In this episode of SEO 101, hosts Ross Dunn and Scott Van Achte discuss Google’s March 2025 core update and its focus on quality content. They explain a mistake that can cause search engine result click-through rates to plummet, and they address the challenges of AI accuracy in search engines and its implications for digital content creators.
Show Notes:
- Google Search Paperclip Icon
- Testing a paperclip icon beside the search bar.
- Clicking copies a goo.gl link for easy sharing.
- Uncertainty about its usefulness and impact on personalization.
- Firefox Data Policy Changes
- Removed promise to never sell personal data; reassured users not to panic.
- New terms grant Mozilla a license to use uploaded information.
- Clarified that Mozilla does not own user content.
- Google Search Volume
- Google now processes over 5 trillion searches per year.
- Historical search volume growth from 1 billion in 1999 to 5 trillion in 2025.
- Approximately 158,548 searches per second.
- Google March 2025 Core Update
- First core update of 2025 rolling out; expected to take 2 weeks.
- Emphasis on producing quality content.
- Impact of Date Published/Updated on CTR
- Displaying both dates can decrease organic CTR and traffic.
- Recommended to display only the most relevant date.
- Schema markup can include both dates without issues.
- Personalization in Search Results
- Noted personalized sitelinks for a multilingual client’s website.
- Observed search results reflecting individual browsing history.
- Google Business Profile Updates
- Major changes to Google Business Profiles may lead to suspension.
- Minor updates are advised until trust is built.
- Google Testing AI Mode
- AI Mode available in Google Labs for selected users.
- Aimed at addressing concerns about content scraping and encouraging site visits.
- Uncertain impact on click-through rates (CTR) from AI Overviews.
- AI Search Engine Accuracy Issues
- Study found AI chatbots often provide incorrect answers and fabricated citations.
- Over 60% of queries returned inaccurate results.
- Concerns over confidence in wrong answers and bypassing crawler protocols.
- Inaccurate attribution affecting publishers’ visibility and traffic.
Sources:
Google Search Paperclip Icon – Google tests a paperclip icon for easy sharing of search results via a goo.gl link.
Firefox Data Policy Changes – Firefox removes its promise to never sell personal data, prompting user concerns and backlash.
Google Search Volume – Google processes over 5 trillion searches annually, showcasing significant growth over the years.
Google March 2025 Core Update – The first core update of 2025 focuses on quality content and is expected to roll out over two weeks.
Impact of Date Published/Updated on CTR – Displaying both publication and updated dates can negatively affect organic click-through rates; best practices recommended.
Google Business Profile Updates – Caution against making major updates to Google Business Profiles to avoid suspension and build trust.
Google Testing AI Mode – Google introduces AI Mode in Search Labs, aiming to enhance user interaction while addressing publisher concerns.
AI Search Engine Accuracy Issues – A study reveals AI chatbots often provide incorrect answers and fabricate citations, raising concerns about information integrity.
