Month: April 2015

Google has announced today that in order to help mobile searchers understand your website better in mobile search results they’re updating the algorithms that display URLs in the search results to better reflect the names of websites, using the real-world name of the site instead of the domain name, and the URL structure of the sites in a breadcrumbs-like format.

These changes are rolling out gradually and affect only mobile results.

Source:http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/better-presentation-of-urls-in-search.html

So far Google using App Indexing has already been helping people to engage Android app after they’ve installed it. Google also indicates that they have well over 30 billion links within apps indexed.

Google has now made next step, as of this week people searching on Google can also discover an app even if they haven’t installed it yet.

If you’re an app developer and have implemented App Indexing, then there is a big chance that if content from an app is relevant to a search done on Google on Android devices, people may start to see app install buttons for this app in search results. These buttons will take visitor to the Google Play store where they can install the app, then continue straight on to the right content within it.

Source:http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/drive-app-installs-through-app-indexing.html

Google announced on Wednesday 8th April;

“To make sure you’re not waiting on Google when you need it most, we’ve rolled out a streamlined Search results page that loads fast, even on those slow connections. You’ll get all the info you need in a simpler format that’s beautiful and easy to use. Best of all: there’s nothing new to download or update — the lighter version will kick in automatically when needed!”

Source: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+google/posts/XZo6qgrNDE9

Taking into the account almost 7 billion mobile contracts and over 30% smartphone penetration plus unstoppable growth in Africa and Asian countries this is very important development.

With mobile algorithm update closing by (21st April) John Muller has confirmed during Webmaster hangouts on 7th April that brand terms are unlikely to be affected even for the sites which aren’t mobile friendly;

“So in general, what happens with these kind of demotions is that we try to demote the sites a little bit and what will happen with a branded query or one where we know it is very navigation is we know that this is a really strong result and even if we demote it slightly it will still be up top. So it’s something where I’d say there is no effect at all on branded queries because there is somehow magically different. It’s just that these sites are often very relevant for these queries and even if they are slightly demoted then it is not going to drop them from page one or drop them, sometime snot even from the first position. So that is something where we don’t treat the brand queries in any way special there, but these pages are really relevant and sometimes even if they are demoted slightly, then there still the top result.”

Source; https://www.seroundtable.com/google-brand-mobile-friendly-algorithm-20115.html
Video source (John Muller 37:53) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipiV2EH8d-M#t=2273 ” title=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipiV2EH8d-M#t=2273

According to Google the upcoming algorithm update on the 21st will only impact searches done only on smartphones with exclusion to the tablet searches. This does not impact desktop searches and it does not impact tablet searches. That should definitely make life a bit easier and let’s hope Google will stick to its promise.

Source; https://twitter.com/googlewmc/status/583384126977363968