May Industry Update
Spring is busting out the big-guns here in Cornwall, and summer is definitely creeping in with sunny days, the first festivals of the year and the promise of a heatwave on the very near horizon. Meanwhile, Google has been ruthlessly spring-cleaning, clearing out the clutter and making way for a brighter Internet. Here’s the DL.
Google’s Mobile Friendly Boost has been rolled out
On May 12th, Google fully rolled out the second version of the mobile friendly update. They gave us the heads up all the way back in March that they were preparing to boost the mobile-friendly algorithm in May, and they didn’t disappoint.
Google said, “If you are already mobile-friendly, you do not have to worry [and]… you will not be impacted by this update.”
It’s worth noting that the mobile-friendly algorithm works page-by-page, so it can take a little time for Google work through all of the pages on the Internet. If you are not currently mobile-friendly, or want to check that you are, take a look at the Google mobile-friendly tool, or pop us a line here at HOM at info@hookedonmedia.com.
20% of mobile queries are now voice searches
It would seem that we are becoming a generation of lazy-searchers, and typing a search into Google just takes far too long. As a result of this, more and more people are now using voice-search in the day-to-day.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced on May 18th that 20% of queries on the Google mobile app and Android devices were now made by voice. Back in December, Search Engine Land reported that 60% of those surveyed said they had started using voice search within the past 12 months.
With search slowly but surely migrating to mobile and voice, there are some important content and SEO implications to consider, and you can read about them here.
Want to know more about what we can do to help prepare you for the rise of voice-search? Give us a call on 01872 248376.
Payday loan ads banned in Google
Back at the beginning of the month, Google announced a ban on payday lenders advertising on the search engine, classifying them in the “dangerous products” category along with guns, tobacco and explosives.
David Graff, director of global product policy at Google said, “When reviewing our policies, research has shown that these loans can result in unaffordable payment and high default rates for users so we will be updating our policies globally to reflect that.”
Google have said that payday loans above 36% APR will now be banned from ads, however, this rate may only apply to the US. These companies may still show up in search results, but aggressive adverts will be a thing of the past from July 13th this year.
It was also noted, however, that this change will not affect any companies offering loans such as mortgages, car loans, student loans, commercial loans or credit cards.
This move was praised by human rights leaders, and Wade Henderson, CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said, “This new policy addresses many of the longstanding concerns shared by the entire civil rights community about predatory payday lending. These companies have long used slick advertising and aggressive marketing to trap consumers into outrageously high interest loads – often those least able to afford it.”
Say hello to our social media guru, Kirsty Drummond
Every month we’re introducing one member of our team to you, our lovely clients. This month we delve into Kirsty’s love of tea, Buzzfeed and social media. Head on over to our blog to find out more.
