Voice search reporting may be coming to Search Analytics report
Hints from Google seem to indicate that voice query reporting will feature in the Google Search Console’s Search analytic report, although the company has remained vague on when that might be.
John Mueller, Google Webmaster Trends Analyst, announced that Google is searching for ways to display voice queries to webmasters via the Google Search Console. Mueller explained that Google are looking for ways to divide up whether people search via voice or keyboard in the Search Analytics report. According to John, Google are seeking to “make it easier to pull out what people have used to search on voice and what people are using by typing. Similar to how we have desktop and mobile set up separately.”
John went on further, to explain that because voice searches are usually done with long sentences, Google Search Analytics may not detect the search volume for the topic and group it together it with less-common keywords. John explained they are still debating internally what the best way to circumvent this issue is.
Search Analytics report gets update
The way in which Google calculates impressions and clicks in the Search Analytics report within the Google Search Console has been updated. Google posted the following on their ‘data anomalies’ page:
We refined our standards for calculating clicks and impressions. As a result, you may see a change in the click, impression, and CTR values in the Search Analytics report. A significant part of this change will affect website properties with associated mobile app properties. Specifically, it involves accounting for clicks and impressions only to the associated application property rather than to the website.
In your Search Analytics report you will see a line saying ‘update’. This is in reference to the new metrics which will come into use as of the 26th of April. John Mueller, Google Webmaster Trends Analyst, explained: “Other changes include how we count links shown in the Knowledge Panel, in various Rich Snippets, and in the local results in Search (which are now all counted as URL impressions).”
While most users noticed no change in their Search Analytics report, Google suggested that mobile users might notice the largest difference.
Google’s mobile-friendly algorithm boost rolls out
Google has released their latest algorithm, which is designed to provide a ranking boost for mobile-optimised websites in the search results.
Google’s Webmaster Trends Analyst, John Mueller, took to Twitter to make the announcement of the second version of the mobile-favouring algorithm. Google had previously hinted they would boost the algorithm back in March.
Google’s stated intentions with the update are to “increase the effect of the [mobile-friendly] ranking signal.” Additionally, the company has said any sites which are already mobile-friendly needn’t worry, and won’t be affected by the update.
The mobile algorithm is a page-by-page signal, which is the reason the update has taken some time to roll out fully, as Google has to asses each page separately. This means the impact of the update can take time to materialise.
One concerned Tweeter asked John Mueller if this update meant “mobilegeddon”. “No, not really. :)” came the reply.
Google expands featured snippets
Google has begun to use extended feature snippets for certain queries. Featured snippets are the information displayed at the top of a search, before any site results. This information is displayed when Google is able to collect information that it is confident can answer your query immediately.
Now, Google has extended this feature, with ‘related topics’ appearing below lengthened snippets. The related topics contain a brief explanation and links to other Google queries.
by Joshua Carter
