September Google News: Key Updates and Actionable Tips for Your Business

Overview

1. Google to Label Images as AI-Generated, Edited or Camera-Taken
2. Google Products Results to Highlight YouTube Videos
3. Google’s Top Quality Store (TQS) Badge Expands to Desktop
4. Google’s AI Overview to Summarise Search Results.
5. Google Reviews Under Local Photos in Maps
6. Google Revamps Entire Crawler Documentation

(1) Google to Label Images as AI-Generated, Edited or Camera-Taken

We’ve been waiting for this one, and its finally happening! Google is rolling out a new feature that will clearly label images based on their origin – whether they were taken with a camera, edited with software or generated by AI. This information will be displayed in the ‘About This Image Feature’ feature. Looking something like this:

So, what does this mean for your business?

1. Transparency and Trust: By clearly indicating where images come from, businesses can build trust with their audience, boosting brand credibility.
2. Content Strategy: With consumers becoming more aware of AI-generated content, companies might shift focus towards authentic, original photography to stand out.
3. Legal and Ethical Considerations: As the divide between human-created and AI-generated content becomes more apparent, businesses may need to reevaluate their legal responsibilities and ethical practices regarding image use.

(2) Google Products Results to Highlight YouTube Videos

Google is now incorporating videos within the top insights section of product detail results. The goal is to give users richer, more engaging content and a visual way to understand product features. This also means people may spend more time on your page.

What should you do about it?

1. Leverage Video Content: If you’re already using YouTube, you could see an increase in visibility for your products, offering new ways to market beyond text reviews.
2. Video SEO: Optimizing video titles, descriptions, and tags for both YouTube and Google search is becoming essential to secure a spot in these product insights sections.

(3) Google’s Top Quality Store (TQS) Badge Expands to Desktop

After rolling out on mobile, Google is testing its Top Quality Store (TQS) badge for desktop listings. This badge, designed to drive traffic to top-performing e-commerce sites, could now increase visibility across all devices.

What’s the impact for businesses?

1. Focus on Quality: Businesses will need to invest in improving site quality, customer service, and overall user experience to qualify for the badge.
2. Boost Visibility: Having the TQS badge can boost your visibility in search results, leading to more clicks and conversions.
3. Competitive Edge: This badge could set you apart from competitors, making it critical for e-commerce stores to strive for this recognition.

(4) Google’s AI Overviews to Summarise Search Results

Google is aiming to help users find the most relevant information faster by introducing AI-driven overviews that summarise search results. These concise, context-rich summaries mean users spend less time browsing, potentially affecting organic search visibility.

How does this change your strategy?

1. Decline in Organic Traffic: As AI overviews appear less frequently for signed-out users and dominate e-commerce queries, businesses may notice a dip in organic traffic. A multichannel marketing strategy, including paid search, becomes more critical.
2. Focus on Authoritative Content: AI overviews prioritize expert and trustworthy content. Businesses must focus on creating high-quality, authoritative content to rank better in these results.

(5) Google Reviews Under Local Photos in Maps

Google is updating its Maps and Business Profiles by showing reviews and menu descriptions under local photos, creating a more immersive browsing experience for users. This change emphasises user-generated content and presents new opportunities for local businesses.

What should local businesses focus on?

1. Encourage Customer Engagement: Actively encouraging customers to leave reviews and upload photos, perhaps with small incentives, can generate positive, organic content.
2. Update Your Menu Descriptions: Keeping your menu descriptions current and accurate can prevent missed opportunities.
3. Manage Reviews: Businesses should stay proactive in responding to reviews, whether positive or negative, to maintain a strong online presence.

(6) Google Revamps Entire Crawler Documentation

Google has overhauled its Crawler documentation, providing more detailed and focused information for developers and SEO professionals. One of the key updates is a more streamlined main overview page, making it easier to find what you need.

What’s the takeaway for businesses?

1. Better Understanding of Crawling: With clearer documentation, businesses can now optimize their websites more effectively to ensure that crucial pages are indexed.
2. Improved SEO Strategies: This revamp offers an opportunity to refine your SEO tactics based on the latest recommendations, increasing your site’s visibility.
3. Gain a Competitive Advantage: Companies that make the most of this updated information can optimise their websites and potentially gain an edge over competitors who don’t fully utilize these resources.