Google Announces New GA4 Features As Universal Analytics Sunset Nears
Google enhances Analytics 4 with AI insights, cross-channel reporting, and budgeting tools as Universal Analytics shutdown nears.
About
Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Matt specializes in gathering details, checking facts, and making complex subjects easy to understand. In addition to writing articles, Matt oversees strategy development for SEJ’s news department.
Articles
Google Debunks SEO Myth: Branded Keywords Won’t Hurt Rankings
Google debunks SEO myth: Using branded keywords in content doesn’t harm rankings.
GA4 Update Brings Alignment With Google Ads Targeting
Google enhances GA4 advertising data, aligning user counts with Google Ads for improved remarketing abilities.
Gen Z Ditches Google, Turns To Reddit For Product Searches
Study reveals Gen Z’s changing online habits: social media displaces search engines for product discovery, challenging traditional marketing strategies.
Study: Google Favors Ecommerce Sites & User-Generated Content
Study reveals Google search shifts: ecommerce and user-generated content rise, while product review sites lose visibility.
Google Dials Back AI Overviews In Search Results, Study Finds
A new study finds Google is reducing the frequency of, but lengthening, AI overviews in search results.
Google Launches June 2024 Spam Update
Google begins rolling out the June 2024 spam update, which should take a week to complete.
Reddit Traffic Up 39%: Is Google Prioritizing Opinions Over Expertise?
As Reddit ranks higher in Google searches, its traffic has reportedly grown 39% year-over-year.
Is Google Crawling Your Site A Lot? That Could Be A Bad Sign
Google’s Gary Illyes says sudden crawling spikes may signal hacked sites or other issues.
YouTube Tests Crowdsourced Annotations For Videos
YouTube tests crowdsourced context notes, allowing creators and viewers to annotate videos.
Google Analytics Adds User Conversion Rate Metrics
Google Analytics helps businesses better track and improve conversions by adding user and session conversion rate metrics.
LinkedIn Rolls Out New Newsletter Tools
LinkedIn launches newsletter upgrades: custom covers, subscriber alerts, embedded profiles, and preview links.
When Is Duplicate Content Acceptable For Local SEO? Google Explains
Google’s John Mueller clarified that localized duplicate content across regional websites is acceptable. Unique content is still recommended for specific page types.
Google’s Stance On AI Translations & Content Drafting Tools
For SEO, Google’s John Mueller says to evaluate AI-translation quality, get third-party feedback on AI-assisted content.
Want More Clicks? Use Simple Headlines, Study Advises
New study shows simpler headlines with common words can increase reader clicks and engagement.
Google Launches Custom Event Data Import For GA4
Google launches custom event data import for GA4, enabling businesses to combine external data sources with Google Analytics data for enhanced reporting.
YouTube Rolls Out Thumbnail A/B Testing To All Channels
YouTube is rolling out thumbnail A/B testing to all channels, letting you optimize videos for higher watch time.
Google’s Gary Illyes: Lastmod Signal Is Binary
Google’s Gary Illyes reveals lastmod signal treatment is binary – trusted completely or ignored.
Google Reminds Websites To Use Robots.txt To Block Action URLs
Google’s Gary Illyes recommends using robots.txt to block crawlers from “add to cart” URLs, preventing wasted server resources.
Apple’s AI Push: ChatGPT For Everyone, But At What Cost?
Apple unveils ChatGPT integration, sparking concerns about search, discoverability, and closed ecosystems.
Google Analytics Update To Improve Paid Search Attribution
Google to update GA4 attribution, correcting paid search conversion tracking while potentially impacting ad budgets.
Google Gives Merchants New Insights Into Shopping Search Performance
Google’s Search Console now provides ecommerce sites data on product listing performance across Google’s shopping surfaces.
MozCon 2024: Britney Muller On How To Use Gen AI In Marketing
AI expert Britney Muller guides marketers through leveraging generative AI by utilizing its strengths while mitigating bias and limitations.
Rand Fishkin At MozCon: Rethinking Strategies Amid Google API “Leak”
At MozCon, Rand Fishkin shared recommendations based on purported Google leaks, sparking skepticism and debate.
SEO In Crisis? Moz Search Scientist Warns Of Challenges Ahead
Google’s AI disrupts organic SEO; search scientist suggests pivoting strategies to commercial queries, local SEO, and better content.
MozCon 2024 Announcements: AI SEO Tools & Affordable API Plans
Moz unveils AI-powered tools, affordable API plans, and product updates at MozCon.
Google To Limit AI Overviews For “Nonsensical” Queries
Google addresses concerns about AI overviews, while continuing to claim they lead to higher user satisfaction and more clicks.
Google Validates Leak, Igniting Questions Around Search Transparency
Google confirms leaked documents are authentic, urges caution in interpreting the data.
Google Search Leak: Conflicting Signals, Unanswered Questions
Leaked Google documents suggest user engagement metrics influence rankings, contradicting past statements. The leak has sparked controversy within the SEO industry over Google’s transparency.
Google To Shut Down Business Profile Chat Feature
Google to discontinue Business Profile chat feature by July 31, urging businesses to seek alternative solutions.