SEO News Digest: Danny Sullivan talks Google Search quality and future updates, AVIF images in Google, and more

SEO News Digest: Danny Sullivan talks Google Search quality and future updates, AVIF images in Google, and more

Did you really think we’d skip the news roundup this week? No chance! Let’s dive into what’s hot in the community right now.

Updates

There are no new updates at this time. Everyone is still discussing and monitoring the results following the August core update.

For example, Barry Schwartz interviewed Danny Sullivan, but for seasoned SEOs, there wasn’t much new information.

Here’s a brief summary (paraphrased):

  • “We’re continuing to make search better.” 
  • Sullivan couldn’t explain why truly high-quality sites haven’t recovered after all the updates this year. 
  • Another update will follow the August one, aimed at addressing issues faced by smaller publishers. Google recognizes that many of them were unfairly penalized. 
  • Forum and social content will continue to rank better. (However, Sullivan couldn’t explain why Reddit ranks higher than original content.) 
  • Regarding the Site Reputation Abuse Policy (also known as the “Parasite SEO” policy), Google currently only enforces manual penalties. There’s no plan to address it algorithmically, and it likely won’t happen in the near future. 
  • AI-generated content itself won’t be penalized, unless it’s a widespread issue across a site (as per the Scaled Content Policy).


Search

  • Google has started supporting AVIF images

Here’s a kind reminder: before adopting this format, analyze whether it suits your needs, rather than just switching because it’s something new.

Although Google has detailed this beautifully in their docs, remember that it’s a huge system. It will take time for the update to roll out, be fine-tuned, and work properly across the board.


Features / Interface

  • (test) Top comments for forum search results

Results from Reddit, Quora, and similar platforms may now include not only discussions but also top comments.

  • (test) Related Videos

A block containing related videos is being pulled into video snippets. These related videos may come from the same channel as the original video as well as from other channels.


GBP

  • Business photos on review sentiments

Google analyzes business reviews and creates tags based on the most frequently mentioned topics.

Now, clicking on a tag will pull up not only relevant reviews but also photos of the related services, dishes, etc.

Note: This feature only works with photos uploaded by the business owner, not by customers.


Tidbits

  • Google's Privacy Sandbox adoption costs burden small ad-tech firms

Entering a cookie-less future is especially difficult for small businesses without dedicated technical departments. For such companies, managing this transition on their own is nearly impossible.

  • Google’s long-promised hearing over advertising monopolization kicks off

Be sure to follow the story as it unfolds.

I believe keeping up with these developments can help you stay ahead of changes in the search landscape. Here are some highlights to consider: - Danny Sullivan stresses quality content aligned with user intent. - AVIF images are now supported by Google for faster loading and better visuals. - Prepare for future Google updates to maintain your rankings. Keeping track of these changes will help you refine your approach and stay competitive.

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