Welcome to the first installment of what will be a daily, ongoing feature here on Search Engine Land in 2023 – This day in search marketing history.
Search Engine Land has been the publication of record for all things search and search marketing since launching in 2006. And the founders of that 2006 team had been reporting on and educating the industry for about a decade prior to that (at Search Engine Watch).
So join us every day, as we rediscover the headlines and history of SEO, PPC and digital marketing from years gone by.
Also on this day
Happy New Year Google Doodles!
On Jan. 1, every year since 2000, Google has consistently given us Doodles, in lieu of any significant news of note to report on. Hey, it is a holiday after all. The editorial team is getting some much-deserved rest (not counting Barry, who is almost always working) and traffic is pretty dismal on New Year’s Day.
It’s been years since we covered Google’s special logos. But once upon a time, Search Engine Land was competing with countless other publishers in the hopes of driving some insanely huge search traffic by covering these celebratory Google Doodles:
2007: A particular bad week for Google resulted in this look back at a number of “tipping points” that Google had survived in prior years, including the infamous Florida Update of 2003.
Best | top | most popular Search Engine Land stories of the year
Jan. 1 can be a good day to take a final look back at the most popular stories from the past year. Check out what stories earned the most pageviews in prior years:
Since Search Engine Land launched, we have given SEO experts a platform to share their in-depth knowledge and timely insights – with the goal of helping you solve problems, manage challenges and understand the constantly shifting SEO landscape.
That’s why one of my top priorities this year was to help relaunch the Search Engine Land Subject Matter Expert program, which had been on pause for the most part for the past few years.
Below you’ll find links to the 10 most-read, must-read Search Engine Land SEO columns of 2022 that were contributed by our fantastic group of Subject Matter Experts.
I have to give some recognition to Olaf Kopp, who authored three of the 10 most popular SEO columns of the year. Amazing!
Analyzing the SERPs for these micro intents will help you create the right content that a searcher will want to find. (By Olaf Kopp. Published July 18.)
Google has reframed its definition of YMYL, revamped its definition of low-quality pages and more. Here are the details. (By Lily Ray. Published July 28.)
Gain powerful insights to inform your marketing efforts. Use the following advanced Google search operators and commands to your advantage. (By Jon Clark. Published Oct. 3.)
Is MUM Google’s next step toward becoming a purely semantic search engine? Learn what MUM could mean for the future of SEO. (By Olaf Kopp. Published April 15.)
Want to understand how machine learning impacts search? Learn how Google uses machine learning models and algorithms in search. (By Dave Davies. Published May 2.)
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SEOs may be in for another shakeup similar to Penguin's launch 10 years ago. Here's what you need to know about Google's new update. (By Marie Haynes. Published Aug. 22.)
Want to set up your WordPress site for better traffic and rankings? Make sure you're following these site settings to improve your SEO. (By John McAlpin. Published Sept. 15.)
See the results of a comparison of four leading SEO tools' keyword coverage for domains in the pharmaceutical space. (By Tylor Hermanson. Published Sept. 19.)
Since Search Engine Land launched, we have given PPC experts a platform to share their in-depth knowledge and timely insights – with the goal of helping you solve problems, manage challenges and understand the constantly shifting landscape of paid search, paid social and display.
That’s why one of my top priorities this year was to help relaunch the Search Engine Land Subject Matter Expert program, which had been on pause for the past few years.
Below you’ll find links to the 10 most-read, must-read Search Engine Land PPC columns of 2022 that were contributed by our fantastic group of Subject Matter Experts.
Before that, I have to give some special recognition to PPC expert Melissa Mackey, who authored the most viewed column of the year, which published Nov. 9 – 10 things to eliminate from your life to be more productive at work. That article isn’t included on our top 10 list because the insights can apply to anyone really – not just search marketers. Regardless, the article did monster numbers – in large part thanks to Google Discover.
Also, congratulations to Anthony Tedesco for authoring three of the top 10 most-read articles this year on Search Engine Land. Amazing.
Responsive Search Ads are a huge shift from the ETA format. Learn how RSAs work and get tips on how to get more out of them. (By Mona Elesseily. Published April 14.)
SEO and PPC are often at odds. Yet the things they “bicker over” are actually areas for improved workflow and channel optimization. (By Navah Hopkins. Published June 29.)
Learn the benefits of RSAs, how the transition from ETAs impacts you search strategy and how to write effective RSAs (By Jenny Mallory. Published May 3.)
Google Ads has clarified what identical keywords are. But does this tactic go against what Google has been preaching for years? (By Greg Finn. Published June 29.)
Learn how to use Excel pivot tables to QA bulk sheets, plus some tips and shortcuts to enhance your pivot table skills. (By Anthony Tedesco. Published Nov. 7.)
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Investment in brand keywords is critical because it allows you to directly influence your brand’s presentation on the SERP. (By Anthony Tedesco. Published July 5.)
Set yourself up for more success. Learn how to take your PPC dashboard from good to great using Google Looker Studio. (By Amy Hebdon. Originally published March 10, updated and republished Oct. 31.)
Maximize your performance with Google Ads Performance Max. Here's everything you need to know to set up PMax for success. (By Menachem Ani. Published July 22.)
Use these tips to quickly analyze performance data and identify high-impact PPC optimizations that will move the needle. (By Anthony Tedesco. Published Aug. 24.)
2022 was a wild ride and we’re not just talking about NyQuil chicken or the slap heard ‘round the world at the Oscars. The digital marketing world was inundated with a new Chief twit, old platforms making comebacks (enter Microsoft), and more campaign automation features then we really care for.
As the year comes to a close, let’s take a look at some of the most headline-worthy, controversial, biggest-impacting changes that rocked the PPC world over the last 12 months.
The bigger picture
We asked and you answered. This year marketers told us that although the adoption of Google Ads automation is high, it’s their least favorite part of PPC. The gradual loss of control, as well as forcing automation and broad targeting on marketers, doesn’t give us that warm and fuzzy feeling after all. Who knew?
But automation and economic uncertainty aside, search advertising is thriving and spending in 2023 could hit $112 billion (nearly double the spend in 2019). Google dominates that spend, holding over 56% of ad revenue. Even Black Friday and Cyber Monday hit record numbers this year. So it’s no surprise that digital marketing ranks in the top 3 hottest skills Americans are learning in 2022.
Speaking of skills, our Search Engine Land PPC Award winners were announced. NP Digital was the big winner this year, taking home Agency of the Year along with 2 other awards. Streamline Results took Small Agency of the Year, and Workshop Digital blew us away with Best B2B Search Marketing Initiative. And who can forget Melissa Liu from RPA taking home Search Marketer of the Year. Congrats to all of our winners!
Security concerns and legal woes
Google had to tighten their policies surrounding explicit content after Reuters found illicit ads advertising liquor, sex toys, and high-risk investments. Large brands are even leaving Twitter after finding their ads next to adult, harmful, or violent content. More about Twitter later.
Google security remained in the spotlight when Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) wrote a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai claiming that Google wasn’t doing enough to crack down on deceptive ads originating from their platform. The claim was citing an investigation from last year claiming that Google advertisers are impersonating government websites and purchasing ads in an effort to scam consumers.
Location data concerns also plagued Google and they were sued by Washington D.C. attorney general Karl Racine. Lawsuits were also filed in additional states.
But Google users concerned about privacy and security may be happy to know that Google updated their My Ad Center features to allow for more control.
TikTok, though making aggressive moves toward a more secure and safe platform, isn’t a stranger to security flaws. The FCC even told (recommended?) that Google and Apple remove it from their app stores for breaching user data. The request claims that U.S. data had been accessed by China and that “TikTok poses an unacceptable national security risk due to its extensive data harvesting being combined with Beijing’s apparently unchecked access to that sensitive data.”
Speaking of TikTok, in an effort to play nice, the social media platform banned political fundraising and started requiring accounts that belong to U.S. government departments, politicians, and political parties to be verified.
We can’t talk about safety and security without talking about Meta. From 12:01 AM PT on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, through 11:59 PM PT on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, no new ads about social issues, elections, or politics were allowed to be published, and most edits will be prohibited. This policy runs every year and is likely in response to the 2016 presidential election.
Hot topics
Russia declared war in Ukraine. In response, Google and Microsoft Bing halted ad sales in Russia. A smart, necessary move to protest Russia’s actions in Ukraine, but they also help search engines avoid brand safety debacles like misinformation campaigns making it through their automated systems and showing to users.
In July Google eased ad restrictions for at-home abortion providers, making it easier for at-home abortion providers to distinguish themselves from other services that try to discourage the practice. Telemedicine providers who mail FDA-approved medications to people looking for at-home abortions previously weren’t allowed to label themselves as abortion providers. But in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturn of Roe v. Wade, Google has amended its policies.
Gmail, YouTube, Smart Shopping updates; and is Google Search getting worse?
Freakonomics podcast asked us if Google Search was getting worse. What do you think? According to their research, maybe.
Google launches automated vehicle ads and are designed to allow auto advertisers to promote their entire vehicle inventory to potential customers on Google.com. This format includes an image of the vehicle, make, model, price, miles and the advertiser’s name.
Google Analytics 4 enhanced measurement for forms. Google has added an enhanced measurement option for Form interactions. Now you can not only see when a form has been submitted, but you can also see when one has been started by a new user. Score one for lead gen marketers!
Cookies will remain active on Chrome until 2024. In July, Google announced that their Sandbox initiative has been delayed and developers are aiming for a Q3 2023 launch. Google developers also predict that it will start phasing out third-party cookies in the second half of 2024 – not 2023 like originally planned.
Microsoft is making a giant comeback
Microsoft isn’t new to PPC. But over the years it’s become third, fourth, or even fifth string to Google, Meta, twitter, LinkedIn, and even TikTok. But 2022 impressed us with just the sheer volume of new, improved, and updated features that Microsoft released.
One of the biggest announcements this year was the acquisition of AT&T’s Xandr. By joining forces, Microsoft hopes to combine their audience intel and technology with Xandr’s powerful platform. This could allow Microsoft to leverage their audience network and provide additional inventory such as native video and digital TV.
Microsoft even announced plans to double the size of its ad business to $20 billion. I’d say they’re on the right track, since they also launched in 29 more countries in Europe and Africa.
As if this year couldn’t be any more busy, they also won the bid to partner with Netflix for their ad supported tier. The deal gives Microsoft access to a quality streaming video inventory – something they previously lacked.
New launches
Cruise Ads were launched and appear on the right-hand side of the Bing search results and appear alongside mainline text ads. They can trigger for queries such as cruise name, location, length, etc.
Multimedia Ads. The new video and image formats are “infographic-inspired,” meant to “innovate and disrupt web search.”
New ad type for service providers. Professional service ads can also be used to promote regional offices, branches or even national brands that provide relevant services.
Cash back incentives. This is a new ad offering that will incentivize shoppers via a rebate upon purchase. Microsoft will choose the “right amount of cashback for the right ad and right user” allowing for advertisers to gather the best possible return on ad spend.
Crypto exchange ads are now allowed on the platform, with pre-approval of course.
The dreaded auto-apply of recommendations has hit Microsoft, too. In February, auto-apply was out of beta and users started seeing recs being applied to their accounts.
Meta stayed pretty quiet in 2022. With Zuck focusing so much time and resources on the Metaverse, they didn’t launch as many new products or features as Google or Microsoft. That said, there were still a few new developments.
Branded content on Reels was rolled out. Creators can now use the ‘Paid Partnerships with’ label on organic posts, and participating sponsors will be able to easily convert them to Branded Content Ads.
An HUD settlement changed the way meta delivers ads so advertisers will have a tougher time targeting certain interests and demographics for housing ads.
The Media Rating Council (MRC), has just given Facebook’s parent company Meta accreditation for their brand-safety efforts on Facebook In-Stream Video and Instant Articles in desktop, mobile web and mobile in-app.
Facebook live shopping is also going away. Live shopping allowed brands to connect with buyers, but Facebook thinks there’s more value in short-form videos and is shifting its focus to Reels.
Twitter – where do we even begin
Twitter has had an interesting year. It’s not even over and new Chief twit Elon Musk is still making headlines. As always, we try our best to keep you updated with the latest news, as it happens. But Twitter updates are happening faster than we can report, so thanks for sticking around while we try to navigate what’s post-worthy and what’s too ridiculous to even mention.
But despite all the drama, Twitter has released a few new useful tools and features. Let’s take a look.
Twitter tests 3 new ad formats. Twitter is piloting three new ad types – Interactive Text, Product Explorer, and Collection ads. Only a few brands have access to them, but the new ad types will be visible to all U.S. Twitter users (iOS, Android and the web).
Twitter now has podcasts. In August, Twitter introduced podcasts as a way to give listeners more opportunities to connect with podcast creators.
But the longer videos and descriptions wasn’t enough to keep creators happy. In July we reported that TikTok’s history of low Creator Fund payouts were forcing some influencers to leave the platform for good. Some creators claim they’re paid between $0.02 – $0.03 per one thousand video views. Yikes!
Shopping confusion
You would think that TikTok would be doing everything they could to get a leg up on other social and ad platforms. So it was surprising when Meta announced their plans to scale back on shopping, TikTik followed suit with its own announcement to abandon plans to bring shopping into the US. Though, understandably after a disastrous launch in the UK.
But just one month later, TikTok announced three new shopping ad features, including video, catalog, and LIVE ads. So what gives?
For their LIVE feature, they aimed at enhancing the experience and promoting greater brand safety, something that the app has been accused of neglecting in the past.
They did this by introducing:
The introduction of Multi-Guest
Increasing the LIVE minimum age from 16 to 18
Introducing safety reminders for all LIVE guests
I think they were hoping that brands that saw features being cut on Meta would abandon the platform and move to TikTok. But has that happened? We shall see.
And to further compete with Meta, TikTok also launched Photo Mode as well as 7 other photo editing features including:
Edit clips: Stack, trim, and split video clips
Edit sounds: Cut, trim, and set the duration for sounds
Edit and position text: More easily edit, position, and set the duration for text
Add overlays: Add photo and video overlays for picture-in-picture (or video-in-video) stacking
Adjust video speed: Speed or slow the pace of video clips
Frame content: Rotate or zoom in and out of frame of individual clips
Add sound effects. Add musical soundtracks to videos and photo carousels
Look familiar?
Competing with Amazon, too?
But Meta isn’t the only media giant TikTok is going after. In November, they launched TikTok Shop, where users can now make purchases directly through the app. At the time of this publishing, TikTok is currently inviting select U.S. businesses to participate in the initiative. That means live streamers from places where the feature is not live will need to continue directing shoppers to third-party websites.
Apple
Apple is trying its hardest to join the ad game, but unless you’re a publisher or game developer, there aren’t a ton of options for you right now. But nevertheless, Apple made some noteworthy changes and updates this year. Let’s take a look.
Apple is expanding ads on iPhone and iPad. Display ads are currently shown in the search tab. But soon Apple will expand the ads to the main Today tab as well as in third-party app download pages, according to Bloomberg. For search ads in the app store, developers can pay to have their apps featured in the results when users search terms related to the app.
Apple Search campaigns shifting to cost-per-tap (CPT) pricing model. Starting in June, Apple shifted their model to Cost-per-Tap, or CPT. CPT is Apple’s version of CPC, or cost per click. It is calculated by dividing your total spend by the number of taps your ad received.
Other platforms making headlines
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that there are plenty of other platforms that made waves in 2022. Although these may not have been big enough to deserve their own category, they definitely deserve mentioning.
Instacart releases a new, streamlined ad creation process. The new ad creation process has advertisers first enter an objective; either reach, engage, or maximize sales. That first initial choice informs the available options and recommendations made downstream in the campaign creation.
Instacart has launched Coupons and Stock Up & Save promotion campaigns in Ad Manager. Instacart advertisers will now have more options to promote their products on the platform. This week, Promotions were launched in the Ad Manager, giving brands access to Coupons, and Stock Up & Save campaigns. Soon, Instacart will improve on the new Promotions offering with Free Gifts, and Buy One, Get One (BOGO).
Walmart
Walmart is expanding their self-service Marketplace platform. Search Brand Amplifier gives products listed in the Walmart marketplace higher visibility by boosting advertised products to the top of search results. Walmart says this benefits newer and smaller brands that haven’t achieved high organic listings within the Walmart platform.
Walmart is now selling ads on TikTok, Roku, and Snap. For the first time ever, Walmart has expanded its ad reach beyond its own ecommerce platform by powering ads on TikTok, Roku, and Snap. They’ll also have the capability to measure any sales that come from those ads.
LinkedIn
A podcast network aimed at professional audiences. The LinkedIn Podcast Network is a pilot program that will include shows about topics such as technology, recruiting and mental health, from external experts as well as its own in-house news team.
LinkedIn announces Business Manager. Finally! The new Business Manager will aim to simplify how marketers keep track of their accounts by offering their Campaign Manager and Pages options easily visible from a central location.
Uber ads are coming, and they’re already raising privacy concerns. Ubers’ new journey ads will be shown in the Uber app at least three times during the riders’ journey. The new feature will let brands place ads using data drawn from riders’ travel history and their precise geographic destinations, according to Uber.
SMX Advanced and SMX Next
We can’t wrap up our 2022 year in review without talking about SMX. We had 2 epic virtual conferences this year with expert speakers discussing topics such as how to leverage automated bidding to finding success with an audience-first strategy. Let’s take a look back.
SMX Advanced
Brad Geddes kicked us off with a keynote on how to audit your Google ads account like a pro.
Christine Zirnheld showed us how to layer on the automation by combining automation options.
Frederick Vallaeys taught us how to create better ads in a world with only RSAs.
Anthony Tedesco showed us how to level up our analytical skills using Excel.
Well that’s a wrap on 2022. What a year it’s been. Looking forward to 2023 I think we’re going to see more automation, a bigger push into GA4 as Universal Analytics gets sunsetted, big moves from Microsoft and other smaller platforms like Walmart and Instacart, and privacy-first strategies as third-party cookies finally retire.
When you go to the Google homepage, you’ll most likely know what you’re about to type into the search box – whether you’re checking in on the weather forecast, looking for a business or service, or want to find out where you recognize that actor from. (Unless you’re “feeling lucky,” that is.)
You enter a word or a single letter, and Google will populate the search box with a list of “predictions” before you’ve even finished typing. This Google feature is called Autocomplete.
But what exactly is it? How does Google come up with those predictions? Read on to find out how Google Autocomplete works.
What is Google Autocomplete?
Autocomplete is a feature within Google Search that, in Google’s own words, is “designed to make it faster to complete searches that you’re beginning to type.”
Starting as an experimental feature in 2004, it was fully introduced four years later as Google Suggest and was renamed Autocomplete in 2010.
It is available anywhere you can expect to find a Google search box, including:
The Google home page.
The Google app for iOS and Android.
The quick search box from within Android.
The “Omnibox” address bar within Chrome.
Begin typing, and you’ll see predictions appear.
In the screengrab above, you can see that by typing “new y” Google brings up predictions such as “new york times” or “new york Yankees.”
This makes it easy to finish entering your search on these topics without typing all the letters. The predictions change in real-time in response to each character being typed into the search box.
The user then has the option to continue typing their desired query or choose from the dropdown selection.
But if you know what you’re searching for, why do you need Google to tell you?
It saves time. While Autocomplete began as a desktop search feature all those years ago, it has become a popular time-saving feature on mobile devices.
Google Search doesn’t quite know how to read minds. Instead, it makes calculated predictions by looking at searches made by real people.
Autocomplete displays common and trending queries relevant to the characters entered into the search bar.
Here are some key factors used by Autocomplete to predict search queries:
Overall popularity.
Trending topics.
Search history.
Location.
Put simply, the results shown are influenced by things you’ve previously searched for, the location you’re searching from, and the search term data that Google has gathered – using all of this data to automatically predict what you’re looking for.
Let’s take a closer look at each factor.
The popularity of search queries
When it comes to predicting search queries, popularity often walks hand in hand with what’s trending. But trends can fade over time, whereas one or more subjects might always be commonly linked together.
While some searches are far more common than others, some less popular searches might be shown above more common ones if Google deems them more relevant, the company says. In short, personalized > popular.
Trending searches
We’ve all heard of Google Trends, the website that analyzes the popularity of top search queries across various regions and languages. Well, this isn’t that.
A current trending search is a term or phrase that suddenly spikes in popularity. As people flock to Google to ask the same question, the query can appear as a suggestion, even if it hasn’t gained long-term popularity.
Google uses the following example to explain:
When actress Anna Paquin was getting married, “Anna Paquin wedding” began appearing as a suggestion just before her big day. The term was useful to suggest, as many people were starting to search for it.
If Google had relied solely on long-term data, then the “suggestion” wouldn’t have appeared as an option in the search box, as it hadn’t widely been searched for previously.
And today, Autocomplete no longer offers the term as it didn’t harness enough long-term popularity (though “Anna Paquin married” has stuck).
Previous search queries
The predictions dropdown list will include a variation of topics and questions depending on who is doing the searching. To speed up the search process and identify what you might be looking for, Google sifts through your past searches.
In the example below, you can recognize that a previous search result appears because the text is highlighted in purple.
On desktop, you’ll also see the word “Remove” appear next to the prediction, which you can click if you want to delete the past search.
However, on mobile, things look a little different. You’ll see a clock icon on the left for previous searches and an X button on the right to remove it.
You can also delete all your previous searches in bulk or by particular dates or those matching particular terms using My Activity in your Google Account, regardless of the device you use to search.
Language and location
With a service that seems so personalized, it’s perhaps no surprise that not everyone receives the same suggestions. Among the factors that can tailor your experience is the language you’re searching in and the location you’re searching from.
The country, the state or province, and even the city can all produce different suggestions – whether it’s where you currently live or are originally from.
Different suggestions will also appear if you’ve told Google that you prefer to search in a particular language or based on the language Google assumes you use, as determined by your browser’s settings.
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Google outlines that Autocomplete makes "predictions" rather than "suggestions."
This could be due to several controversial and legal claims previously made which suggested that Google was promoting harmful, offensive and/or inaccurate information by suggesting certain search queries.
When rebranding in October 2010, Google moved away from "Suggest" since it's not always offering the most thoughtful, caring, or appropriate term.
The company prefers to use "predictions" and is committed to bettering the service by taking on feedback and monitoring searches.
In addition, Autocomplete is designed to help people complete a search they intended to do. The feature offers predictions based on the query you were likely to continue entering.
While the results show depend on several factors outlined above, Google removes predictions that are against its autocomplete policies, which block:
Sexually explicit predictions that do not cover or relate to medical, scientific, or sex education topics.
Hateful predictions against groups and individuals based on race, religion, sexuality or other demographics.
Violent or harmful predictions.
Dangerous and harmful activity in predictions.
Google may also remove predictions considered spam, closely associated with piracy, or in response to valid legal requests.
How do inappropriate Autocomplete predictions happen?
While Google has systems designed to automatically catch inappropriate predictions, the search engine processes billions of daily searches.
Billions of searches mean billions of predictions, which means that sometimes, inappropriate predictions can slip through the net.
While some predictions may seem odd, shocking or make you question why someone might want to search for it, looking at the actual search results generated sometimes provides needed context.
In some cases, the search results themselves may make it clearer that predictions don't necessarily reflect awful opinions which some people may hold but instead may come from those seeking specific content that's not problematic.
This is why popular searches measured in our Google Trends tool might not appear as predictions within Autocomplete.
Google Trends is a tool designed as a way for anyone to research the popularity of search topics over time, regardless of the search intent.
How to report inappropriate Autocomplete predictions
If you spot something which doesn't feel right, makes you uncomfortable or might offend someone, you can report using the "Report inappropriate predictions" link, which appears below the search box on desktop.
For those searching on mobile or using the Google app for Android, long press on a prediction to get a reporting option. Those using the Google app on iOS can swipe to the left to get the reporting option.
Google reassures users that they don't just remove a reported prediction that violates their policies but also investigate closely related predictions to provide a broader solution and prevent inappropriate predictions from being made in the future.
More than just Autocomplete
Google Autocomplete benefits all types of users, helping them to make searches and load pages more quickly.
Whether you're looking to inform your marketing strategy, generate content ideas, research keywords or explore search intent, Autocomplete can be a valuable tool.
Search and digital marketers use it to find out what people are actively searching for so they can better meet their customers' needs.
On January 20, 2023, Google will update its Dangerous Products and Services and Healthcare and Medicines ads policies to allow for the promotion of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals containing cannabidiol (CBD) and topical, hemp-derived CBD products with THC content of 0.3% or less in California, Colorado, and Puerto Rico.
Why we care. If you’re a brand or advertiser for CBD products in the three approved locations, the new policies will allow you to advertise if you are certified by Google. Advertisers can request certification with Google starting on January 20, 2023, when the form is published.
Certification from LegitScript. Google will only allow CBD products that have been certified by LegitScript to be promoted. The certification process will require that any product that is going to be advertised adhere to the following:
Provide samples of their product to test for compliance with legal THC limits
Provide LegitScript a third-party Certificate of Analysis
Still not allowed. Certain formats, including YouTube Masthead, will not be eligible for serving. CBD will be removed from the Unapproved Pharmaceuticals and Supplements list. All ads promoting other CBD-based products, including supplements, food additives, and inhalants, remain disallowed.
Dig deeper. Review the announcement from Google here.
Microsoft’s Fabrice Canel has said that in early January 2023, the new BingBot will be responsible for 100% of Bing’s crawling activity. The new user agent is now responsible for about 50% of all crawls.
January 2023. Next month, in the coming weeks, the new BingBot user agent will be responsible for 100% of all crawling from Bing. Fabrice Canel wrote, “will go to 100% early January” for BingBot’s new name. He added they are still at 50% now because they wanted to be extra safe.
Old user-agent. Microsoft said it would stop using its historical user agent by the Fall of 2022. That user-agent looks like this: Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; bingbot/2.0; +https://ift.tt/J3crUTH)
New user-agent. Bing will use a user-agent that identifies the specific version of Microsoft Edge is crawling your site. Here is the format for both desktop and mobile:
Mobile – Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 6.0.1; Nexus 5X Build/MMB29P) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/W.X.Y.Z Mobile Safari/537.36 (compatible; bingbot/2.0; +https://ift.tt/J3crUTH)
“W.X.Y.Z” will be substituted with the latest Microsoft Edge version Bing is using, for eg. “100.0.4896.127″.
Why we care. You probably should have been prepared for this change since it was announced back in 2019. But in any event, this change can impact your site if you have any user agent detection methods for BingBot. Make sure to test your site to see if it supports the new user agent. Most sites probably do not need to worry about this, but if you have done any advanced bot detection, you may need to take steps to update those scripts.
In this article, we’re sharing everything we learned – along with insights from the TikTokers well-versed in increasing views, engaging users and growing a following.
Find out how the TikTok algorithm works, what you need to do to create a winning video, and decide whether TikTok can benefit your brand.
The TikTok algorithm is a recommendation system that determines the videos you see on your app. Like any good algorithm, it works to bring relevant content that you enjoy based on your interests.
Recommendation systems are used all around us in the digital world and not new. Many platforms, including Netflix, use them to deliver you the content you like the most.
The purpose of a recommendation system is to share content that users like based on their preferences and those of people in similar demographics.
The TikTok recommendation system and algorithm centers around the “For You” page.
What is the For You feed?
The For You feed (a.k.a., For You page or FYP) is a curated stream of videos, a unique and tailored feed to the user’s interests.
Although TikTok users will see the same videos, your FYP is totally unique and curated only for you.
When you open the app, you land on this feed first. The great news is that you can curate your own FYP by interacting with the app.
When you first join TikTok, your FYP will likely be curated by the interests within your demographic based on the information you gave (i.e., age, gender and interests).
It’ll be a broad approach until you show TikTok what you want to see more of.
Let’s take a look at the actions that influence the algorithm.
User interaction includes actions that users take on a particular video. These interactions can be negative or positive.
A positive interaction will cause the app to show you more of the same, and a negative interaction will do the opposite. More on negative actions and their impact on “What the algorithm won’t show.”
Positive interactions include engagements like:
Posting a comment.
Following an account.
Liking a video.
Video watch time.
As a creator, knowing how the TikTok algorithm works means that you know what to ask from your viewers to increase the right sort of engagement.
User interactions in practice
User engagements are certainly a factor in the algorithm, and TikTokers know it.
The TikTok algorithm got it right when it put the below viral video on my FYP a few weeks ago. I don’t engage with TikTok videos very often, but I did like the below video and left a comment about how wholesome the content was. I didn’t want to follow the creator, but I enjoyed the brief interaction.
The video amassed 785,200 links, 9060 comments, 76,900 saves and 5,579 shares. Most impressively, the video has 6,000,000 views.
Thanks to my like and comment, when the creator made a second, similar/follow-up video, it landed on my FYP.
The second video didn’t quite have the same magic, but the virality of video one certainly helped the creator’s second video land in the right places based on previous user interaction.
To TikTok’s credit, there seems to be a level of trust in the TikTok algorithm.
On some of the most engaging videos – or videos made in a series – you’ll often see comments like, “Trusting the algorithm to bring me back.”
TikTokers might comment something like this when they want to show the algorithm that they’re interested in the content but (perhaps) don’t want to follow the creator.
In the video below, a creator reminds viewers they can hit the follow instead of trusting the algorithm. A follow is a desirable action for creators as it almost guarantees the user will see more of their content.
As a creator, you want to encourage user interactions. You can achieve this by creating great content, but you can inspire meaningful action from passive viewers with a call to action.
TikToker Tyla Brimblecombe from Styla Socials explains the importance of a call to action in her TikTok.
“We all know the most important metric on TikTok is watch time… someone is scrolling on the For You feed, they see your video, they like it, they make it all the way to the end. When they see your call to action, ‘take a look at my other videos,’ they click on your profile, they check out your other videos, which lets TikTok know your content is valuable and is going to push your content out to a wider audience.”
2. Factor: Video information
According to TikTok documentation, video information includes:
Sounds
Captions
Hashtags
Video descriptions
Text overlays
Video information in practice
TikTok is well known for its association with trending sounds. With a trending sound, the TikTok algorithm can identify a group of people who are likely to engage with a video based on previous user interactions. If a user watches a video to the end each time a certain sound is used, they are likely enjoying the content and want to see more of it.
It’s important to note that trending sounds are not just viral dances. Brands can use sounds to get fast visibility to a wider audience.
“Creating ‘viral’ content seemed challenging in the early days as a lot of the trending music wasn’t available for business accounts. The way around this was to opt for trending sounds when we wanted to create relatable, relevant content for the platform. This meant, as a brand, we leaned into trends without any copyright infringement. This might be a useful tactic for other small brands in the early stages of content creation on the platform.”
With early adoption of a trending sound, Skincian’s most viral video received 50,900 views, 2,142 likes, and 40 engaged comments. The video introduced the brand to their TikTok audience.
TikTok creators are finding that video information contributes significantly to video success.
Kate Smoothy from Web Hive Digital is a TikTok creator.
Smoothy shares that captions, hashtags, and video descriptions are a core part of her strategy. She says:
“I can’t express enough how much you have to caption your videos. This is essential for those without hearing but for those who prefer to scroll through TikTok without the sound on. You’ll significantly reduce your audience size and reach without captions. There has never been a better time to include keywords in your TikTok descriptions. We’re seeing a huge shift with the platform where videos optimized for their search feature seem to perform better.”
Smoothy credits the inclusion of video information tactics with the success of her “super low effort marketing hack video.”
The video has 92,400 views, and amassed 5,913 likes, 91 comments, and 740 shares.
The keywords used in the video description, within the text overlay and within the video description have communicated to TikTok what the video is about. This resulted in the video ‘ranking’ for the search term ‘marketing hack’ and ‘marketing tips’ within TikTok’s search feature.
How to use video information
The top tip from TikTok experts is to conduct keyword research using the TikTok app, then use keywords in your video, captions and hashtags.
TikTok is clear that device and account settings receive lower weight in the algorithm.
Some of the more obvious factors include language preference and country setting. It makes sense that users want to see videos in the language they speak.
TikTok also includes device type in its algorithm. They may prefer to show you videos that your device can play seamlessly since this would lead to a positive user experience for people using older phones or smaller screens.
Keywords and the TikTok algorithm
In recent months there has been a lot of talk from TikTokers about a change in the TikTok algorithm and how TikTok now prioritizes keywords.
If you search “TikTok Algorithm Change,” you’ll find people saying a lot of the same thing – TikTok SEO is becoming more prevalent.
Captions and hashtags are words that help contextualize videos. If captions are a contributing factor, it suggests that words – or keywords – contribute to the TikTok algorithm.
We also know that TikTok users can limit content based on keywords (more on that later).
TikTok SEO and Google
To further explore TikTok SEO and how this transpires on the world’s most loved search platform, Google. We ran some tests to explore Google’s indexation of TikTok videos.
When you search for “TikTok recipes” on Google, you’d expect to return TikTok videos. But what we found was the contrary.
Google prioritized websites sharing TikTok’s viral recipe trends. TikTok ranked with a tag page in the eighth search position. Considering the relevancy to the search term, this isn’t an overly strong rank.
In the Video results, TikTok ranked sixth below five YouTube videos. It makes sense that Google would prioritize its owned channel, YouTube, above TikTok.
It is worth noting that videos featured in the TikTok recipes tag all featured the hashtag #recipes in the caption. Captions help the TikTok algorithm sort videos by topic and could even boost visibility via Google search.
As shown in the screenshot, the caption includes the hashtag #recipes, suggesting that keywords are relevant to the TikTok algorithm.
So, what does this mean?
Creators should use relevant keywords in their captions and hashtags.
According to TikTok documentation, captions and hashtags are contributing to the TikTok algorithm.
For increased visibility in Google, consider sharing your video on other platforms, like YouTube Shorts.
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Let's clear up some commonly held misconceptions about TikTok.
Myth: You need to post daily
Posting 1-3 TikTok videos daily is a common recommendation for new TikTokers. However, TikTok's guidelines make it clear that it's not required for growth.
That said, it may be useful to test different videos. TikTok's documentation advises that experimenting with videos you share and posting quality content is more useful to keep an audience engaged.
Myth: Creators in the TikTok Creator Fund get more discoverability
The good news is: you do not need to be in the creator fund to increase your chances of discoverability.
Those in the TikTok Creator Fund are more likely to earn increased engagement, but this is because these TikTokers know how to create great content that engages the community.
Myth: TikTok is only for short-form videos
Although TikTok started as an app with seven-second videos, the maximum video length has since increased.
Within the app, you can create videos that are 15 seconds, 60 seconds, or three minutes long.
Alternatively, you can create extended videos and upload them to the TikTok app.
TikTok doesn’t mention longer videos earning favor in the algorithm, but they do seem to be sharing reasons why longer videos are engaging with creators.
With a recommendation system, it would be easy for TikTok to become repetitive, showing only similar videos. Equally, it could be easy for TikTok to show unwanted content to its viewers.
TikTok is taking measures to make TikTok a better place for everyone. Here's what TikTok won't show in the FYP.
Duplicate content
TikTok says that too much of anything can get tiresome.
The TikTok algorithm works to deliver the platform’s mission to inspire creativity and bring joy.
To achieve this, TikTok avoids recommending similar content around potentially problematic subjects such as extreme dieting or fitness, sadness, or breakups.
TikTok wants to protect its users from viewing content that may cause distress if viewed together but might be okay as a single video.
This type of restriction is positively compounded by the “not interested” and “keyword filtering” features.
Content marked ‘Not interested’
TikTok lets users control what they want or don't want to see on the platform.
Viewers can press and hold the screen on any TikTok video and select any of the following options:
Save video: A positive video engagement indicator for the algorithm.
Clear mode: View videos without usernames and captions, etc.
Report: This action indicates that a video goes against TikTok's Community Guidelines and must be addressed.
Not interested: This tells the TikTok algorithm that you, as a viewer, don't like a particular piece of content. In return, you will see less of it.
If a viewer clicks "Not interested," you can expect this to influence the algorithm and their FYP.
Content including filtered keywords
Users can tell TikTok what they don't want to see by heading to the menu in the top right and navigating to Settings and privacy > Content preferences > Filter video keywords.
Here, you can add keywords and filter videos from users you're following and/or the FYP.
Content created by those under 18
In its commitment to keeping the app a safe place for all, TikTok introduced measures to protect its younger users.
Children or teenagers under 18 can't feature content on the Explore feed – meaning their content and profiles are not so easy for other TikTok users to come across.
7 tips for working with the TikTok algorithm and going viral
Some top TikTok creators provide some best practices for creating video content that might gain the algorithm's favor.
By creating one, you'll be able to see insights on:
Weekly and monthly views.
Follower growth.
Trending videos.
If you're a lover of in-depth analytics, this might be for you.
But it's important to note that TikTok's guidance advises against creating content primarily around analytics. Instead, think of the bigger picture when creating content.
Tip 2: Find your niche
Finding a niche on TikTok gives you a greater understanding of the bigger picture.
If you know what niche you fall into, you can explore topics using the search bar and see exactly which videos perform well, so you can recreate something like them.
No matter how much the algorithm changes, music and trending sounds are likely to have a place on the TikTok platform.
Remember, trending sounds and music aren't always about voiceovers and viral dance moves.
You can use them to introduce your brand, make them relatable in your niche and stand out.
Tip 5: Create high-quality videos
TikTok’s editing tools allow users to create and edit eye-catching, high-quality videos within the app.
TikTok creators express the importance of creating engagement early on, so try to edit your videos in a way that captures the user's attention in the first three seconds.
Your comment section is a trove of video ideas! And you can reply to comments with a video.
This feature puts your reply in the comment section in video format.
You can bet other commenters have the same questions, so they're likely to click through and join you in your next video.
Tip 7: Publish a series
Somewhat contrary to the long-form video format, shorter videos in series can still be effective.
Henry Purchase from A Couple Things To Do has grown a TikTok following to 193,000 followers. Purchase shares destination and activities for couples. He says:
“We post several videos of the same activity, uncovering more information each time - this keeps people coming back for more. For example, at first, we didn’t post the location of our most popular video. Once it had gained popularity we used comments we got to create more content. Therefore reusing content and engaging with our audience.”
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