Podcast Summary: The Yoast SEO Podcast – February 29, 2024
Title: The latest SEO news: from HCU recovery to Product Variants Schema, AI and more | #SEOUpdateByYoast
Host: Ninke, Associate Director of Partnerships at Yoast SEO
Guests: Alex and Carolyn, Principal SEOs at Yoast
Release Date: February 29, 2024
Introduction
In the February 2024 edition of The Yoast SEO Podcast, host Ninke introduces a comprehensive discussion on the latest developments in SEO and artificial intelligence. Emphasizing the significance of the recent Google update concerning product variations for e-commerce businesses, Ninke sets the stage for a deep dive into various updates and their implications for SEO professionals.
SEO News
1. Core Web Vitals (CWV) Update
Timestamp: [03:16] – [05:42]
Carolyn addresses the confusion surrounding the recent updates to Core Web Vitals, specifically the replacement of the First Input Delay metric with Interaction to Next Paint (INP). She clarifies that this change is merely an evolution in how Google measures user interaction, advising not to obsess over perfect scores but to aim for overall good performance across all pages.
"Get the majority of your pages, if not all of your pages, into the good area. Green is fine. Doesn't have to be 100%."
— Carolyn, [04:44]
Alex echoes this sentiment, highlighting the importance of not getting bogged down by every minor metric change, which could divert attention from more impactful SEO strategies.
"Don't get too scared if something goes up or something goes down. Breathe."
— Alex, [05:26]
2. Structured Data and E-A-T
Timestamp: [05:42] – [09:57]
The discussion transitions to the relationship between structured data and E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Carolyn clarifies that while structured data helps search engines understand page content, it does not directly influence E-A-T scores.
"Fixing your structured data is not going to necessarily improve or change what Google thinks about you as a person."
— Carolyn, [08:54]
Alex adds that proper implementation of structured data ensures better representation in search results, but it doesn't inherently boost authority.
"You're not going to get, you're not going to accidentally tell them the page is about something. It's not because the structured data is there to make it clear."
— Alex, [08:57]
3. Google’s SEO Starter Guide Revamp
Timestamp: [11:34] – [12:37]
Alex discusses Google's overhaul of their SEO Starter Guide, which has been streamlined to be more accessible for beginners. Carolyn supports the move, emphasizing the need for simplicity to prevent foundational misunderstandings that could derail more advanced SEO efforts.
"It's best if you say less. There's less to misinterpret."
— Carolyn, [13:33]
4. Signals vs. Ranking Factors Debate
Timestamp: [12:37] – [17:11]
The conversation delves into the ongoing debate about whether Core Web Vitals are signals or direct ranking factors. Carolyn explains that while Core Web Vitals themselves aren’t official ranking factors, they influence overall user experience, which is a known ranking factor.
"Even if the core web vitals aren't directly part of the algorithm, they explain the different things that go into a good user experience so that you can fix that."
— Carolyn, [15:08]
Alex likens Google's communication style to "lawyer talk," suggesting that the terminology used by Google can be ambiguous and open to interpretation.
5. Web Stories Phase-Out
Timestamp: [18:22] – [20:14]
Carolyn and Alex discuss Google's decision to discontinue Web Stories, a feature that evolved from AMP. They agree that its lack of adoption and revenue generation made it unsustainable, leading to its removal.
"It's bad that they're going away? No. Is anyone going to miss them? No."
— Carolyn, [19:44]
6. Helpful Content Update (HCU) Recovery
Timestamp: [20:14] – [25:13]
The Helpful Content Update is examined, focusing on recovery strategies post-update. Alex emphasizes the importance of producing genuinely helpful content rather than superficial fixes.
"If you were to do something, everything you needed to do within 24 hours, well, at least."
— Alex, [21:18]
Carolyn underscores that recovery is contingent upon consistently creating valuable content, akin to ensuring all aspects of a site meet Google's helpfulness criteria.
7. New Search Experiences in the EEA
Timestamp: [25:13] – [27:24]
Alex highlights a significant update affecting search experiences in the European Economic Area (EEA). Following a court ruling against monopolizing search results, e-commerce and comparison sites in Europe can expect a more democratic search results page (SERP).
"If you're in Europe, it benefits you because of this ruling."
— Alex, [26:01]
8. Schema.org Product Variants Support
Timestamp: [27:24] – [29:32]
Carolyn introduces the new Schema.org support for product variants, which allows e-commerce sites to provide detailed structured data for products with different sizes, colors, or other variations. This enhancement aims to improve user experience by delivering more accurate search results.
"If you're selling red shoes and you do not put red, you may not appear in results that are filtered with Red."
— Alex, [28:40]
9. Reddit-Google Partnership and AI Training
Timestamp: [29:32] – [35:55]
A controversial topic arises as Carolyn reveals that Reddit has sold access to its entire database to Google for $60 million annually to train Google’s AI models. The discussion raises concerns about the quality and bias of data fed into AI systems, particularly from platforms like Reddit known for diverse and sometimes toxic content.
"If you're writing about a royal and the prevailing sentiment on Reddit is negative, the AI might adopt that bias."
— Carolyn, [32:27]
Alex acknowledges the challenges Google faces in discerning nuanced human behavior from raw data sources like Reddit.
AI News
1. Introduction of Sora by OpenAI
Timestamp: [37:11] – [39:01]
Alex and Carolyn discuss OpenAI’s new video generation tool, Sora, highlighting its impressive capabilities and potential applications. They express cautious optimism about its future iterations and the impact on content creation.
2. Google's Gemini AI
Timestamp: [39:01] – [43:56]
The conversation shifts to Google's rebranding of Bard to Gemini, introducing a more competitive AI model aimed at rivaling OpenAI’s offerings. Carolyn notes that Gemini's release coincides with significant advancements, suggesting it could reshape the AI landscape.
"Having a competitor does tend to push you to innovate and make your product better."
— Carolyn, [41:18]
WordPress Updates
1. WordPress 6.5 Beta 1
Timestamp: [43:56] – [48:14]
Alex outlines the new features in WordPress 6.5 Beta 1, including easier font uploads, plugin dependencies management, and enhanced theme overlays. Carolyn hints at upcoming features in Yoast's own products that integrate with these WordPress updates.
Yoast Updates
1. Yoast News and AI Enhancements
Timestamp: [48:14] – [58:07]
The hosts provide updates on Yoast’s developments, including improved AI capabilities in multiple languages and upcoming features for WooCommerce and Shopify apps. Carolyn also mentions her upcoming talk at Pubcon, where she will discuss empowering SEO with AI-powered WordPress plugins.
"Empowering your SEO with AI powered WordPress plugins."
— Carolyn, [46:52]
Q&A Session
1. AI-Generated Content and Google’s Stance
Timestamp: [49:28] – [51:15]
A highly upvoted question addresses whether Google will penalize pages generated by ChatGPT. Carolyn assures that mere AI generation isn’t the issue; rather, it's the quality and helpfulness of the content that matter.
"If you're generating something that is bad or inaccurate... that is ultimately what's going to give you away."
— Carolyn, [50:08]
2. Choosing Cornerstone Content
Timestamp: [51:52] – [55:21]
Carolyn advises selecting cornerstone content based on foundational importance. She emphasizes choosing content that provides essential knowledge about the site's topic, ensuring it serves as a robust base for visitors.
"If a reader knew nothing else about your site or your topic, what is the most important thing that they should read to understand what you're about?"
— Carolyn, [53:30]
3. Schema Selection for Latest Information
Timestamp: [55:32] – [57:46]
When questioned about whether to use Blog Post or News Article schema for content on the latest information, Carolyn suggests assessing the publication's nature. If the site is a recognized news outlet, News Article is appropriate; otherwise, Blog Post suffices.
"If you are universally recognized as being a source of news... then by all means make that a news article."
— Carolyn, [56:29]
4. Handling Deleted Pages with 410 Status Code
Timestamp: [58:29] – [58:49]
A brief query confirms that using the 410 status code for deleted pages is acceptable, to which both Alex and Carolyn affirm.
"Yes."
— Carolyn, [58:40]
Closing Remarks
Ninke wraps up the session by highlighting the high registration numbers and addressing minor streaming issues. The hosts encourage listeners to engage with the content through Yoast’s platforms and look forward to the next update.
"This was the SEO update of February. I hope you all enjoyed today's update."
— Ninke, [58:23]
Notable Quotes:
- Carolyn: "Get the majority of your pages, if not all of your pages, into the good area. Green is fine. Doesn't have to be 100%." [04:44]
- Alex: "Don't get too scared if something goes up or something goes down. Breathe." [05:26]
- Carolyn: "Fixing your structured data is not going to necessarily improve or change what Google thinks about you as a person." [08:54]
- Alex: "You're not going to get, you're not going to accidentally tell them the page is about something. It's not because the structured data is there to make it clear." [08:57]
- Alex: "Don't let perfect be the enemy of good." [04:44]
- Carolyn: "If you are selling red shoes and you do not put red, you may not appear in results that are filtered with Red." [28:40]
- Carolyn: "If you're generating something that is bad or inaccurate... that is ultimately what's going to give you away." [50:08]
- Carolyn: "Empowering your SEO with AI powered WordPress plugins." [46:52]
Conclusion
This episode of The Yoast SEO Podcast offers a thorough exploration of recent SEO updates, Google's evolving algorithms, the interplay between structured data and E-A-T, and the burgeoning role of AI in content creation and search. The hosts provide actionable insights, clarify common confusions, and engage with listener questions to deliver a valuable resource for SEO professionals navigating the ever-changing digital landscape.