#ThinkSearch June 2018 Wrap Up Search Highlights

June is over already, but to make sure you didn’t miss any updates we’ve compiled some highlights from SEO, Content and Paid Media in this #ThinkSearch June wrap up to make sure you’re always up to date with the latest news.

New Google products to simplify marketing

In an attempt to streamline its products, Google is retiring the established AdWords and DoubleClick brands in favour of new offerings.

Google AdWords is becoming Google Ads. DoubleClick and Google Analytics 360 Suite now fall under Google Marketing Platform, and DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange are now part of a new platform called Google Ad Manager.

The changes have been designed to simplify Google’s marketing platforms, so people can easily select the right services for their needs.

Google web spam less than 1% of links

In their 2017 web spam report, Google reported that less than 1% of online searchers were visiting spammy websites from their search results.

Google’s spam teams have apparently worked hard to reduce the number of unnatural links using algorithms and manual actions, with visible results. As well as reducing spam, the number of hacked sites appearing in search results has been reduced by 80%, and 90,000 user reports of search spam were acted on by Google.

Google URL inspection tool on the way

One of the most recent Google updates is the announced URL inspection tool that should be coming to Google Search Console in the next few weeks.

Simply enter a URL and you will be able to see how and when it was crawled, as well as the crawl status and any errors. Also, you’ll be able to see if the URL was successfully indexed, if there were any indexing issues or if there were any AMP problems.

Microsoft News app rivals Google and Apple News

The latest addition to the selection of news apps on offer is Microsoft News, developed by Microsoft as part of their selection of new apps and other updates.

Microsoft have stated that their aim is to provide consumers with “trustworthy news” and “quality journalism” at no cost to them, while also providing a “sustainable source of revenue for publishers”. The result should be a diverse and varied news coverage all collated into one simple app.

Instagram open up about their new algorithm

In case you missed it, Instagram has been updated with a new algorithm. They’ve also given us a lot of information on how it works. Your feed isn’t just based on who you follow, but which pictures you like.

It uses machine learning to asses which content you engage with most and tries to show you what it thinks you want to see. It’s based on a few factors, but Instagram’s aim is to show users more of the content they like in their feeds.

Facebook allows cryptocurrency ads

A decision was made in January to bad Facebook ads promoting cryptocurrency and related products as they could be “misleading or deceptive”. But now Facebook has now announced that they will be allowing cryptocurrency ads to appear on the site.

There is a catch, however, as only ads that have been pre-approved are allowed to advertise. Advertisers must submit an application so Facebook can assess whether they are safe and eligible to appear on the site.

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