Thump, thump. Several heavy updates just dropped…
Let’s start with Google: You may have to forget the term “the first page of Google,” because the company announced result pages will be replaced with continuous scrolling on desktop.
Starting today, we’re bringing continuous scrolling to desktop in English in the U.S. so you can continue to see more search results easily. When you reach the bottom of a search results page, you'll now be able to see up to six pages of results. pic.twitter.com/xIuVP24FFm
— Google (@Google) December 5, 2022
Google says search results will now return six pages of search results in a single scroll before showing a “See more” button for additional results. SEOs, are you clapping yet?
No cloaking: Google also announced that using link trackers to redirect users to malicious sites is an example of cloaking and will result in ad account suspension.
Now it’s Microsoft’s turn: The tech giant announced several additions to Microsoft Advertising, including…
- Auto-generated remarketing lists. There are now three lists to help you improve performance: all visitors, all converters, and a smart remarketing list.
- Ad schedule with ad view. A new calendar will appear in the ad scheduling section to display an overview of when your ads will be served.
- Expanded coverage of Hotel Price ads and Property Promotions ads. Hotel ads are now available in 147 markets, while Property Promotion ads are in 138 markets. So your chances of taking advantage are good, to say the least.
- Flyer Extensions. This feature allows you to display images next to textual ads, and is now available worldwide.
Microsoft is also developing a feature that lets you retract a conversion, currently in beta. Oh, and Auto-apply APIs are sunsetting.
Why we care: Microsoft’s latest features are part of the company’s ambitious efforts to overtake Google. Definitely worth testing if you’re running ads on the platform.
On the other hand, Google’s continuous scroll could improve the way people use the platform’s search on desktop, remove friction, and possibly increase the click-through-rate (CTR) of websites that would otherwise get “buried” in pages two and three or deeper.
Who says Wednesdays have to be boring?
Alex Lim
Alex Lim is a certified book reviewer and editor with over 10 years of experience in the publishing industry. He has reviewed hundreds of books for reputable magazines and websites, such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Goodreads. Alex has a master’s degree in comparative literature from Harvard University and a PhD in literary criticism from Oxford University. He is also the author of several acclaimed books on literary theory and analysis, such as The Art of Reading and How to Write a Book Review. Alex lives in London, England with his wife and two children. You can contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Website | Twitter | Facebook
