Google algorithm updates 2022 in review: Core updates, product reviews, helpful content updates, spam updates and beyond

This year had different stresses accompanying the Google algorithm updates, fewer pandemic stresses, and more recession-related stress. We had ten confirmed Google algorithm updates this year, the same number of confirmed algorithm updates we had in 2021. This year, we had a brand new ranking system named the helpful content update, and we had two of them.

Also similar to last year, Google rolled out two big algorithm updates at the end of the year.

Google confirmed algorithm update summary

We whipped up this timeline documenting all the confirmed Google search algorithm updates in 2022, so you can visualize the updates over the year. Please note, the last two updates have not completed yet, when they are finished, I will update this story.

Google’s May and September core updates were big updates

May 2022 core update. On May 25, 2022, Google released the first core update for the 2022 year, the May 2022 core update. That update took 15 days to roll out, ending on June 9, 2022. This update was a big update and rolled out quickly for many queries the data providers track. We did see some “tremors,” shifts in volatility, after the initial update, the largest tremors were around June 5th and that should be the final sets of volatility you would see from the initial broad core update release.

September 2022 core update. On September 12, 2022, Google released the second core update for the 2022 year, the September 2022 core update. That update took two full weeks to roll out, ending on September 26, 2022. This update hit fast, but was less impactful than previous updates. While there was some rank volatility, the consensus was that it was weaker than past Google core updates.

At least we are not expecting any additional core updates by year’s end.

Google’s new two helpful content updates seemed tame

Google released a new algorithm update named the helpful content update, which aim to demote content that is written to rank on search engines and not written to help people.

August 2022 helpful content update. On August 25, 2022, Google released the new helpful content update. The helpful content update will target websites that have a relatively high amount of unsatisfying or unhelpful content, where the content has been written for search engines rather than humans. This update took 15 days to roll out, ending on September 9, 2022. This update did not feel tremendously widespread, but Google did say it was a big update that did not cause a huge shakeup. 

December 2022 helpful content update. On December 6, 2022, Google released the second helpful content update, the December 2022 helpful content update. This update is not yet done rolling out but when it is done, I will update this story. (This update took X days to roll out, ending on December X, 2022.) This update also did not feel widespread or all that impactful compared to core updates or product review updates.

Google’s March, July and September product review updates shuffled the shelves

While Google only had two core updates in 2022, it pushed out three product reviews updates in 2022. That is one more product reviews update than in 2021.

March 2022 product reviews update. On March 23, 2022, Google released the first product reviews update for 2022, the March 2022 product reviews update. This update took 19 days to roll out, ending on April 11, 2022. Technically, this was the third product reviews update in history with the first product reviews update was launched on April 8, 2021, and the second was launched on December 1, 2021.

With the third release of the product reviews update, Google said this update “builds on” the work of the first two product review updates to enhance Google’s “ability to identify high quality product reviews.” “This will make it easier for us to get sound purchasing advice in front of users, and to reward creators who are earnest in being helpful,” Alan Kent of Google said.

This update was not as big as the December 2021 update, based on data from the data providers.

July 2022 product reviews update. On July 27, 2022, Google released the second product reviews update for 2022, the July 2022 product reviews update. This update only took six days to roll out, ending on August 2, 2022. We saw very limited changes from the tracking tools and honestly, while some sites seemed to get hard by this update, it does not seem there was a lot of SEO community chatter around ranking changes due to this update. In fact, we saw a spike on August 3rd but that was after this update was complete.

September 2022 product reviews update. On September 20, 2022, Google released the third product reviews update for 2022, the September 2022 product reviews update. This update also only took six days to roll out, ending on September 26, 2022. This update did not feel as big as the two previous ones but it also overlapped with a core update.

Google’s spam and link spam updates sparked fear

Like with any spam updates, SEOs and content creators become scared and nervous that their sites or content may be hit.

October 2022 spam update. The first spam update of the year was released on October 19, 2022, the October 2022 spam update. This update took only 48 hours to roll out, ending on October 21, 2022. Google used SpamBrain, a form of artificial intelligence, to better detect spam and not rank it in Google Search. This spam update did not feel huge, but it was targeting spam and not content written by normal people for normal purposes.

December 2022 link spam update. Then on December 14, 2022, Google released a link spam update named the December 2022 link spam update. This update is not yet done but when it finished, I will update this story. (This update took X days to roll out, ending on December X, 2022.) This is the first time Google used SpamBrain AI to detect and neutralize link spam. It did seem to have an impact on links and rankings.

Google’s page experience update for desktop

We only had one-page experience update this year, and it was to bring the page experience signals to desktop. This page experience update for deskop was launched on February 22, 2022, and took nine days to roll out, completed on March 3, 2022. This update will include all the current signals of the mobile version of the page experience update, outside of the page needing to be mobile-friendly. Google said all of the page experience factors for mobile would be included, with the exception of the mobile-friendliness requirement, which is obvious.

Other Google algorithm changes, updates, tweaks or topics

Another busy year for the Google Search team, with over 5,500 changes in 2021 alone, and I suspect that number will be higher for the 2022 year.

We learned that the Panda update eventually evolved into the Coati algorithm, although both are now baked into the core algorithm. We actually learned a lot from speaking with Hyung-Jin Kim, VP Search at Google, at SMX, a lot. Google also started to use MUM in more areas, like for featured snippets and more. And Google also updated its title algorithm for multi-lingual or transliterated pages.

Google documented some of the more notable ranking systems, and with that confirmed the 2010 and 2018 page speed algorithms are no longer in use.

Google replaced the Webmaster Guidelines with Google Search Essentials, revamped the quality raters guidelines by adding “Expertise,” an additional E to E-A-T.

Also, we did a deep dive on how Google uses artificial intelligence in search.

Are you all excited for 2023, I know I am.

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PPC 2022 in review: Performance Max, Apple Search, chaos at Twitter, and more

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. 

Gone but not forgotten

• Gmail campaigns to stop running on June 28. Yep, you read that right. Google announced in January that dedicated Gmail campaigns will no longer run as of June 28. 
• Expanded Text Ads (ETAs). Editing or creating new ETAs was no longer a possibility as of June 30. RIP. 

Automation & Performance Max

• Google starts automatically upgrading Smart Shopping campaigns to Performance Max. Like it or not, PMax isn’t going anywhere, and if you missed the deadline to switch your SS campaigns over, don’t worry, Google has got your back.
• Google Ads launches placement reports for Performance Max campaigns finally giving advertisers a view into where their ads served, how many impressions they received, and insight into brand safety.
• 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 will automatically switch some advertisers’ attribution models. In a bold, but unsurprising move, Google took it upon themselves to switch advertisers’ attribution models to data-driven.

New & improved

• Google Ad recommendations can now be applied as experiments. Google got this one right. You can now set recommendations to be applied as experiments, lessening the risk of messing with your campaigns. 
• Google Ads podcast placement now available. You can now set up an audio or video campaign and set the placement to “podcast.”
• Google Analytics 4 Landing Page report. New GA4 reports were released including Landing Page, Hour & date, Traffic, and more. 
• 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! 

YouTube

• YouTube updates Masthead ad requirements to allow sports betting. A new policy allows ads related to sports betting to show on mastheads, which are visible on desktops, mobile phones and TV screens.

• 3 new YouTube streaming, shopping, and audio features. Moment Blast, expanded product feeds for Discovery ads, and audio ads make their debut. 

Cookies

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. 
• Pinterest import, Performance Max beta, Multimedia ads support in Editor, and subdomains in DSAs. Whew!
• New audience network markets, automated bidding data exclusions, URL tracking for auto extensions, doctor and clinic beta. 
• Credit cards are now available globally. Plus, 10 other updates were announced in November. 
• Auto-generated remarketing lists, flyer extensions, and expanded coverage of hotel and property promotion ads closed out the month of December.
• 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. 

Housekeeping

• Microsoft Advertising extends RSA migration deadline by 60 days. The deadline was extended from June 30 to August 29. But then they extended it again to February 23, 2023. 
• New certification badges, levels and a new learning center. There are now three new exams and four new badges you can earn. 

Meta takes a backseat

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. 

• There’s a new policy in town to fight fake reviews. It targets fake reviews that appear on its Ratings and Review or Question and Answers features on Marketplace and Shops.
• 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. 
• By order of the UK competition watchdog, Meta was forced to sell Giphy.
• Meta introduced 6 new ways for creators to monetize their content on Facebook and Instagram
• Instagram is scaling back on its shopping features and creating a more simple, less personalized version called “Tab Lite.”
• 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. 

After the Musk takeover, security policies seemed to loosen and 30+ brands suspended their marketing campaigns after finding their ads next to child pornography accounts. 

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.
• The campaign planner as well as 3 new ad targeting options were released.
• New and improved Pixel, Conversion API, and App Purchase Optimizations enable more privacy, better measurement, and additional web functionality.

TikTok shopping debacle, longer videos, and unhappy creators

TikTok continued to compete against Facebook and Instagram to gain an edge over the short form video market. In doing so, they extended the length of their videos to 10 minutes, and updated the description character limit to 2,200.

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.

Four new Apple Search Ad placement options. Apple released four new options for advertisers to drive visibility and downloads in the App Store. The new placements are:

• Today tab
• Search tab
• Search results
• Product pages — while browsing

Apple could be building an ad network for live TV. In November we reported that Apple was holding discussions with advertising partners and MLS sponsors with the plan to launch next February.

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. 

Best Buy

Best Buy to sell search ads under its own in-house media company. Best Buy has launched Best Buy Ads, its own in-house media company. Best Buy Ads offers paid search ads and sponsored product listings on Best Buy’s website, among other ad offerings.

Instacart

• 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.

Pinterest

Pinterest is doubling down on Shopping by adding 4 new features. Pinterest introduced four new merchant features to help retailers promote their stores. 

• Product Tagging on Pins
• Video in Catalog
• Shop Tab on Business Profiles
• The API for Shopping

Reddit

• Live chat, pixel helper, and 7 other Reddit Ads Manager updates. 9 (!) new updates were launched in October to improve the usability of Reddit ads and make it easier for new advertisers to get started, test, and get support.

• Reddit is building an Ads API, first 4 partners announced. The partners will be integrated into the API and are helping build a solution that will inevitably help advertisers build, scale, and optimize campaigns.

Uber

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.
• Alyssa Altman and Andy Orlando discussed the role of paid search in attribution.

SMX Next

Did you miss SMX Next, or wanna watch it again? You still can. Registration is free. 

• SMX Next PPC kicked off with an incredible keynote from Google’s own Ads Liaison (and former Search Engine Land Editor in Chief) Ginny Marvin. 
• Melissa Mackey taught us how to make automation work for lead gen.
• Navah Hopkins gave us the guide to permission based audience targeting.
• 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.

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How Google Autocomplete works

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 estimates that, cumulatively, it saves the equivalent of over 200 years of typing every single day and, on average, reduces typing overall by about 25%.

How Google Autocomplete works

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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Why are some predictions removed?

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.

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Google updates ad policies to allow more CBD promotions

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.

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Merchant Center Feeds issue

Just in time for the holidays, Google has reported a Feeds issue in Merchant Center. The following is a screenshot from the status dashboard.

Why we care. This issue could affect your product feed. Keep an eye on the dashboard for a resolution.

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GA4 now lets you recreate Universal Analytics audiences, and personalize the Home page

GA4, everyone’s favorite new Google Google Analytics product, will now let you use the Migrator for Google Analytics Google Sheets add-on tool to recreate many of your Universal Analytics properties into a GA4 property. You can also personalize the content on your home page to make what’s shown more relevant. Let’s take a look.

Why we care. First, these new tools attempt to make GA4 tolerable by allowing you to customize your dashboard and properties as close to UA as possible. Though not perfect, this should at least bring a little more familiarity into the mix. Advertisers who have been slow to implement or learn GA4 might find solace in these familiar features.

If you haven’t implemented GA4 yet, this is your sign.

Recreate Universal Analytics audiences in Google Analytics 4

Audiences based on dimensions and metrics that are the same in UA and GA4 can be recreated just as they are. When the audiences use dimensions or metrics that differ between UA and GA4, you can edit the audience definitions in the spreadsheet to use the relevant GA4 dimensions and metrics.

For each audience, the spreadsheet includes information about whether the audience is available for recreation; if it isn’t, the spreadsheet has information about why. Editable audience conditions are included so you can modify them before recreating them.

More information on the Migration tool can be found here.

Personalize the Home page

Keep in mind that when you personalize your homepage, the customization is only visible to you. Other users will not see your dashboard.

The following information is from the Google Analytics Help documentation.

Personalize the metrics and dimensions

You can now change the metrics on the overview and realtime cards. On the overview card, hover over a metric to see a drop-down menu so you can change the metric.

On the realtime card, you can also choose from a number of dimensions (e.g., Audience, City) or let us choose a dimension for you (i.e., Choose for me).

Restore your choices

Whether you change the metric, dimension, or date on a card, we’ll restore your choices in future sessions. For example, we’ll populate a card with City the next time you visit Google Analytics when you choose the dimension in your current session.

Additionally, when you return to a report using the Recently accessed section, you’ll see all the changes you made to the report. For example, if you changed the primary dimension, you’ll see the dimension applied when you select the report from the Recently accessed section.

Try Suggested cards

When you’re new to a property and haven’t viewed a card frequently, a new Suggested for you section will appear. The section surfaces cards that are popular across all Google Analytics 4 properties to help you find useful information in your property.

Provide feedback

You can now give a thumbs up or thumbs down when hovering over the top right of a card in the Suggested for you, Because you view frequently, and Insights sections. The feedback options allow Google Analytics to provide you with more helpful information in the future.

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Why SEO experts rarely share actual success stories

Most SEO experts are still afraid to publish their success stories, with a few notable exceptions. 

Many are simply unable to share their work even when it’s successful. How can SEOs stop practicing “ghost optimization”? 

Before we dive into this question, let’s look at the reasons for the ongoing secrecy and still prevailing negativity among SEO practitioners.

SEO horror stories, anyone?

One of the most popular SEO hashtags within the industry over recent years has been #seohorrorstories. 

Why are SEO experts much more likely to share the horrible failures of the industry and their colleagues than their own success stories? 

Is this the overall prevailing negativity of society as a whole? Or do we have an internal problem aggravating the situation? 

I think it’s probably both.

First off, the recent years have led to a never-ending, downward spiral of public debate. Diplomacy has made way for trolling. 

When even presidents provoke people online to get attention, how is everybody else meant to stay civil in day-to-day conversations? 

Also, social media like Facebook and Twitter have been capitalizing on fear and anger.

Such “bad news” goes straight to our lizard brain and elicits fearful and angry reactions without consulting the parts of the brain responsible for logical thinking.

No wonder that even within the relatively professional SEO industry, the discourse has degenerated into the realm of “OMG! Look at that nonsense! How stupid!”

I’m exaggerating a bit, but that’s the essence of most shares where #seohorrorstories are involved. 

These are more than cautionary tales. It’s also a way of ridiculing those reckless enough to get caught red-handed while employing outdated SEO tactics.

Perhaps the thought process is that when one can’t shed light on their actual successes, then highlight others’ failures. This way, they indirectly stand in a better light by sheer comparison.

Of course, this is merely guesswork. The motivation behind the many horror stories may vary. It won’t simply gloat or malice, in most cases. 

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‘Look at this random graph, please – the growth is stellar!’

There is also a compromise, anonymized "success" stories – where the alleged success can't be fully reviewed by peers.

Such stories seem to be the middle ground between failure and success stories. So what is the logic behind them, then?

You will find lots of social media posts shared of random graphs without any URL connected to them.

It's usually an analytics screenshot clumsily anonymized before publication. Ultimately, the stellar growth they exhibit lacks any credibility. 

I’m usually acquainted with those who share such success stories, so I know they won't lie.

In most cases, they also add as much context as possible without giving away any meaningful detail so that you cannot track down the website they’re talking about.

What about industry outsiders and potential clients?

They have no idea who the people sharing the graphs are and how trustworthy the information is.

What is the purpose of sharing graphs without any context?

Again, I can only guess. 

• Some SEO experts try to convey their expertise that way. 
• Others share their success out of sheer joy at having made it. 
• Some may want additional opinions on what happened when things went wrong. 

Take note that #seohorrorstories are quite often anonymous. That way, some limited peer review does happen within a very small perimeter. It's better than nothing, right?

Are there any SEO hero stories? 

Some of you may have noticed. I have been looking for SEO hero (as in superhero) stories for two months and have been quite aggressive about it. 

There were far fewer success stories than bad news from the SEO industry. Yet, I was astounded that even the prospect of getting additional free publicity did not motivate many SEO companies, in-house SEOs or SEO consultants to divulge their success stories or share their case studies with me.

I started a similar hashtag inspired by #seohorrorstories called #seoherostories to encourage sharing such positive examples, but it seemed like I was the only one using it.

Are SEO experts ashamed of their work or afraid to show it?

Given the poor reputation of the SEO industry in the last 25 years, it's no wonder some people are not keen on outing themselves as SEO practitioners. 

Numerous SEOs still engage in unethical practices, which might be why they are ashamed to show what they do.

Still, others may simply be afraid. I probed about the reasons behind this fear, and here are the obvious ones.

Manual Google penalties

This is an age-old fear of SEO practitioners stemming back from the early days. Sometimes, outing yourself as a practitioner of the dark arts of SEO – and mentioning the actual website you’re working on – was akin to suicide for your project. 

Even before the somewhat weird term "manual action" was introduced by Google, penalties have been known to hit out of the blue and after too much publicity for SEO practitioners’ work. 

This fear is no longer reasonable. And like most fears, it's rather irrational.

SEOs are not criminals, and hiding is not necessary in most cases.

‘Secret sauce’ copycats

Another albeit more likely scenario is that the competition may steal your "secret sauce" and copy your SEO techniques. 

While this is possible, it's important to realize who your competition on the web is. Most SEOs would still say something like "businesses who sell the same thing in the same area." 

The reality of Google SERPs or the "SERP real estate" is that you mainly compete against the web giants:

• Google itself pushes its own services and ads above actual organic results.
• Huge websites like Amazon or Wikipedia are always on top by sheer popularity. 

Would a competitor or colleague who happens to have a similar business as you really hurt you that much by looking at your site's SEO? 

Also, anybody can look up your secret sauce by using a tool like Semrush and find out about on- and off-page SEO with ease. So, why hide your success from the general public?

Client-stealing competitors

The other fear relating to the competition is that other SEOs may see who you work with and, thus, contact them and "steal your clients."

People do this. I have had several clients notifying me of such attempts over the years. 

I don't think I lost any clients that way, though. Why? Is it just because I'm such an expert?

Probably not. I was a beginner at the time as well. 

It’s such a sneaky practice that business people are not fond of offers made that way. If they are, you may be lucky to get rid of them. 

Toxic clients often hurt you more than they help financially. I had to learn that lesson the hard way over the years, trying to satisfy everybody.

I believe the above common "reasons" for not sharing SEO work are often irrational fears and traditions – merely excuses.

One reasonable explanation for why someone would not want to share the actual website address or their "stellar growth" chart is that the work is still in progress. 

Many other parts of the project were far from ready for prime time, and it was not a good idea to share them prematurely. I've only heard that justification once, though, even when I asked many times.

NDA: The dreaded acronym

A common explanation for not publishing actual results or disclosing website addresses and client names is the typical non-disclosure agreement (NDA). It may as well be called a "gag order," as most SEO experts have to shut up completely about their work. 

Some popular search marketers, including John Doherty and Brendan Hufford, emphasized this point on LinkedIn.

For those in creative industries, being unable to share their work or having to do so anonymously would be virtually impossible. 

Imagine the following scenario if designers, architects and programmers were involved.

• "Look at this house based somewhere in the northern hemisphere. Brown brick has been used for the structure, and the large window frames facing south are made of a local wood I can't disclose here. To protect the owner’s privacy and hide the location, I had to blur some of the images."

So why do we have to sign so many NDAs forbidding us to show our actual work or even sometimes tell our friends and families about it?

What’s with the high level of confidentiality? Are we secret agents? 

Clients who demand that SEOs do not talk about their projects may be due to any of the following reasons:

• They are unethical and will ask you to perform SEO outside Google guidelines or even beyond what the law allows.
• They want to claim success for themselves and their sales department.
• They are simply ashamed to buy SEO services as these are still considered to be some kind of voodoo by some.

The common logic is, of course, about "trade secrets." But as noted above, many tools allow you to analyze those supposed secrets.

The bright side: 3 inspiring case studies that welcome peer review

After talking so much about the issues surrounding (the lack of) success stories in the SEO industry, let's focus on a few actual case studies that inspired me this year. 

Hopefully, these SEO hero stories encourage you enough to follow in their footsteps.

Example 1: Missguided 

Dogs and owners often become very similar to each other, even by their looks. I am one and can tell you that it often happens "accidentally."

But there’s an artistic photo series taking it to the extreme, where dog owners and their pets dress up and get their hair done in the same style. 

UK-based SEO agency Rise at Seven made this the idea behind a very successful campaign:

As CEO Carrie Rose reports in her case study, the results have been more than impressive:

"865% increase YoY traffic to this area of the site, 134,757 page views to be exact."

She goes into great detail to explain how it worked and what exactly happened to make it such a success, so make sure to read the entire case study.

Example 2: LiberEat

Olga Andrienko, well-known for her leadership role at Semrush, showcased the success story of LiberEat, made possible by Mich McClure and the team behind Hoojy. 

"1000% organic traffic growth in 3 months".

While this might sound too good to be true, especially given the approximate numbers, she goes to great lengths to highlight what happened, why and how in her extensive Twitter thread.

If that's still not enough, check out the full-fledged case study with lots of screenshots, keyword examples and figures over at Semrush.

Example 3: Unbeatable Blinds

The folks over at Boom Online have many case studies, but their campaign for Unbeatable Blinds made me feel good. It might be the artistic quality of the images they have shared as part of the campaign. 

While they did not divulge the numbers, the links they attracted speak for themselves:

"The content was covered by a number of high-profile publications such as Design Taxi, Bored Panda, Line Today & The York Press among others."

Given such attention from popular blogs and local press alike, I'm confident that the traffic and other metrics will follow suit.

How to get clients who are proud to work with you

As a writer, I do not offer ghostwriting services.

Ghostwriters tend to become invisible. Someone else gets the credit for their work.

Nobody knows what they have done, so they can't prove their expertise. 

It's pretty straightforward when it comes to writing.

Potential clients usually tell you upfront that they are looking for a ghostwriter. You can just ignore such offers unless your financial situation forbids you to.

With SEO services, it's much trickier. Nobody will tell you they are looking for a "ghost optimizer." 

Often, after plenty of discussions and only when you are short of signing a contract will you get a cryptic NDA full of legalese meant to hide its true scope.

In other cases, you get the NDA, or they don't talk to you at all. Either way, you risk losing a lot of time and money and not getting the client.

Some NDAs are meant to protect trade secrets. Yet, most of them usually grant sweeping powers to the client to ban you from disclosing much of anything. 

No wonder people working in SEO and adjacent industries (think marketing or advertising) are simply shutting up in general in order not to breach their agreements.

You never really know what goes too far, so you play it safe by keeping quiet.

So what can you do to identify clients who undermine your status as an industry expert? 

You can prepare upfront, be clear during the preliminary talks and stand firm once you start working. Below are four specific tips.

Work on your own projects first

Always work on your projects first or at least keep them going in the background. 

Once you have independent revenue sources and ways of gaining status outside client work, you can rest assured when choosing to engage with others.

Having to work for third parties out of necessity is never a good place to be at. 

Whenever possible, work for others because you love the challenge and variety, not because you need the money. Ideally, clients seek you out because they are fond of your personal projects.

Build your authority in the industry and beyond

Visibility is not limited to client work. Many practitioners attend conferences, trade fairs or meetups to show up and teach others what they know.

Some hoard knowledge and keep it to themselves so that nobody can "steal their ideas." This is a short-sighted approach. 

Ideas can be discovered by more than one person at any given time. But the one who publishes it first or does so more widely is usually credited with the "invention." 

It's crucial to become an authority within your industry, and beyond the narrow field you specialize in. 

When I started out in SEO, I made sure to keep branching out into broader yet more popular areas like web development, marketing and blogging. 

SEO is often viewed as merely "technical SEO" and a small subset of actual search engine optimization, in my opinion. The number of people interested in what you are talking about is very small.

By sharing your knowledge, you are enabling those unfamiliar with your work to understand what you do. 

Introverts can share and teach on the web. You don't have to show up in person, shake hands and pat backs.

You can also network online with like-minded individuals. LinkedIn is your best bet here.

Charge more for ‘ghost optimization’

A simple yet powerful way to make a point is to charge more money for something harder or more valuable. 

Usually, ghostwriters are underpaid young writers who have no name yet so that they are forced to write in the shadows of the bigger names. But once you've built a name for yourself, you have to be proud enough to charge accordingly. 

Almost nobody will think you are valuable as long as you undercharge or are too timid.

The few who know will be glad to exploit your expertise for low fees and shut up about your true worth in most cases.

Similarly, you have to make it clear that you charge more for ghost services from the start.

With "ghost optimization" being much more complex and riskier than mere writing, it's even more important to charge your true value.

There are far fewer high-quality SEO practitioners out there, so don't be afraid to get what you deserve.

Flatly refuse to do the dirty work 

Once you have worked with a client for a while, some drop their masks or become more daring.

Others might get frustrated with the slow pace of SEO progress and demand you do what the competition does. 

Riskier tactics may get their domain banned or penalized, but in the short term, the results may look impressive. 

Now you have to keep your integrity. How?

Flatly refuse to make your hands dirty and to use questionable means of SEO. 

The client feels safe due to the NDA, so they think they can get away with it. But SEO does not happen in a vacuum. 

Just because you don't tell anybody that you have to spam doesn't mean it's invisible. 

As noted above, publicly available tools give you an X-ray vision of any website's SEO.

Google also has human quality raters and increasingly sophisticated algorithms to find the bad apples.

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