Podcast Summary: The Yoast SEO Podcast Episode: Advice from Google, the Helpful Content System, and More | #SEOUpdateByYoast
Release Date: May 1, 2024
Host/Author: Yoast SEO

Introduction

In this episode of The Yoast SEO Podcast, hosted by Flori, the Director of Marketing at Yoast, listeners are treated to an extensive SEO update. Joined by experts Alex and Carolyn, the episode delves into the latest developments in the SEO landscape, focusing primarily on Google's recent updates, the evolving role of AI in SEO, and emerging trends in search engine usage. The conversation is rich with insights, practical advice, and actionable strategies for SEO professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Key SEO Updates from Google

1. Helpful Content System Changes

At the heart of the discussion is Google's Helpful Content Update, which aims to prioritize content that offers genuine value to users.

• Self-Assessment Encouraged:
  “Danny Sullivan specifically is advising people to self-assess their pages. So what he's saying is don't just whine that you've lost traffic. Look at your content. Do some critical thinking about your own content.”
  (Alex, 02:11)

• Focus on Uniqueness and Value:
  “If you're saying the same thing that everyone else has said or something that's common sense, why should Google promote your content over someone else's?”
  (Alex, 04:05)

• Individual Content Evaluation:
  Google has shifted from evaluating the totality of a site’s content to assessing individual pieces on their own merit. This means that valuable content will not be overshadowed by less helpful material on the same site.
  “They are looking at individual sites now in kind of evaluating single pieces of content on its own merit rather than painting a broad brush and punishing all of your content.”
  (Alex, 05:23)

2. Search Generative Experience (SGE)

The SGE represents a significant shift in how search results are displayed, potentially disrupting traditional SEO strategies for brands.

• Impact on Organic Results:
  “The search generative experience box displaces the top of the search results by about 1200 pixels on average... more than half of them are not from the top organic search results.”
  (Alex, 07:05)

• Strategies for Brands:
  To combat the displacement of organic results, brands should:

  • Emphasize Long-Form Content:
    “Write something to compete with whatever is showing up first and make sure that you've linked to it prominently...”
    (Alex, 10:00)

  • Optimize About Pages:
    Encouraging brands to name themselves explicitly on their about pages to enhance visibility in SGE.
    “Yoast: About Us vs. [Brand Name]: About Us”
    (Carolyn and Alex, 11:28-12:26)

3. Other Google Updates

Additional updates include Google's stance on crawl budgets and stopwords.

• Crawl Budget Myths:
  Google is moving away from the traditional concept of crawl budgets, instead prioritizing URLs based on their "deservingness."
  “Crawl budget is largely a myth... they are shifting their focus to URLs that are more deserving of crawling.”
  (Alex, 06:33)

• Stopwords Optimization:
  Emphasizing the importance of minimizing meaningless words to enhance content value.
  “You want to minimize the number of meaningless words that you use in sentences so that the words that are left have meaning and value.”
  (Alex, 30:29)

Bing's Search Usage and SEO Implications

Despite Google's dominance, Bing remains a significant player, especially in specific demographics.

• Higher Than Perceived Usage:
  “SEOs don't realize the actual level of Bing search usage and that it's higher than what people think.”
  (Carolyn, 21:40)

• Strategic Focus on Conversions:
  “If people are more likely to spend money on your site from Bing, go after increasing the number of people that come in from Bing.”
  (Alex, 23:36)

• Complementary Tools:
  Encouraging the use of Bing Webmaster Tools alongside Google Search Console for a more comprehensive SEO strategy.
  “We shouldn't just rely on what Google Search Console is telling us... take as much data as you can from as many data sets that you can.”
  (Carolyn, 23:36)

WooCommerce's Branding Migration Issues

A case study on WooCommerce’s recent migration back to WooCommerce.com highlights the challenges of branding changes.

• Migration Challenges:
  “WooCommerce migrated to Woo.com and then reverted back to WooCommerce.com because the initial migration wasn’t successful.”
  (Alex, 25:03)

• SEO Impacts:
  The migration led to fluctuations in search rankings, emphasizing the importance of flawless execution in site migrations.
  “I don’t think they gave it enough time to stick... but now they're back and it's grown quite well.”
  (Carolyn, 27:23)

AI and SEO: ChatGPT Updates and Brave's AI Search Engine

1. ChatGPT Enhancements

ChatGPT is making links more prominent, though this feature comes with mixed feelings.

• Monetization of Links:
  “You shouldn’t have to pay to see the source or understand what the source of the answer is...”
  (Carolyn, 38:06)

• Integration with Search:
  “They are still using websites to bring in content to then reproduce for the answer... nice to see that they are citing things.”
  (Carolyn, 38:13)

2. Brave's AI Search Engine

Brave has launched its own AI-powered search engine, positioning itself as a competitor to Google's SGE.

• Search Volume:
  “Brave is doing 10 billion search queries per year, which makes them one of the largest AI search engines.”
  (Alex, 42:40)

• SEO Recommendations:
  Brave emphasizes the use of schema.org, aligning with best practices recommended by Google.
  “Use schema.org so all of that extra markup is going to help things perform better in Brave.”
  (Alex, 43:12)

• Future Implications:
  The introduction of Brave’s search engine may influence future SEO strategies, potentially impacting how structured data is utilized.
  “Schema is going to still play an important part in the way in which data is retrieved...”
  (Carolyn, 44:01)

WordPress and Yoast Updates

1. WordPress 6.5 Release

WordPress has rolled out version 6.5, bringing performance enhancements and improved full site editing capabilities.

• Performance Improvements:
  “There’s been a lot of performance updates, things like the font library... developing and creating new themes and elements within themes and blocks are just going to be much easier.”
  (Carolyn, 45:08)

• Security Fixes:
  Shortly after the release, WordPress addressed security vulnerabilities with 6.5.2, ensuring a more stable platform.
  “We got 6.5.2 which gets rid of an XXS vulnerability.”
  (Carolyn, 46:11)

2. Yoast Plugin Updates

Yoast released updates 22.5 and 22.6, focusing on maintenance, taxonomy guidance, and performance optimizations.

• Taxonomy Pages Guidance:
  “We reduced the amount of text that we're recommending for the paragraph above the actual results... it's going to be easier to get the green light on your taxonomy pages.”
  (Alex, 46:45)

• Database Optimization:
  Streamlining metadata storage to enhance database performance and indexing speed, especially for author content.
  “Streamlining of the way the data is stored for the metadata for individual users reduces the size of the database... your content gets indexed faster.”
  (Alex, 48:40)

• PHP Support Update:
  Yoast will drop support for PHP versions below 7.4 starting November 1st, urging users to update their PHP versions to maintain plugin functionality.
  “WordPress is changing the minimum requirements for PHP... we are going to drop support for PHP lower than 7.4.”
  (Alex, 48:44)

• New AI for SEO Course:
  Introduction of a new course in Yoast Academy focusing on AI's role in SEO, available to premium members.
  “We have a new AI for SEO course in Yoast Academy. If you haven't yet visited Yoast Academy, I encourage you to do so.”
  (Alex, 48:47)

Upcoming Events

Yoast is hosting two significant events:

1. SEO Conference Pop-Up in Chicago:
   “June 6... conference SEO conference pop up Chicago 2024.”
   (Alex, 48:45)

2. WordCamp Europe in Italy:
   “June 13th through 15th in Italy, which should be very fun.”
   (Alex and Carolyn, 48:47)

Q&A Highlights

The episode concludes with a lively Q&A session addressing listener questions:

1. Discrepancy Between GA4 and Google Search Console Data

Question: “After the March core updates, our GA4 shows a hit in organic search traffic, but our Google Search Console performance is actually steady and increasing. Why is there a discrepancy?”

• Explanation:
  GA4 tracks user behavior on the website, while Search Console focuses on search performance metrics like impressions and clicks. Discrepancies can arise due to differences in data collection methods.
  “GA4 gives you who lands on your website and Search Console gives you information on who sees keywords and pages that are being searched for.”
  (Carolyn, 50:57)

2. Frequency of Blogging and Website Updates

Question: “What does Google say nowadays about how often you should blog on your website or update your website?”

• Response:
  Google no longer provides specific guidelines on blogging frequency. Instead, focus on creating quality content that aligns with current search demands and trends.
  “They don’t have specific guidance for that... it really depends on how in demand your topic is.”
  (Alex, 52:19)

3. Website Ranking Variations Across Markets

Question: “Is there a reason my website is pulling up in one market top five but not in another? I thought I had optimized each location equally.”

• Response:
  Market-specific factors, such as local competition and cultural differences, can influence search rankings. Optimization efforts may need to be tailored to each unique market.
  “There are different competing factors in each market... just because you’ve optimized for one market doesn’t mean you’ll dominate everywhere.”
  (Alex and Carolyn, 56:25)

4. Focusing on Other Search Engines Besides Google

Question: “Yoast doesn’t really talk about other search engines much. I get it. Google has the fast market share, etc. But from where I am, this is the right time for SEOs to be looking at how their sites rank in other search engines too. Would you agree?”

• Response:
  While Google dominates the search landscape, other search engines like Bing hold value, especially in specific demographics. Utilizing tools like Bing Webmaster Tools can provide additional insights and opportunities.
  “We have to talk about Google 97% of the time because it's 97% of the monopoly... but it’s definitely worth looking at everything.”
  (Carolyn, 57:43)

Conclusion

The episode of The Yoast SEO Podcast offers a comprehensive overview of the current SEO environment, emphasizing the importance of adaptability in response to Google's evolving algorithms, the strategic utilization of alternative search engines, and the integration of AI technologies. With practical advice and expert insights, listeners are well-equipped to refine their SEO strategies and navigate the complexities of the digital landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• “Look at your content with a dispassionate eye to make sure that you're providing value.” – Alex (03:11)
• “Quality is defined as the uniqueness of the content.” – Alex (29:10)
• “Don’t obsess over links because links can’t overcome everything.” – Alex (14:05)
• “Be unique and helpful. If everyone else is already saying it, you're not adding anything helpful.” – Alex (55:26)

Timestamp Highlights:

• 00:00 - 01:44: Introduction and overview by Flori and Alex.
• 02:06 - 07:05: Detailed discussion on Google's Helpful Content Update.
• 07:05 - 12:26: Exploration of the Search Generative Experience (SGE) and its impact on brands.
• 12:26 - 18:58: Insights into Google's crawl budget and content relevance.
• 21:40 - 25:30: Examination of Bing's search usage and strategic importance.
• 25:03 - 37:34: Case study on WooCommerce’s migration and additional Google updates.
• 38:00 - 44:50: AI developments in SEO, including ChatGPT and Brave's AI search engine.
• 45:08 - 48:47: Updates on WordPress and Yoast plugins.
• 48:40 - 50:21: Announcement of upcoming events.
• 50:24 - 59:34: Interactive Q&A session addressing listener queries.

For more detailed insights and resources mentioned in this episode, listeners are encouraged to visit Yoast's official blog and Yoast Academy.