Reddit Blocks Search Engines, but Not Google
Reddit has updated its robots.txt file to prevent search engines from crawling its site after growing frustrated with third parties using its data to train AI chatbots. Microsoft confirmed this week that Bing can no longer access Reddit. However, Google remains unaffected. Could the $60 million deal Google signed with Reddit earlier this year be giving it preferential treatment? A spokesperson for the social news aggregation site says no, adding that there have been “discussions with multiple search engines” regarding licensing deals.
Majority of SEOs Report Positive Impact from Google Updates
John Mueller has expressed that it “would be nice” to “celebrate the wins more” after a new LinkedIn poll revealed that 54% of SEOs have experienced mostly positive outcomes from Google updates. Mueller noted that he often hears complaints on social media rather than feedback about those working on “great websites.”
TikTok Introduces Custom Thumbnail Cover Images
TikTok users can now upload custom images for video thumbnails. Instead of selecting a specific frame from a video, users can click the “+Upload” button to add a custom visual. It will be interesting to see how this new feature influences engagement on the platform. MrBeast is reported to create up to 20 thumbnail variations for YouTube clips.
Google Ad Revenue Rises 11%
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported its earnings this week, showing an 11% increase in ad revenue, which climbed to $64.62 billion in Q2. However, this marked a slower growth rate compared to Q1. Google also achieved an operating profit of $1 billion for the first time. Overall revenues increased by 14% to $85 billion.
X Enhances Grok Usability
X’s generative AI search assistant, Grok, received several enhancements this week. Premium subscribers can now use it to analyse accounts and request definitions for any term or phrase. Users can obtain profile summaries by selecting “More about this account” at the top of the page, potentially useful for identifying bots and spam accounts. These updates are currently available only on desktop.
SEO Community Monitors SERP Volatility
Google announced last week that a core algorithm update is forthcoming. Since then, the SEO community has been on the lookout for signs of an imminent rollout, with several webmasters reporting a spike in traffic from Monday (22 July) to Wednesday (24 July). “High” levels of volatility were also recorded during this period by SEMrush.
Threads Working on Alternate Feeds
Threads continues to make incremental updates. This week, Meta’s conversational app confirmed it is developing an easier way for users to access liked and saved posts. A new section called “Your Feeds” was spotted in backend code a few months ago, but it has yet to be launched. Threads says a new UI is still being developed for feeds beyond “For You” and “Following.”
Google Reverses on Third-Party Cookie Ban
Finally, Google has faced criticism for reversing its plans to phase out third-party cookies. On Tuesday (23 July), the tech giant confirmed it would adopt a new approach to give users an “informed choice” about data. The UK’s data privacy watchdog, the ICO, expressed disappointment, but advertisers are likely to be relieved as the change would have made tracking and targeting users based on online behaviour more challenging.
