Welcome back to our November month Google Update series. In this edition, we will look into the most recent changes from Google and discuss what’s new and how these updates could affect us. Let’s take a closer look at what has been going on and how it might impact your search strategies. Additionally, catch up on any updates you might have missed with our Google update for October 2024
November 1
This update talks about Mobile and Desktop Links for Large Websites.
In this, Google has pointed out that websites that have separate desktop and mobile version links have to make sure that whatever link is created on the website should work for both mobile and desktop.
Why It Matters: It matters if some of the links open on the desktop but are not added to the mobile version; then, Google might miss some pages or links while crawling, which could lead to double work for Google. It has to find and index those links, which could slow down the pace and take more time to discover those pages or links.
For example, take a news site where there are a lot of articles, and some are linked on the desktop site but not on the mobile version. If those mobile pages don’t have links to new articles, Google may take longer to find and index those new articles.
November 13
This update is about Added information on how C2PA metadata can appear in Search.
In this, if you search for any image, Google will now show the information about C2PA metadata (a way to tag images with details like their origin) in the “About this image” feature.
Why is this important: Well, if you use C2PA metadata with your images, Google can show users more information about where the image originated. This gives people more context when they come across your images in search results.
For example, let’s say you upload a photo with C2PA metadata that includes information about the photographer. Google might actually display that when the image pops up in search results.
November 19
This update is about the site’s reputation abuse policy.
In this, Google recently made some changes to its Site Reputation Abuse Policy. The update clarifies that using third-party content to manipulate a site’s rankings is not allowed, even if you’re not the one directly managing the content. This change is aimed at preventing people from unfairly boosting their website’s rank.
For example, if someone tries to trick Google into ranking their site higher by using stolen or irrelevant content from another website, that would now be explicitly against the rules.
Updated Google Search Ranking Systems Guide
Why it matters: Google also made updates to their Search Ranking Systems Guide. They added more details to help explain how they use signals from individual pages and entire sites to determine rankings. This update makes it easier for webmasters to understand how Google ranks content based on both page-level factors (like content quality) and site-wide factors (like overall trustworthiness).
For instance, if your site has a mix of high-quality and low-quality content, Google might rank your site lower due to the overall reputation of your site, not just the individual pages.
November 20
This update is about Added information about opting out of the Page Annotations feature.
In this update, Google has made an update for all iOS users out there. Now, you can choose to opt out of those Page Annotations in the Google app. Where, those extra little notes that pop up when you search for a webpage.
Why it matters: If you do not like having random annotations making a mess in your search results, now you can turn them off by just filling out a form. No more unwanted information getting in the way while searching.
November 29
This update is about Removing sitelinks, search box documentation.
In this update, Google made a significant change by removing the documentation for the sitelinks search box feature. This means they also archived the rule that controlled it.
Why it matters: The sitelinks search box allows users to search within a website straight from Google’s search results. But now, that handy feature is no longer available.
Google recently announced that as of November 21, 2024, the sitelinks search box would no longer be showing up in search results. This change is happening worldwide and won’t impact the rankings or any other site link features. The rich results report for this feature will be taken out of the Search Console, but nothing to worry about if you have structured data already in place on your site; it won’t create any problems. If you want to remove it, you can, but it’s totally optional.
Wrapping Up
The Google update of November has pointed out some essential things. The update on the mobile and desktop links added C2PA metadata, where Google will provide more information on the image, implemented a new site reputation abuse policy, updated page annotations, and removed the site links search box feature.
