Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.
The US is considering breaking up Google as a remedy to it being a monopoly, including breaking off Android and Chrome and maybe Google Ads. Google Gemini Research may be the future of Google Search, maybe. Google Hotel listings are being hijacked with fake WhatsApp numbers and marked as permanently closed. Google Search Console only shows 35% of your data, it depends says Google. Apple Business Connect expands showcases for businesses.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
DOJ May Break Up Google: Separating Android & Chrome; Maybe Ads
US Considers a Rare Antitrust Move: Breaking Up Google, out of Bloomberg last night was the big business news from yesterday. How would Google be broken up? Well, they would diversify Android and Chrome and potentially try to force Google to sell “AdWords,” they mean Google Ads.
Google Gemini Research: Web Search & Adds Link Citations
We keep trying to understand if Google Search will change, if it will just be AI Overviews or if the change will be more drastic. Well, Google demoed Gemini Research, where Google uses AI to do your research, by curating information across the web to build a document that gives you a detailed researched answer.
Google Search Console Only Shows 35% Of Your Data? It Depends, Says Google.
When Google announced the new Google Search Console recommendations, one of the examples of the recommendations was to bulk export your data because “Search Console only shows 35% of your performance data.” Now, this is not new, we knew Google anonymized way too much of your data in Search Console, but now Google is showing how much in this example report.
Google Hotel Listings Under Siege: Fake WhatsApp Numbers & Marking As Closed
I am hearing reports of some spammers or hackers hijacking some Google Hotel listings by marking some hotels as permanently closed and also changing the phone numbers to WhatsApp numbers. This can be a huge concern for many hotel operators, but I am not sure how widespread the issue is.
Apple Business Connect Adds Showcase Enhancements & Updates
Apple Business Connect has added a new feature named Showcase enhancements. A “Showcase” allows you to share up-to-date information with your customers, like seasonal items or promotions. Apple extended these showcases for longer periods and more characters.
