November 2024 SEO Update: Key News on SEO, PPC, Ads, Google, Meta, Twitter, and OpenAI
Diwali is over, and whether or not you lit firecrackers, the digital marketing world has had its own set of fireworks this past month. There have been plenty of controversies, and unfortunately, some injuries as well.
Hello, everyone! I’m Anurag Tiwari from InnovativeZone India Magazine, and welcome to the latest update of SEO Last Month. In this article, we cover the most important developments in digital marketing, SEO, PPC, and social media from the past month.
Also, I’d like to mention that the official links to all the news we cover in this article will be in the description. That way, you can read the full details and verify the information for yourself. Remember: without verification, news is just an opinion, and everyone has one.
For now, what you need is the news and insights to help you keep learning and earning. Let’s dive into the updates.
3rd October – Bing’s Generative Search Experience Expands
Bing made some key announcements regarding its Generative Search Experience and Deep Search. This follows Google’s launch of its Search Generative Experience (SGE), which Bing now refers to as GSE. Along with this, the Deep Search feature has been integrated into every search result, giving users access to detailed information from the depths of Bing’s index.
The major update here is that Bing’s Generative Search Experience is now available for Informational Queries as well. Up until now, this feature was only available for more specific queries.
Bing’s approach here is quite smart. Unlike Google, which opened its Search Generative Experience to all kinds of queries—including bizarre ones like “What should be added to pizza?” (where Google’s AI suggested glue and fevicol!)—Bing has avoided such mistakes. Now, with the addition of Informational Queries, Bing is taking a more cautious, refined approach.
So, think of Bing’s Generative Search Experience as a summary generator based on AI models, similar to Google’s Search Generative Experience.
3rd October – Microsoft Copilot Ads Integration
On the same day, Microsoft made another big announcement—ads are now being integrated into Microsoft Copilot. This means that ads can now appear alongside answers provided by Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant. This is part of a broader push by Microsoft to incorporate advertising across all new features, following the trend of integrating ads with AI.
The good news here is that the ads will be shown below the answers, allowing users to easily access organic answers first. This new feature is called Ad Voice.
3rd October – Google Shows Ads in AIO
In another development on October 3rd, Google also began showing ads within Bing’s AIO (AI Optimized) answers. The ads are not a new type of ad but will be familiar to those in PPC: search ads, display ads, performance max ads, and even shopping ads may all appear alongside AI-generated answers. These ads will be tailored to users based on their search history and profile.
3rd October – Google Starts Showing AI-Organized Search Results for Travel and Food Queries
Another significant update from Google: AI-organized search results have now been rolled out in the US, focusing on the travel and food industries. These results are quite different from the traditional search engine results we’re used to.
Instead of the usual 10 blue links, users will see AI-curated carousels for things like food recipes or travel destinations. Google’s AI organizes search results by factors like ingredients, geography, user interests, and more. In this format, websites will no longer be ranked based on position but will be shown based on relevance within the carousel. This could make it harder to track ranking positions as clicks and impressions will matter more than traditional ranking metrics.
8 October – Google Merchant Center’s AI Video Tool
Google Merchant Center launched an AI-powered video creation tool in its Product Studio, which is currently available only in the US. This tool lets you create videos by turning your product photos into video content, with AI helping to enhance the visuals by adjusting backgrounds, rotating the product, and highlighting features.
While this tool could be useful for small businesses or those without a full creative team, serious advertisers with dedicated designers may find this feature less impactful. It’s more of a marketing tactic than a revolutionary tool for established brands.
9th October – Google Refutes DOJ’s Breakup Plan
On October 9th, Google posted a long refutation to a Department of Justice (DOJ) proposal that suggested breaking up Google’s business. This plan would separate Google’s search business from its advertising and Chrome business and even require Google to share its search impression and click data with competitors.
While this is a major legal development, it is unlikely to have an immediate impact on your marketing strategy. Legal processes like this can take years, and the outcome is still uncertain. So, while it’s important to stay informed, don’t worry about it affecting your day-to-day operations just yet.
10th October – Google Ads Data Retention Policy
Google Ads introduced a new data retention policy, effective from November 13th. Under this policy, Google will keep your account data for only 11 years. This includes billing information, payment details, and conversion tracking. If you need to download or save any old data, make sure to do so before November 13th, as it will be deleted after that.
15th October – Google’s AI-Powered Shopping Experience
On October 15th, Google launched its AI-powered Shopping Experience, starting in the US. This new feature customizes your Shopping homepage feed based on your search and shopping history. If you’ve viewed a product but didn’t purchase it, you’ll see it again in your feed, along with deals, discounts, and offers related to your interests.
Some of the notable features include dynamic filters, virtual try-ons, and enhanced product search powered by AI and AR. While these features aren’t groundbreaking, they’re being made more accessible to the public for the first time.
16th October – SEMrush Acquires Search Engine Land
SEMrush acquired Search Engine Land, a prominent publishing company within the SEO industry. While acquisitions like this aren’t unusual, SEMrush’s purchase of a major media company has sparked concerns. As a publicly traded company, SEMrush now controls a key publication that many in the SEO industry rely on for unbiased information. This could lead to less diversity in SEO-related content and reviews, especially for competitors like Ahrefs.
17th October – Prabhakaran Raghavan Becomes Google’s Chief Technologist
Google announced that Prabhakaran Raghavan has been appointed Chief Technologist. While this sounds like a promotion, it’s more of a symbolic role. Raghavan, who previously led Google Ads and Search, will report directly to Sundar Pichai, but his new title does not seem to carry any significant changes in responsibility. Raghavan has been instrumental in increasing Google’s ad revenue, though his actions have been controversial due to their impact on search quality.
21st October – Google Removes Site Link Search Box
Google has announced that it is removing the Site Link Search Box feature from search results. This feature, which allowed users to search directly within a website without visiting it, will no longer be supported in the search results. However, if you’ve already implemented this feature on your website, there’s no need to remove it. It will still be recognized but won’t be displayed in the results.
31st October – OpenAI Announces ChatGPT Search Feature
Finally, on October 31st, OpenAI launched its Search feature in ChatGPT for all paid users. This new feature allows users to search for information directly within ChatGPT, powered by search results. However, the current quality of the results is still subpar, and the feature feels more like a gimmick to compete with Google. OpenAI has not yet monetized this feature, and it remains to be seen how it will be implemented in the future.
That’s all the major news for October 2024. If we missed any important updates, let us know in the comments.
