Third party cookies, Search Console, and more! - Google Search News (December ‘23)

TL;DR

Google updates on structured data, Search Console, and third-party cookies.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] JOHN MUELLER: Hello, and welcome back to the Google Search News. I hope life is treating you reasonably well wherever you are. As a special treat, I'm reporting from all the way in the Swiss Alps, and getting ready for the festive season. Today, we have news about structured data, search console, articles both from Google and from t... Read More

Key Insights

• Google introduced new structured data types for improved search results, including course info, vehicle listings, learning videos, vacation rentals, and forum discussions.
• Search Console now includes reports and tests for new structured data types, along with a simplified page experience report focusing on core web vitals and HTTPS processing.
• Robots.txt testing tool has been updated, and the crawl rate setting in Search Console is being removed due to improved Googlebot systems.
• Community contributions include articles on local business content strategies and large language models, highlighting the importance of AI in online work.
• Google launched new SafeSearch videos and an SEO Made Easy series with AI-generated localized audio tracks in multiple languages.
• Algorithm updates include core, spam, and reviews updates, with details available on the Google Search Status Dashboard.
• Google-Extended, a new user agent for robots.txt, allows web publishers to manage site contributions to AI APIs like Bard and Vertex.
• Google Chrome is phasing out third-party cookies, affecting some e-commerce and login systems, with detailed documentation available for site testing.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the new structured data types introduced by Google?

Google introduced several new structured data types to enhance search results, including course info, vehicle listings, learning videos, vacation rentals, and forum discussions. These types aim to provide more context and improve visibility for specific content categories in search results, although their use is not guaranteed.

Q: How has Search Console been updated?

Search Console now includes reports and tests for the new structured data types. Additionally, the page experience report has been simplified to focus on core web vitals and HTTPS processing. The crawl rate setting is being removed due to improvements in Google's systems for determining sustainable crawl rates.

Q: What community contributions were highlighted in the episode?

The episode highlighted articles on local business content strategies by Miriam Ellis and an overview of large language models by Britney Muller. These contributions emphasize the importance of AI in online work and provide valuable insights for local businesses and those interested in AI technologies.

Q: What new content has Google released?

Google released new SafeSearch videos and an SEO Made Easy series featuring AI-generated localized audio tracks in multiple languages, including Chinese, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese for Brazil, and Spanish for Latin America. These aim to improve accessibility and understanding of SEO practices.

Q: What are the recent algorithm updates mentioned?

Recent algorithm updates include core updates, a spam update, and a reviews update. Detailed information about these updates can be found on the Google Search Status Dashboard, helping webmasters stay informed about changes that might affect their site's search performance.

Q: What is Google-Extended, and how does it affect web publishers?

Google-Extended is a new user agent for robots.txt, allowing web publishers to manage whether their sites contribute to improving Google's AI APIs like Bard and Vertex. This provides publishers with more control over how their content is used in AI training and development.

Q: How is Google Chrome's phase-out of third-party cookies impacting websites?

The phase-out of third-party cookies by Google Chrome is affecting some e-commerce checkouts and commenting or login systems. While not all sites are impacted, Google recommends testing to ensure functionality. Detailed documentation is available to help site owners understand and adapt to these changes.

Q: What are the key takeaways from the Google Search News December 2023 episode?

Key takeaways include updates on structured data types, Search Console improvements, algorithm changes, and the phase-out of third-party cookies. Community contributions and new content releases were also highlighted. The episode reflects on 2023's developments and looks forward to continued collaboration in 2024.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Google Search News December 2023 highlights updates on structured data types, including new categories like course info and vehicle listings, aimed at enhancing search results. Search Console improvements feature tests for these new data types and a simplified page experience report, while the crawl rate setting is being phased out.

• Community insights include articles on local business strategies and large language models, emphasizing AI's role in digital work. Google introduced new SafeSearch videos and an SEO Made Easy series with localized AI-generated audio tracks, aiming to enhance accessibility and understanding of SEO practices.

• Algorithm updates cover core, spam, and reviews, with Google-Extended introduced for managing site contributions to AI APIs. Chrome's phase-out of third-party cookies impacts some systems, necessitating site testing. The episode concludes with reflections on 2023 and anticipations for 2024.