Keeping up with SEO can feel like you’re constantly chasing after a moving target. Algorithms evolve, search engines get smarter, and what worked six months ago might not cut it today. If you want your website to rank, you need to be ahead of the curve. So, what’s been happening in the world of SEO this past month, and how can you leverage these updates for your small business or professional service?
In this monthly roundup, we’ll cover:
- Google’s increased transparency on AI-generated content in search and ads
- Key updates to Google’s crawler documentation
- New support for sale pricing in Google Shopping search results
- Support for AVIF image files in Google Search
- Tips on improving website speed
Now, here’s a breakdown of the biggest SEO updates from September 2024 and steps you can take right now to stay on top.
Google Pushes for More Transparency on AI-Generated Content
Google is stepping up its game when it comes to transparency around AI-generated content, and this shift couldn’t come at a better time. With AI now playing a massive role across the digital landscape, this move is crucial. Whether it’s in search results, ads, or YouTube, Google wants users to know when they’re interacting with AI-generated content versus human-made material.
Laurie Richardson, Google’s VP of Trust and Safety, recently shared how Google is collaborating with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) to tackle this issue. One of the most exciting initiatives is the implementation of Google DeepMind’s SynthID technology, which uses deep learning to watermark and identify AI-generated content. Over the next few months, expect these AI detection capabilities to roll out across platforms like Google Search and Ads.
So, what does this mean for you? As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, being upfront about its origins will help build trust with your audience. Plus, staying on top of these changes will ensure your content aligns with Google’s changing guidelines.
Google’s Crawler Documentation Just Got a Makeover
If you’re into technical SEO, here’s some good news: understanding how Google crawls your site just got easier. The tech giant has updated its crawler documentation, giving you a clearer picture of how its bots interact with your website. The new documentation breaks down which Google product each crawler affects and even gives you examples on how to configure your robots.txt file.
The expanded documentation also dives deeper into the content encodings supported by Google crawlers, like gzip, deflate, and Brotli. Why should you care? These encoding methods directly impact your site’s load speed and how easily Google can crawl your content.
Google also introduced a new section explaining that some user-triggered bots might bypass robots.txt rules, which is extremely useful if your site interacts heavily with Google products that rely on user actions.
If you haven’t updated your robots.txt or compression settings in a while, now’s a great time to optimize for faster loading times and better crawling behavior.
AVIF Image Support Added to Google Search
Google Search now supports AVIF images, and if you’re not using this format, you’re missing out. AVIF is an open-source image format that delivers high-quality visuals at a much smaller file size, meaning faster load times without sacrificing image quality—a win for both user experience and SEO.
No special configurations are needed to get your AVIF images indexed. Just start using them on your site, and Google will do the rest. Since AVIF is already supported by major web browsers and platforms like WordPress, CloudFlare, and Joomla, switching to this format can give your page speed metrics a nice boost. And as we all know, faster page speeds can directly impact your Google rankings.
If you’re still relying on older formats like JPEG or PNG, this is your sign to switch things up.
Google Introduces Support for Sale Pricing in Merchant Listings
If you run an e-commerce business, this one’s for you. Google just made it easier for merchants to display sale pricing in search results. With the latest update to merchant listing structured data, you can now show both the original price and the discounted price of your products.
Why is this important? Shoppers love seeing discounts right away, and when they do, they’re more likely to click through and make a purchase. Structured data, like the priceType property, ensures your discounted prices are displayed correctly, giving you a competitive edge.
It’s a small change, but one that can have a big impact on your visibility and conversion rates in Google Shopping.
Tips from Google on Speeding Up Your Website
Website speed has always been important, but with Google’s Core Web Vitals, it’s become even more critical. In a recent video, Google’s Martin Splitt shared a few tips for improving your site’s speed: reduce JavaScript usage, avoid unnecessary URL redirects, and optimize your images.
Optimizing your site speed not only improves user experience but can also boost your rankings in search results. Faster websites lead to better engagement, lower bounce rates, and ultimately, more conversions.
Keep Adapting or Risk Falling Behind
Stay ahead in SEO by keeping up with the latest updates. Implementing these changes can give your website the competitive edge it needs to rank higher and perform better. Whether it’s improving AI content transparency, optimizing for new image formats, or fine-tuning website speed, staying informed is key to long-term SEO success.
If you need help navigating these changes, Hawp Media is here to help. We specialize in local SEO and digital marketing strategies designed to get results for small businesses and professional services. Reach out today to get started.