SEO Wash-up Monday 15th November 21

Google Update

Google hotel search results drops “website” button – It seems Google has dropped the ‘website’ button in the Google hotel search listings. Before, if you clicked on a hotel listing, the listing detail page would show a ‘website’ button. That button would take you to the hotel’s website landing page, to potentially book there.

Google allows sale of at home COVID-19 test kits – Google has updated its coronavirus disease policy, now allowing the sale both in paid ads and free listings of at home COVID-19 test kits. They mention that only test kits that are authorised by the FDA or your local governing body will be allowed.

They posted the policy update saying that at the beginning in September, they are relaxing the restriction of certain coronavirus related products on Shopping ads and free listings. Products like clothing, test kits, home goods, etc. that were previously disapproved due to the COVID-19 sensitive event are now eligible to serve on Shopping ads and free listings.

With the change, at-home COVID-19 test kits are now permitted on Shopping ads and free listings. Only test kits that are authorized by the FDA or your local governing body will be allowed. We will accept test kits where the sample is collected and analysed at home or test kits where the sample is collected at home and then sent to a lab for analysis. All products must also adhere to the specific legal requirements of the countries where they are offered.

Google ads advertiser pages – Google has said that new advertiser pages can be accessed under the about this ad button in the Google Ads. This works with the advertiser verification program that they have been covering for a while and it is now something Google is able to fully showcase.

They then mention to give users of their products even more transparency, they are enhancing ad disclosures with new advertiser pages. Users can access these disclosures in their new ‘About this ad’ menu to see the ads a specific verified advertiser has run over the past 30 days. These advertiser pages will launch in the US in the coming months and roll out to more countries next year.

Bing

Firefox now testing Bing as default search engine – The company, Mozilla who is behind the Firefox browser, are testing setting the default search engine to Microsoft Bing for 1% of its users. Mozilla mentioned in September that 1% of the Desktop user base will be experimenting with Bing as the default search engine. The study will last into early 2022, likely wrapping up by the end of January.

In 2020, Google renewed its search deal with Mozilla for another three years to be the default search provider. So why would Mozilla test Firefox as the default for 1% of its users then? Well, it does make sense for Mozilla to test things out, within the terms of its agreement with Google. Who knows what the future will bring for the organisation.