Google's Core Update, Term Drift, Merchant Centre Features & More
SEO TL;DR #48 - 18/11/2024
Core Update
Google’s November Core Update
The November 2024 Core Update is rolling out - the third one of the year. While the timing might not be ideal - we’ve got Black Friday & Christmas to worry about - as long as you’ve followed Google’s best practices, you should still be on their nice list.
Time to complete: 2 weeks
Time to settle: Between 4-6 weeks, in my opinion
Purpose: “Improve the quality of our search results by showing more content that people find genuinely useful and less content that feels like it was made just to perform well on Search.”
Who will be affected: Sites churning out AI slop, affiliate sites. E-commerce clients should be less affected, particularly those engaging on other channels such as PPC, social media, and email.
Guidance: Not much - focus on quality and the user. I generally agree with the narrative that Google puts out, but the reality is that Google is crawling trillions of URLs a day, and if you're not using some element of SEO, you'll struggle to outrank those that are.
Technical SEO
Are SEOs Overthinking URL Structure?
Google’s John Mueller thinks so. He highlighted on LinkedIn that focusing too much on URL structure won’t fix unclear content. His advice:
Don’t make unnecessary URL changes; they disrupt SEO temporarily.
Prioritise usability and tracking performance over SEO.
Structure only matters in niche cases, like when managing adult content.
While URLs can help analytics and user experience, most users rarely notice them. Instead, focus on clear, user-friendly content. Read more: Source.
Content SEO
Term Drift: Why It Matters in SEO
Ever heard of "term drift"? It’s when the meaning of a word or brand shifts over time. This can hurt older content that uses outdated phrasing. Search Engine Roundtable reported on an example from Glenn Gabe showing how updating the wording on a page can lead to stable Google rankings the same day.
The example Barry gave was how people used to say “I taped my favourite TV show”, (something my Boomer dad still says). Nowadays, people would say “I recorded”.
Another example would be '“dial the number”, which has mostly been replaced by “call”. Or “store this file on a USB” vs ‘save it to the cloud”.
💡Takeaway: Audit your content to ensure it aligns with current terminology. Simple updates, like adjusting titles and headings, could make a difference to ranking stability.
Google Maps Adds 'Products Nearby' Carousel
Google Maps now features a "Products Nearby" carousel, letting users search for items and find local stores stocking them.
The update works similarly to Google Shopping, using inventory data likely pulled from Merchant Center feeds. Items range from electronics to groceries.
This could be a game-changer for local SEO, especially during the busy Black Friday and Christmas season for shoppers who prefer to pick up bargains in person.
Ecommerce SEO/PPC
New Sale Events Promotion in Google Merchant Center
Sticking with Merchant Centre, Google has introduced "Sale Events" as a new promotion type.
Sale events highlight a general sale happening in your store on different Google surfaces. Events don’t show up on product listings, both organic and ads.
Unlike promotions, events aren’t mapped to offers. Since events aren’t directly mapped to offers, you can use ranges for discounts, such as “Up to 40% off,” which isn’t allowed with promotions.
AI & SEO
Microsoft’s AI SEO Tips for Generative Search
Bing released a blog on how to do SEO for AI-powered Search Engines.
The key takeaway? Searcher intent is crucial. Instead of targeting broad keywords like "best coffee maker," focus on what Bing calls conversational keywords - for example, "best eco-friendly smart coffee machines for busy professionals."
The article introduces “Generative Engine Optimisation” (GEO) and clarifies what we knew would be the case...
“…as has always been true in SEO (and now with GEO), there is no secret sauce or specific code to game the system."
While Google also emphasises intent, Bing emphasises generative AI and personalisation more, while Google focuses more on content quality and helpfulness across a broader audience.
💡 Takeaway. There's nothing more you should be doing for GPT that you're already doing for Google: keyword research, topic clustering, intent matching, etc.
GEO is very volatile; citations can change daily and are different for every user, so avoid changing up a proven content-driven SEO strategy in pursuit of shiny AI Search.
🔗 Where to start with Bing SEO
AI & SEO
Perplexity Tests Ads as Sponsored Questions
AI search engine Perplexity has begun testing ads in the form of “sponsored follow-up questions.” These ads, clearly labelled, won’t be written by advertisers but will rely on Perplexity’s AI-generated answers.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that ads would come; there’s only so much investors will take before wanting to see a return. Perplexity stated:
“Ad programs like this help us generate revenue to share with our publisher partners. Experience has taught us that subscriptions alone do not generate enough revenue to create a sustainable revenue-sharing program.”
Content SEO
A Guide to Audience Research for SEO
Understanding your audience’s search behaviour is crucial. A streamlined audience research process can help you uncover insights, even on a tight budget.
This article by Kevin Rowe shows how to:
Analyse search behaviour and intent.
Map audience journeys to align with needs.
Use findings to shape targeted SEO strategies.
🔗 How to do audience research for SEO
Technical SEO
Canonicalisation in SEO: 2025 Best Practices
Canonicalisation ensures search engines recognise the original source of the content, helping avoid duplicate content issues. This guide by Lauren Busby outlines how to use canonical tags effectively, including tips for monitoring and resolving issues.
Whether you run a small or large site, a strong canonicalisation strategy can streamline indexing and improve visibility.
🔗 Canonicalization and SEO: A guide for 2025