Why does Google tip us off to search updates with minor ranking impacts but surprise us with the major ones?

It is the updates Google does not give us huge lead time to prepare for that impact the rankings the most, like the core updates, the Penguin and Panda updates from the past and most of the updates that go unconfirmed or unannounced.

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We audited Google Ad recommendations: What we learned will surprise you

The analysis revealed adding sitelinks to ads and replacing trademark terms can help but optimization scores of ad copy might not. In the end, a human-led strategy is still critical for success.

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Where Google got more inventory to show Responsive Search Ads ads may surprise you

RSAs use machine learning to match the best ad variation with each search using data from ad performance segmented by query. To get this data, you need to delve into the scripts and Ads API reports.

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No surprise: Clicks plummet when images, article info stripped from news results in SERP

Google sought to show potential ‘unintended consequences’ of new copyright rules that require fees when content is shown in search results.

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Type Or Speak “Hodor” To Google & Get A Game Of Thrones Surprise

Google and its Google Search App now have a special surprise for “Game of Thrones” fans. Saying or typing “Hodor” causes Google to respond as Hodor would — speaking all in Hodor. Along with recent updates including new Now cards and a “flip a coin” feature,…

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This Holiday Shopping Season, Searching Google For “Pearl Necklace” Leads To NSFW Surprise

Those using Google to find the perfect pearl necklace for their significant other this holiday season may be in for a rude surprise. If you search for “pearl necklace,” one of the top results is a definition from Urban Dictionary, which is completely not safe for work. A reader sent us…

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Surprise: Yahoo Maps Gets A Facelift, New Features

Shortly after she became Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer declared (disappointingly) that she wasn’t going to invest in Local. In turns out that what she meant was she wasn’t going to go head to head with Google in Maps. Her predecessor Carol Bartz had outsourced maps (to Nokia) and she…

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