Google AMP stories launch
In 2018, Google launched a new, visually rich mobile content format designed to generate more engagement from users.
Breaking with previous guidance, Google didn’t intend for this type of AMP content to match your non-mobile content. Instead, this mobile-only content was supposed to be unique.
Specifically, Google said AMP Story content should be “fulfilling and standalone.”
In addition to Hearst and The Washington Post, Google worked with CNN, Meredith, Mashable, Mic, Vox and Condé Nast to develop and roll out AMP Stories.
Dig deeper:
- Google gets in on mobile ‘story craze’ with new AMP Stories format
- AMP Stories: The new Accelerated Mobile Pages format from Google
Also on this day
Google: ‘We do updates all the time’ — somewhat confirming February update rumors
2020: Google’s Danny Sullivan referred to the company’s advice given around “several updates” in November 2019.
Big Google Partners program changes are coming: What you’ll need to qualify
2020: There were new requirements for agencies to achieve and maintain Google Partner status starting in June.
Google backtracks on using (relevant) keywords in your Google My Business description
2020: An update to the help page about adding keywords to improve visibility in local search results was disputed by local SEOs and quickly removed.
TechTarget cites technical SEO issues as reason for 25% decline in Google traffic
2020: In TechTarget’s recent earnings report, the company said unpaid traffic represented 94% of overall traffic in the quarter.
Business owners can now reply to reviews on Google Maps desktop
2019: Business owners with verified Google My Business listings could reply to reviews left about their business directly in Google Maps on desktop.
Google tests ads in Assistant results
2019: With the Assistant on a billion devices, the move was inevitable.
Google enables ‘join waitlist’ for restaurants
2019: Clicking on the join waitlist button opened a screen that identifies the current wait time and enabled users to input their party size.
Google launches new look for ‘people also search for’ search refinements
2018: The suggestions either loaded on delay or when a user clicked on a result and then clicked back to the search results.
Spotted: Links to competing shopping engines in UK Google Shopping results
2018: The new “inclusive” look was in response to the European Commission’s antitrust ruling against Google.
Google: No comment on possibility of a Feb. 7 algorithm update
2017: Many webmasters and SEOs were noticing some significant changes in Google’s search rankings algorithm.
Google’s ‘people also ask’ search feature officially gains dynamic loading
2017: Google’s people also ask feature gained a new way for searchers to explore topics in the desktop and mobile search results.
Google Maps new feature lets users create lists of saved places that can be shared & accessed offline
2017: Users could keep track of saved places and share lists with others via text, email and popular messaging apps.
Google Webmaster Tools Data Stopped Updating Almost A Week Ago
2015: The data and tools had stopped updating Feb. 7.
Search In Pics: Google Disco Ball, A Cacoon & YouTube Cafe
2015: The latest images showing what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what toys they have, and more.
Google Offers Advice On Faceted Navigation & Infinite Scroll Web Pages
2014: Techniques to make infinite scroll pages and faceted navigation more search engine friendly.
Will 11th Hour Objections Derail The Google-EU Antitrust Settlement?
2014: EU Commissioners were considering forcing additional discussions or preventing the settlement from becoming final.
Bing Ads Expands Mobile Sitelinks Coverage In US, Will Roll Out To EU Markets
2014: Bing Ads had enabled over 60% of the mobile traffic on the Yahoo Bing Network to run sitelinks in the U.S.
Green Ribbon, Minimum Wage, Climate Changes: Google Searches For The State Of The Union
2013: Some of the interesting trends we saw on Google due to the State of the Union address.
Panic Flu Searches May Have Tricked Google Flu Trends Into Thinking Things Were Worse
2013: Google Flu Trends overshot the percent of the U.S. population with influenza-like illness by nearly double what the CDC reported.
A “Cool” Google Rich Snippet For Snow Conditions
2013: It contained snow depth statistics, new snow stats within 24 and 72 hours, the conditions of the snow, the lifts open on the mountain, the current weather and more.
Google Hits 67 Percent Market Share Again, Bing Hits Another All-Time High [comScore]
2013: Search activity was up 11% in January over December, to almost 19.5 billion “core” searches.
Google Fixes Bug That Required Cookies To Search
2012: Google also initially reconfirmed that requiring cookies “is not something we’re testing or rolling out.”
Where’s It Hurt? After You Search For A Symptom, New Google Health Search Results Suggest Causes
2012: Google introduced improved results that shortened the time from symptom-related search to the discovery of potential medical causes and conditions.
Google Apologizes, Continues To Tweak Buzz
2010: Google announced three tweaks to Buzz (including changing auto-follow to auto-suggest) and offered an apology for what it called a “challenging week.”
Google: ‘Don’t Blame Us For Terrorism’
2009: Google said it shouldn’t be blamed for terrorist use of Google Earth.
Google Analytics On The iPhone: 3 Apps Reviewed
2009: The good, bad, and ugly of Google Analytics apps on the iPhone (Analytics App, myAnalytics and Analytics Pro).
Newspapers, Google And The “Devaluation” Of Content
2009: “Google is great for Google, but it’s terrible for content providers, because it divides that content quantitatively rather than qualitatively.”
Android Paid Apps Launch: “It’s Business Time”
2009: developers can start charging for their apps and consumers will start gaining access to and paying for selected apps on Android phones.
Yahoo Discontinues MyWeb, Pushes Delicious
2009: MyWeb launched in 2005, as part of Yahoo’s vision for a “very individual Web.”
Google AdWords To “Strictly Enforce” Display URL Policy
2008: The policy was remaining the same, but starting April 1, Google would begin “strictly enforcing” it.
Google Study: 1.3% Google Searches Return At Least One Malicious Result
2008: They checked 66.5 million URLs and found that 3.4 million were “suspicious” and 3.4 million were malicious, pointing to 181,699 landing sites.
News Corporation A Potential Partner For Yahoo In Avoiding Microsoft, Google Interest ‘Wanes’
2008: Antitrust realities were likely at the heart of Google’s diminishing interest in a search deal.
Third Annual Yahoo Searchlight Awards Happen Against Surreal Backdrop
2008: As Yahoo was laying off its promised 1,000 workers.
Microsoft adCenter Says No To Spanish Landing Pages For US Traffic
2008: The landing page was targeting U.S.-based Spanish-speaking customers.
WPP To Consolidate Search Agencies Under GroupM And Outrider Brand
2008: This consolidation created a global search agency with offices on multiple continents.
Google On Centerfold Of Marie Claire
2008: The 12-page piece was named Fashion for Work at the Google Headquarters and highlighted model Britni Standwood throughout the Googleplex.
Google Maps Adds “Report Incorrect Data” Link
2007: For any unverified business listing, Google would show a “report incorrect data” link that took you to a page to easily notify Google of the problem.
Google Search Results Now May Display Malware Warnings
2007: Google’s “This site may harm your computer” message linked directly to a Google help document explaining the message in more detail.
Google Ads Getting New Google Checkout Badges
2007: The icon would be updated to a badge format similar to the Google Checkout buttons used by merchants since the program started.
Google Loses In Belgium Newspaper Case
2007: A Belgium court found that Google did violate copyright when including material from several Belgian newspapers in its search index.
InfoSpace Joins Forces With FAST For Mobile Search
2007: It sought to marry InfoSpace’s carrier relationships and content expertise with FAST’s search technology and PPC platform on mobile devices.
Wordtracker Adds UK Keywords Option To Keyword Tools
2007: Those wanting to target the UK region would have an option to specify UK keywords only and be shown related keywords based on that data.
SingingFish.com Now Redirects To AOL Video Search
2007: AOL purchased SingingFish.com in November 2003.
Special Valentine’s Day Cards For SEOs
2007: Messages included “I love you more than links from Google itself,” “Roses are red, violets are blue, link bait is fun and so are you.”
Eurekster Adds More ‘Wiki’ To Swickis
2007: Eurekster added Q&A functionality to Swickis (social site-search widgets) and the ability for site users to add links directly into the site’s index.
From Search Marketing Expo (SMX)
Past contributions from Search Engine Land’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
These columns are a snapshot in time and have not been updated since publishing, unless noted. Opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.
- 2020: No, the Google My Business description does not impact ranking by Joy Hawkins
- 2020: Leverage Python and Google Cloud to extract meaningful SEO insights from server log data by Charly Wargnier
- 2020: Microsoft Office hits pause on forcing Bing search in Chrome, Firefox by Detlef Johnson
- 2019: Death of the keyword: What it is (and is not) for retail by Andy Taylor
- 2018: How do you optimize content for a voice-first world? by Sherry Bonelli
- 2017: ‘Things to do near me’ SEO by Andrew Shotland
- 2017: 7 tips for small manufacturers thinking about using AdWords by Dianna Huff
- 2015: Is Your Local Site Mobile Friendly? Should It Be? by Rachel Lindteigen
- 2014: Why “Big Data” Won’t Win You The Battle For Online Revenue by Matt Ackley
- 2013: The Rise Of Programmatic Branding In RTB by Frost Prioleau
- 2013: How To Use Social Networks To Create Laser-Targeted B2B Advertising Campaigns by David Rodnitzky
- 2013: Search Funnel Data Now More Actionable In AdWords by Frederick Vallaeys
- 2012: 5 Rules To Turn Your Local Business Into A ‘Social’ Business by Myles Anderson
- 2012: The Challenge Of Justifying Enterprise SEO by Ian Lurie
- 2012: 7 Key Mistakes That Cost Advertisers ‘Mobile Super Bowl I’ by Brian Klais
- 2009: Tool Review: WordStream Helps SEM Pros Streamline & Segment Keyword Lists by Josh Dreller
- 2008: Designing And Owning Your “Search Shelf Space” by Robert J. Murray
- 2008: B2B Blogging: Using Thought Leadership To Drive Positioning & Sales by Galen DeYoung
- 2007: Sproose – A Social Search Engine by Phil Bradley
- 2007: You Hum It, These Search Engines Claim They’ll Find It by Phil Bradley
- 2007: Social Media Marketing Is Ethical! by Cameron Olthuis
< February 12 | Search Marketing History | February 14 >
