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Every Wednesday / 14th August 2024 / goodsignals.com

Weekly Trivia: What is the most frequently linked website in AI Overviews?

Happy World Lizard Day! Fun fact: do you know Komodo dragons are one of the few reptiles that can give "virgin births"?

Before diving into our top picks, here are some other updates from this week: Google's Gemini Live AI assistant app has begun rolling out to advanced subscribers on Android and will soon expand to iOS devices; You can expect a "Deep Research" feature coming to Gemini in the next few weeks, too. Google Search is testing mini knowledge panel cards in search results, replacing the text-heavy full version we're more familiar with. It is also adding tons of links in AI Overviews in response to the plagiarism complaint. YouTube is testing merging bite-sized videos and longer clips into a single feed to boost the popularity of Shorts and integrating Gemini to help creators brainstorm ideas - see more details in this video posted to the Creator Insider channel.

Joyce, editor at The Signal

P.S. The answer to our trivia? According to a new study by SE Ranking, it's YouTube; The other two most frequently linked sites are LinkedIn and Healthline. Rather unexpectedly, Reddit and Quora are not linked in AIO at all, although they are still topping regular SERPs.

Google Search Console Bulk Data Export

Google Search Console now allows bulk data export to the AI-ready data analysis platform BigQuery. Here's a walkthrough on how to do it. By Mike Ginley on mikeginley.com.

What is the Google Algorithm?

Are you curious about how Google crawls and evaluates billions of web pages to determine their position in the SERPs? By Mordy Oberstein on Wix.

How Extra HTML Attributes in Canonical Tags Impact Search Engines

Implementing canonical tags can help Google index your site more effectively, but some may confuse the search engine. This study recommends simplifying canonical link tags as much as possible to ensure they work as intended. By Pedro Dias on Merj.

13 Steps To Boost Your Site’s Crawlability And Indexability

Improving a site's crawlability is one of the most important elements of SEO. Following these practical steps, you can not only help Google discover and understand your site better but also enhance your human visitors' experiences. By Matt G. Southern on Search Engine Journal.

How to Rank in AI Overviews: Content Optimisation Tips

AIO is still a new and experimental SERP component, but if you want to stay ahead and get featured, here are the top tips to improve your chances. By Rebecca Brosnan on SEO Clarity.

Google’s “Branded Search” Ranking Factor Patent

Google applied for the “Ranking Search Results” patent in 2012, which was largely misunderstood by the search marketing community at the time. However, since the patent may still play a role in ranking, it is definitely worth learning about it. By Roger Montti on Search Engine Journal.

Is Google’s Engagement-hacking Masking Stalled Growth?

If you never heard about engagement hacking, this article explains it all. Why is Google doing it? "It’s no longer about providing a more efficient journey: it’s about increasing the odds they will perform additional searches", writes David Mihm. By David Mihm on Near Media.

Google Confirms 3 Ways To Make Googlebot Crawl More

There have been many wild guesses about how to activate Googlebot, but here are the three proven ways to make it crawl more, confirmed by Google's Gary Illyes and Lizzi Sassman. By Roger Montti on Search Engine Journal.

Report: U.S. Considering Forcing a Google Breakup

Following up on the Google monopoly rule, the US Justice Department is reportedly considering forcing the parent company Alphabet to shed at least one of its units, but Chrome browser and YouTube are unlikely to be affected. By Danny Goodwin on Search Engine Land.

Google AI Overviews Volatility Continues: Rise, Fall, Repeat

Results in AI Overviews are experiencing significant fluctuations. Healthcare queries related to "rare", "genetic" and "complex" disorders are removed, while salary-related search results are seeing a jump in July. By Danny Goodwin on Search Engine Land.

Joyce Yang,

editor at The Signal

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