SEO TLDR #14: New Organic Result Format, Popular Opinions Carousel & Why Gen Z Stopped Using Google
SEO TL;DR - 4/03/2024
New organic carousel format
Google has released new documentation for what it’s calling Structured data carousels, which is currently in beta mode. The new feature will allow users to scroll horizontally to see more entities from your site.
This type of result is eligible only for the following types of pages:
LocalBusiness and its subtypes, for example:
Restaurant
Hotel
VacationRental
Product
Event
You can test your markup using Google’s Rich Results testing tool, which will highlight any errors in your markup.
Google testing ‘Popular opinions’ carousel
As reported over at Search Engine Roundtable, Google the new section shows articles with opinions on products or other topics. This was spotted by Brodie Clark, who posted this on X:
While keyword-optimised on-site content, product pages and collection pages will always have their place; these new features will continue to erode traffic from the traditional Google Search results, highlighting the importance of pursuing digital PR to acquire mentions and features on third-party websites.
Google Business Profile websites to be shut down this March
According to Search Engine Journal, websites created with Google Business Profile will be discontinued in March 2024. Redirects to Google Business Profiles will remain in place until June 10, 2024.
Interestingly, Google suggests using the following site builders as an alternative: Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Google Sites, Shopify, Durable, Weebly, Strikingly and WordPress (sorry Magento).
While I’m sure Google can scrape and render sites built on other platforms, could this indicate a preference?
Gen Z prefer to use social media over Google
An interesting study from Insider Intelligence showed that over half (51%) of Gen Z consumers worldwide - those born between the late 1990s and early 2000s - use social media to look up a brand versus 45% who turn to search engines.
The top reason given for social media preference is that it helps them get the information they want quickly, cited by 60.1% of Gen Z social search users. They also like to search on social because the results are relevant (36.7%), visual (26.5%), and because it’s fun (21.4%).
This data signifies a shift in how information is sought and consumed and highlights the importance of social media platforms in the decision-making process of younger consumers.
To attract more Gen Z, brands not already doing so should consider establishing a strong, authentic presence on social media, leveraging influencers and content creators who appeal to their target audience.