Welcome to the week in SEO! Every Saturday, Supersede Media will trawl the internet and bring together a delightful smörgåsbord of the top stories, updates, tips and general happenings in the world of tech. Here’s what you need to know from the past 7 days!
The Headlines
Ads take centre stage in this week’s roundup, as both Google and Facebook announce policies aimed at protecting users. There’s also a special birthday for Google Trends. Let’s dive in!
Google Ads set to ban certain forms of ad targeting for under-18s
The issue of ad personalisation has been a thorny one in recent years, as we’ve become acutely aware of just how much major tech companies know about us. Everything from what we search through to where we live is up for grabs. This is already enough of a problem when it comes to adults who (hopefully) know what they’re consenting to when sharing their data. However, many children online are sharing their personal data without a full understanding of the potential consequences.
Now, Google has announced a raft of measures to help safeguard minors. Key amongst them is the news that marketers can no longer target under-18s based on age, gender or interest groups. Additional safeguards will also be put in place to prevent certain categories from being shown to teenagers. Meanwhile, under-18s can also request that their images are removed from Google Image search results, while other changes include the removal of autoplay as the default for younger users.
Facebook ads will start prioritising privacy
Facebook has long been criticised for the amount of data it collects about its users. Recent moves by the likes of Apple to beef up privacy tools, as well as new legislation on both sides of the Atlantic, have compelled the social giant to start changing its advertising model to know less about you. However, with much of Facebook’s profitability coming from its targeted ads, how can it keep both users and advertisers happy?
Their plan is to move towards secure multi-party computation. In essence, this means that data used for ad targeting will be encrypted before being shared with third parties. The company is also looking into a system by which any personalisation would be on-device, allowing Facebook to serve users with targeted ads without sharing their data externally.
Google Trends turns 15 and reveals how our searches have changed
Whether you’re an SEO professional looking into search volume over time or a casual user checking out an annual review, Google Trends has become a mainstay since its launch in 2006. In those 15 years, plenty has changed in the way that we search.
Search Engine Journal has highlighted some of the key differences in Google Trends between 2006 and 2021, with 2006-era stars like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton replaced by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Millie Bobby Brown and Doja Cat. There was some crossover, though, with video game series Sonic and Big Brother retaining their appeal.
Other tech news on our radar…
- Google Bans Tracking Tool that Sold Users’ Location Data
- WordPress Widgets Getting You Closer to WYSIWYG
- Instagram Is Adding More E-Commerce Support with Ads in the Shop Tab
Step up your SEO game
There’s no time like the present to improve your SEO. We’ve brought together a few top links to help you optimise your site and its content.
- How to Choose the Best WordPress Theme for SEO
- An SEO Workout to Clean Up Your Content
- Stitch Your Search Marketing Loopholes Before 2022
Workplace wellness
Whether you’re back at the office or still holed up in your WFH den, here are some gems of wisdom (this week’s come courtesy of the team at TotalWellness) that will make a difference to your professional and personal wellbeing. You’re welcome!
Image source: Afif Kusuma (via Unsplash)
“With a few tweaks to your lifestyle, you can be sitting with better posture and less pain. It may take some time, but with practice and mindfulness, you can aim for work days with less pain and a more comfortable time sitting.”
Feeling sore after too much time in the office chair? There is hope! Check out How to Relieve Back and Neck Pain From Sitting Way Too Long, a guide from Seraine Page at TotalWellness that does exactly what it says on the tin. From better posture through to exercises you can do at home, you’ll be feeling better in no time.
That completes this weekly roundup! Have a great weekend, and come back next week for another round of SEO tips, tricks and news.
