Like every month, Google has released a September month update on various key elements that could influence website performance. This Google update spans from the 4th to the 25th and is aimed to enhance search functionality and provide more precise guidance for web admins. Let’s take a look at what’s new in this:
September 4
The first update for September month is released on the 4th. This update talks about Clarifying the quota and usage of the Indexing API
Before we see an update, do you know what API is?
API is an application programming interface, a set of rules and protocols that provides a mode of communication for different software, meaning another can use one application data.
So, this update says that Google clarified the default quota for the Indexing API, how it works, and the default limit for initial setup and testing. If users want to use more, they must ask for special approval. They corrected a documentation error, with the request limit always being 380 per project.
You must be wondering why it matters; this will help users understand the initial quota is for testing only. Additionally, permission is required for more resources if you want to use more.
For example, think about any tool with a free trial for a certain period. But if you want to use that tool frequently with advanced features, you must sign up for membership or request approval.
September 10
This update talks about the Video markup accepting ineligible regions.
Now, Google allows users to use a new property called “ineligibleRegion” in their video data. This means you can add a specific region where your video is not visible or available.
For example, Let’s say your video is invisible or can’t be viewed in Australia. You can add “ineligibleRegion: Australia” to your video information, which helps Google understand where to show or not show the video.
September 11
This update is about clarifying API usage guidelines for Indexing API.
In this, Google clarified the rules for using the Indexing API. When you submit links using this tool, they will check for spam.
It also mentioned that users could lose access to the Indexing API if they try to submit too many links at once or behave suspiciously.
For example, if a particular website submits thousands of links in a short time, then Google might flag it as spam and stop allowing those submissions.
September 16
This update is about Updating the HTTP user agent string of GoogleProducer
In this update, Google made a change to the user agent string URL for the GoogleProducer tool, which is used to gather content. This switch aligns the documentation with how it’s used. This update means future content pickups will use the new string.
For example, Updating a phone contact to reach the right person.
Adding content-encoding information to the crawler documentation
Google has refreshed their guidance materials, covering the various content encodings that its web crawlers can handle. This update fills a gap that was previously only mentioned in a blog post.
For example, having a note on the file formats your printer can print with, even if it was already mentioned before.
Reorganizing the crawler documentation
Google has reorganized their crawler documentation for improved clarity. They pointed out which tools each crawler impacted and offered examples of user agent tokens in robots.txt files. This update will ease confusion from previous, lengthy documents to make information more accessible. For instance, organize messy files in proper folders to find your stuff faster.
September 17
This update is about migrating the JavaScript guidance for infinite scroll.
Google updated their instructions for infinite scroll, which was previously in the form of blog posts, to their official documents. The advice stayed the same as it helped users to locate the current information more easily.
For example, organizing all the digital photos into proper folders instead of leaving them in one big folder. This organized album will make it easier to find specific memories.
September 23
This update is about Adding support for sale pricing.
Google has introduced a price-type property feature for the merchant listing documentation. This allows the merchants to add sale pricing using structured data, ensuring consistency with Merchant Centre’s pricing features. It’s like giving store owners a new label to clearly mark items on sale, making it easier for customers to spot discounts when shopping online.
For example, Add a new type of price tag that screams “Sale” so customers can easily spot discounted items while shopping online.
September 24
This update is about Removing the cache: search operator documentation
In this case, Google no longer supports the “cache:” search command. This little trick used to help you find saved versions of webpages, but now it’s no longer in Google Search.
If you hope to use cache.com to peek at an older site version, you will not get it now. This shift stops anyone from pulling up saved pages this way.
September 25
Spam policy clarifications
In this, Google clarifies its spam policy to explain what web spam is and the tactics that are commonly used. They also included information from a blog post to help make things easier to understand. It’s important to note that Google specified that bypassing these policies could result in a lower website ranking or not appearing in search results.
For example, if a website tries to use sneaky tricks to boost its ranking in search results, it could face penalties and end up lower on the search results or even disappear altogether. This update is just part of Google’s routine review process to ensure their guidelines are clear and up to date.
Wrapping Up:
In a nutshell, the September 2024 Google update brought notable changes. These updates included clarifying spam policies, enhancing search operator documentation, adding support for sale pricing and many other changes. These changes are all aimed at making things better for users.
