Google Search
The Panda algorithm underwent three changes in September, the first taking place September 18. Google tweeted that a Panda refresh was rolling out on September 18, and that less than 0.7% of search queries would be affected.
A much greater change was Panda’s 20th algorithm update on September 28, which Google reported affected 2.4% of search queries. The next day, Google performed what is now being called the EMD Update, targeted at exact-match domain searches. Previously, a website would automatically rank higher if the domain name matched the search query; however Google noted that many exact-match results were not necessarily of very good quality. The algorithm change, which Google asserts is not related to Panda or Penguin as they are actually algorithm filters – not algorithms themselves - is aimed at better differentiating exact-match domain search results based on the quality of the website. Matt Cutts of Google tweeted that the EMD Update would impact 0.6% of searches, but given the proximity of the Panda and EMD Updates, many are struggling to understand which of the two has actually affected their site.
On the Google Search blog, Google announced the merger of search trend tools Google Insights for Search and Google Trends into the New Google Trends. The merger was aimed at consolidating the two tools as the data rendered for both is based on search behaviour. Google reported that the featured charts and tools are now based on HTML5, so that they can be loaded on mobile devices.
Google Analytics
On September 18, Google announced on the Official Google Analytics blog the addition of more than 40 metrics to the Google Analytics Core Reporting API. The new API allows Analytics users to track the following:
- Social data – on- and off-page social media interaction and conversions
- Mobile data – interaction and conversion based on device brand, model and input type
- Geographic data – provides data on the general demographic area traffic has come from
- Page Path Rollups – allows users to create custom reports to track interaction and conversions from specific sections within a website
- App & Exception Tracking – allows tracking of mobile app views, usage and exceptions
- User Timings – data on user timing can now be reported in a variety of new ways
The Google Analytics Blog also reported new versions of the Mobile App Software Development Kits (SDKs) for Mobile App Analytics on September 27, coinciding with the Panda Update. The SDK updates cater to the new iOS6 software to support app analytics on updated Apple devices to enable reports on social interaction within mobile apps, and fix a CoreData issue to enhance compatibility with multi-thread environments. For Android SDKs, the update is also a fix for previous issues with running Google Play reports on devices operating on Honeycomb or later.
Google AdWords
The Google AdWords platform experienced several changes in September involving better targeting and refinement of AdWords campaigns. On September 5, AdWords Scripts became available globally. The Scripts can now be automated, and enable users to run more complex scripts by increasing execution time to 30 minutes and expanding the entity limit to 100k. In addition, real-time data can now be used to update numeric values without having to edit the copy featured in ads.
A day later, Google also implemented Age and Gender targeting in 39 different countries after having the feature sit in beta for a year. Tools to further refine ad targeting were implemented on September 13, allowing cost per acquisition bidding. CPA bidding involves AdWords utilizing past ad conversion data to strategically place CPC ads when they are most likely to lead to a conversion, and is automated based on a CPA budget. Google asserts that this method lowers CPA, and that results from testing showed no less than a 20% decrease in CPA. Another change to enhance cost-effectiveness and efficiency of AdWords campaigns was announced on September 17 with Shared Budgets. While users were previously required to set individual daily budgets for each campaign they run in AdWords, Shared Budgets now allows users to set one overall daily budget, that is automatically adjusted across several campaigns to where it is needed most on any given day.
Google also announced in September changes to Google Shopping that include templates to simplify creating Product Listing Ads, and released the Google Display Network Playbook for Performance Marketers which outlines key features in the setup of AdWords campaigns.
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