High volatility as March core update rollout continues 

Nearly 40 days in, the Google March 2024 core update is still causing significant volatility in search results. Several tracking tools reported ranking swings this week. SEO professional Taylor Kurt also tweeted that he saw “pretty big fluctuations” on Wednesday (10 April). Google’s first core update of the year went first live way back on 6 March. 

TikTok readies Instagram competitor, TikTok notes

TikTok has conquered the short-form video market. After revealing plans to launch a “dedicated space” for images and text this week, it now wants to rival Instagram in the photo-sharing space. TikTok users have already been informed that will need to opt-out to prevent image-based content from being shared automatically to a “Notes” app. A notification said this app “is coming soon”. 

Multi-image posts key to success on LinkedIn

Want to boost engagement on LinkedIn? Posting multi-image content with shorter captions is the key to success. A new study from SocialInsider found visual content performs best: videos are more likely to be shared while posts with several images and short copy maximise engagement. Polls are also good for increasing impressions as they encourage users to express their opinions and write comments.

Instagram makes it easier to post multiple stories

Social media managers always welcome time-saving features. Instagram added a cool one this week - a shortcut that allows users to add multiple stories in one go.

Google tests “Short Videos” in search menu bar

Google has added a feed of short videos to its menu bar in search results. Currently testing, this feature will allow users to watch bite-sized content from across social media sites including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. SEO consultant Brodie Clark said this change is designed to “win back” users who are using TikTok as a search engine.

More evidence that Gen Z search journeys are changing

Clark’s theory makes sense after data shared with news site, showed 21% of 18 to 24-year-olds start their online searches on TikTok. While 46% of this age group still turn to Google, it’s clear the tide is slowly turning. In comparison, 58% of millennials use Google as their first port of call for finding new content. 

SEO “is not really about magic”

Google’s John Mueller delivered another memorable soundbite this week. After a Reddit user asked whether a specific combination of HTML elements could boost SEO, he said the discipline “is not really about magic”. Fellow Google search expert Gary Illyes has previously stated that technical SEO success is a learned outcome from multiple “experiments”.

Google CEO - Search and chatbots are different things 

Finally, Google CEO Sundar Pichai says search isn’t going anywhere, even as AI continues to upend the traditional search engine experience. Pichai believes people still trust its results even though it’s no longer just text and blue links. He also reiterated that the new Search Generative Experience, powered by AI, is not a chatbot experience but a search one. Pichai says bots and search are two different things, but they can exist together to improve the quality of SERPs.