Google Search News (Sept '19) - changes in GSC, nofollow links, new meta tags, and more

TL;DR

Google updates Search Console, nofollow links, and introduces new meta tags.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] JOHN MUELLER: Hi, everyone, and welcome to the first "Google Search News." I hope life is treating you well, wherever you are. I'm your host today, John Mueller, here from Google Zurich in mostly sunny Switzerland. With this show, we want to give you a regular summary of what's been happening around Google Search, specifically for w... Read More

Key Insights

• Google Search Console is transitioning to a new interface, enhancing features for webmasters and site owners. While not all features are moved, the transition marks a significant development in user experience.
• Webmaster Office Hours now allows users to submit questions in advance and participate in live video conferences, providing direct interaction with Google employees and facilitating better understanding of Google Search.
• The nofollow link attribute has been revamped with the introduction of rel=sponsored and rel=ugc, providing more clarity on link types and improving Google's understanding of web content.
• Google's changes to review-rich results aim to display reviews only for relevant items, excluding self-reviews by local businesses, thereby enhancing the accuracy and relevance of search results.
• New meta tags introduced by Google allow publishers to control the preview of their content in search results, specifying text, image, and video snippet lengths, which can optimize user engagement.
• The data-nosnippet attribute restricts text from being shown in search previews, offering publishers more control over how their content is displayed in search results.
• Google is hosting webmaster conferences globally, fostering community engagement and providing localized support to webmasters, with events planned in various international locations.
• The changes announced in this episode reflect Google's ongoing efforts to improve search quality and provide webmasters with tools to better manage their site's interaction with Google Search.

Questions & Answers

Q: What changes have been made to Google Search Console?

Google Search Console is transitioning to a new interface, which replaces the old home page and dashboard. This change aims to enhance user experience by providing webmasters and site owners with improved tools and features to understand how Google Search interacts with their websites.

Q: How has the Webmaster Office Hours setup changed?

The Webmaster Office Hours now allow users to submit questions in advance through the YouTube community page and event calendar. During the live sessions, users can join video conferences to ask questions directly to Google employees, enhancing the interaction and support for webmasters.

Q: What are the new attributes introduced for nofollow links?

Google introduced two new attributes for nofollow links: rel=sponsored and rel=ugc. Rel=sponsored is used for advertisements and sponsorships, while rel=ugc is for user-generated content. These attributes help Google better understand the nature of links and improve the web's overall understanding.

Q: What changes have been made to review-rich results?

Google has updated review-rich results to display reviews only for certain items where they are relevant. Reviews collected by local businesses about themselves are excluded from search results, ensuring that only pertinent and unbiased reviews are shown, enhancing search result accuracy.

Q: What are the new meta tags introduced by Google?

Google introduced new meta tags that allow publishers to control the amount of content shown in search previews. Publishers can specify the length of text snippets, image preview sizes, and video preview durations, providing more control over how their content is displayed in search results.

Q: What is the purpose of the data-nosnippet attribute?

The data-nosnippet attribute allows publishers to restrict specific parts of their text from being shown in search previews. This feature gives publishers more control over their content's visibility in search results, ensuring that only desired information is displayed to users.

Q: What is the significance of Google's global webmaster conferences?

Google's global webmaster conferences are designed to engage local webmasters and provide support through localized events. These conferences, held in various international locations, offer opportunities for webmasters to interact with Googlers, gain insights, and enhance their understanding of Google Search.

Q: How do these changes reflect Google's efforts to improve search quality?

The changes announced in this episode, including updates to Search Console, nofollow links, and review-rich results, reflect Google's commitment to improving search quality. By providing webmasters with better tools and more control over their content, Google aims to enhance the accuracy and relevance of search results.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Google Search News covers updates including the transition of Search Console to a new interface, offering enhanced features for webmasters. The new setup for Webmaster Office Hours facilitates direct interaction with Google employees, improving support for webmasters.

• The introduction of rel=sponsored and rel=ugc attributes revamps the nofollow link system, enhancing Google's understanding of web content. Changes to review-rich results aim to improve the relevance and accuracy of search results by excluding self-reviews.

• New meta tags and the data-nosnippet attribute allow publishers to control content previews in search results, optimizing user engagement. Google is also hosting global webmaster conferences, providing localized support and fostering community engagement.