, Commerce Components by Shopify gives retailers the speed and flexibility needed to build for the future.   Dig deeper. The following features, and the full list, can be found […]

TikTok has announced five new ways to help keep teens safe on the platform. The new enforcement policies will also make borderline or “suggestive” content ineligible for recommendation into TikTok For You feeds. What’s new. TikTok is increasing their enforcement of nudity, sexual activity, and sexually explicit content, including content that directs to adult websites or apps for teen users (age 13-17). 1. Enforcing policies on sexually suggestive content For audiences under age 13, TikTok has policies around content categories that are not eligible for recommendation, including implied nudity, sensual content, and other content that is not suitable. TikTok says that they […]

Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri lists his top priorities for 2023, which focus on amplifying content distribution and making new connections. The post Instagram Chief Lists Top 3 Priorities For 2023 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

SEO content writing, what exactly is it? And how does it differ from typical content writing? Is SEO content writing better than more traditional content writing? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and a lot more. You’ll learn: The difference between content writing and SEO content writing. Three content tactics that can trump SEO (if deployed correctly). Examples of SEO content done well. Nine ways to make your SEO content better for humans. The key difference between SEO content writing and content writing The difference between SEO content writing and content writing is that SEO content writing is designed […]

LinkedIn previews seven new features coming in 2023, including improved video accessibility, updates to job search, post scheduling, and content analytics. The post LinkedIn Announces 7 Updates Coming In 2023 appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Welcome back from the holidays, don’t worry; you didn’t miss much. The December 2022 helpful content update and December 2022 link spam update are not done yet. They should be done soon, but right now, when I write this, they are not done.

Another small study says that reviews with photos with them last a lot longer in the Google local listing for a business than reviews without photos. This was another study done by Joy Hawkins and her company.

Google’s John Mueller said that when it comes to hidden text on a page, Google is “good at ignoring it.” It is one of those things that Google seems not to penalize for anymore but rather just not count the text that is not visible on the page.

Google since 2019 had this “full coverage” label for news stories that showed up in mobile search results. I am not sure if this ever was presented in the desktop results, and that is what we have for you today.

For the past few months or so, I’ve been tracking reports that suggest that Google Search Console is not properly tracking clicks and impressions from the local pack. This first came up in September and after numerous requests from SEOs, I have not seen a serious reply from Google on the matter, not yet at least.

An About Us page is an integral piece of content to have on your website. Every single successful business has one, no matter their industry or what they sell. After all, every brand has a story – and your About Us page helps you tell yours. That’s important because, these days, story and connection matter more than ever to customers. In a Demand Gen survey, 55% of B2B buyers said content that tells a strong, resonating story is what would make them most likely to talk to sales. Because your About Us page is one of the first places customers […]

WordPress Popup Maker plugin published an update to fix a flaw that could lead to a stored XSS exploit The post WordPress Popup Maker Vulnerability Affects Up To +700,000 Sites appeared first on Search Engine Journal.