#ThinkSearch May Wrap Up Search Highlights

With lots of exciting changes taking place this month across SEO, Content and Paid Media, we’ve rounded up a few highlights in this #ThinkSearch May post to make sure you’re always up to date with the latest industry news.

Are you ready for the new GDPR?

On the 25th May, new data laws came into effect across the EU that affect the way companies store and use personal data. The regulations include new rights for people who wish to access personal data stored by organisations, as well as new rules for businesses regarding data management.

One of the biggest changes that GDPR will bring is that businesses now have to have active consent from people to be able to store their data, and any businesses in possession of personal data without consent after 25th May could face serious penalties.

Google shortens search results snippets

Google has confirmed that they have decreased the length of featured snippets, after increasing them a few months ago. Danny Sullivan of Google has stated that “search snippets are now shorter on average than in recent weeks”, falling from around 300 characters to around 160 on desktop.

However, if you’ve already lengthened your meta descriptions, the good news is that you might not need to go back and shorten them. This is because Sullivan also said that snippets are created dynamically, based on what Google thinks is “most useful” to a user. 

Our search snippets are now shorter on average than in recent weeks, though slightly longer than before a change we made last December. There is no fixed length for snippets. Length varies based on what our systems deem to be most useful.

— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) May 14, 2018

Is ASOS revolutionising visual search?

Fashion retailer ASOS have created a visual search tool on their app. Called Style Match, the technology allows users to use their own photos or screenshots of outfits to search for similar items on ASOS.

Google’s own image search algorithm has evolved quickly in recent years, and they announced this year that Google Lens will be coming to many more phones. This will allow users to search using just their camera, and Google will offer suggestions based on the images.

Facebook has suspended 200 apps because of misuse of data

Two months since news of the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, Facebook has made a comment saying that out of the thousands investigated so far, 200 apps have been suspending and are pending investigation for the possible misuse of user data.

Mark Zuckerberg made a statement in March detailing the planned review of thousands of apps, with any apps that refused to comply or failed the audit being banned from Facebook.

(Image credit: Thought Catalog)

Yelp files a complaint against Google

According to the Financial Times, Yelp has filed a private antitrust complaint against Google. The complaint to the European Commission states that Google has “abused its dominance in local search”, favouring its own content and minimising that of competitors.

Yelp has also released a video aimed at Google employees to try and spark a change from within. Called “Focus on the User”, it focuses on how Google offers a worse user experience in local search, which could also harm local businesses.

Do you have any exciting updates? Share them with us by tweeting @iThinkMedia or leave us a comment below, and don’t forget to keep up to date with our #ThinkSearch wrap ups for the latest news across SEO, social and Paid Media.