Google’s May Update: What You Need To Know

Your one-stop shop for all things Google! 

Welcome to "Keeping Up With Google" – the ultimate source for staying informed about the most recent advancements and innovations from the world’s largest search engine. In this month's issue, we will delve into noteworthy modifications and updates brought forth by Google. 

Some of these include the back code button update, shopping ads restriction upliftment, and inspection tool addition update. 

Whether you are a business owner, marketer, or  curious learner, we are here to give you a comprehensive insight into the changes introduced by Google so that you are at the top of your game. 

So, let's dive in ad explore what the latest Google update has in store for us. 

Google Algorithm Updates 

Google periodically implements updates to ensure that your search results are consistently relevant. Here are some updates that sparked significant discussions among users.

May 16: Hidden Gem Discovery Update 

Google is set to launch an update to its valuable content system, which will have the capability to discover and highlight "hidden gems" buried deep within the web. This update aims to not only demote unhelpful content but also promote these valuable hidden gems simultaneously. 

As highlighted by Glenn Gabe, this enhancement empowers the helpful content system to elevate the visibility of valuable and insightful information to users through Google Search results.

SEO Updates 

23 May: Back Code Button Update 

Google has reintroduced the edit code button to the Rich Results Test tool. Ryan Levering, a Google representative, shared this update on Mastodon, expressing his excitement about the new feature. He mentioned that the button simplifies the process of testing live code fixes. 

Levering acknowledged that many users missed the code editing workflow of the Structured Data Testing Tool, and this addition brings back a similar functionality. The edit button is located in the bottom right corner of the interface, as depicted in the provided screenshot. To access it, you can enter a URL into the tool and click on "view tested page" within the interface.

May 17: Google-InspectionTool Added To Crawler User Agents

Google has introduced a new user agent, called Google-InspectionTool, to its list of Google crawlers. This addition is applicable to both the Googlebot user agent and the name Google-InspectionTool. The details regarding this update can be found in the Google crawler help document. 

According to the document, Google-InspectionTool serves as the crawler utilized by Search testing tools like the Rich Result Test and URL inspection in Search Console. Apart from the user agent and user agent token, it closely emulates Googlebot's behavior.

May 23: New Google Merchant Centre Update 

Google announced the introduction of Google Merchant Center Next, a more streamlined and user-friendly version of the current Google Merchant Center. Emphasizing the simplification process, Google assured that the essential features relied upon by larger retailers would remain intact.

Gradually, Merchant Center Next will replace the existing Merchant Center by the end of 2024. One notable feature of Google Merchant Center Next is its ability to automatically populate the product feed by extracting information from merchants' websites. 

Google explained that users will have the option to modify the automated data or disable this feature if desired.

This functionality eliminates the need for merchants to construct specialized data feeds or manually upload products to Google Merchant Center.

Google Ads Updates 

May 15: Shopping Ads & Free Listening Restriction Update 

Google has announced a significant update to its Google Merchant Center policy regarding COVID-19-related terms. Starting in June 2023, the restrictions on listing COVID-19-related terms for Google Shopping Ads and free listings will be lifted. This update specifically affects the Google Merchant Center Sensitive events policy.

Google stated that in June 2023, they would remove the limitations on coronavirus (COVID-19) content outlined in their Sensitive events policy. As a result, Shopping ads and free listings containing COVID-19-related terms will no longer face restrictions. Additionally, the requirement for approval via LegitScript or Project N95 will be eliminated.

This policy change applies to Shopping ads and free listings for various COVID-19-related products, including certain types of face masks, vaccines, and other relevant items.

24th May: Trusted Store Batch Update 

Google has recently made a modification in the product results displayed within Google Search, replacing the "Trusted Store" badge with a new designation called the "Top Quality Store" badge. 

According to Google, this change does not require any specific action from users, and it will not have any impact on performance metrics whatsoever.

The Buzz 

There was huge chatter around Google’s I/O event in May. During the highly anticipated Google I/O 2023 event, the team introduced and showcased the Search Generative Experience (SGE). This innovative feature is set to be rolled out gradually in the coming months, offering users an enhanced search experience. So keep an eye out for that. 

Industry experts like Barry Schwartz and Google’s official search handle made announcements and shared updates on the same. 

That’s all from our end for the month of May! Be sure to stay informed about the upcoming Google updates. We will closely monitor the SEO landscape and share any noteworthy changes that could impact you in the next edition of Keeping Up With Google. See you soon! 

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