SearchCap: Google’s exact match close variants, EU copyright, Google goofs on hurricane Florence & more

Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.

From Search Engine Land:

• Play ‘Brand Offense’ to win at search
  Sep 12, 2018 by Digital Marketing Depot
  Your brand is constantly under attack by competitors that bid on your branded keywords, interrupting the customer journey and diverting search traffic and ultimately revenue. These “hijack” attempts muddy your reputation and adversely impact the experience your consumers have with your brand online. 
• How keyword match types work after the new close match variants change
  Sep 12, 2018 by Frederick Vallaeys
  Here’s a free Google Ads script that delivers a detailed report on the impact of Google’s inclusion of “same meaning” queries in exact match close variants.
• Google’s latest change has search marketers rethinking keyword match types
  Sep 12, 2018 by Ginny Marvin
  Here’s what some marketers are saying about the move to include same meaning queries in exact match close variants.
• Hurricane Florence query shows Google delivering zero search results again in web search
  Sep 12, 2018 by Barry Schwartz
  After testing zero-search results back in March, Google may be testing showing no results again.
• EU approves controversial copyright directive aimed at Google, Facebook, Twitter
  Sep 12, 2018 by Greg Sterling
  The new rules, which require member-state approval to go into effect, amount to a kind of ‘GDPR for copyright.’

Recent Headlines From Marketing Land, Our Sister Site Dedicated To Internet Marketing:

• Report: Arizona attorney general investigating Google location tracking
  Sep 12, 2018 by Greg Sterling
  Arizona becomes the first in what may be a round of new state investigations of data usage and privacy targeting big tech companies.
• Stella Artois ‘Ultimate Connected Device’ ad offers #AppleEvent fans another option
  Sep 12, 2018 by Amy Gesenhues
  Lara Krug, the brand’s VP, says the spot was inspired by the conflicting need to acquire new technology while simultaneously wanting to do a digital detox.
• Top tech firms call for pro-business updates to federal data privacy laws
  Sep 12, 2018 by Robin Kurzer
  The companies are hoping that a federal law will override state rules like California’s recently-passed pro-consumer legislation.
• Guide to the top marketing automation platforms
  Sep 12, 2018 by Digital Marketing Depot
  Regardless of your company’s size and marketing sophistication, marketing automation tools can provide the following benefits to the organization: Increased marketing efficiency. Enhanced ability to generate more and better qualified leads. A multichannel view of prospect behavior.
• Despite buzz, only one-third of B2B businesses are committed to ABM, report says
  Sep 12, 2018 by Robin Kurzer
  A majority of B2B companies aren’t confident in the quality of the data they need to drive an ABM program.

Search News From Around The Web:

• Google answers: “What’s the best practice to use when you want to have an old URL removed from the index?”, Twitter
• Geo-Targeting: Local PPC Strategy and Actionable Tips, SEMrush
• Getting Impressions vs. Leaving One: How Vanity Metrics Can Mislead Strategic Decisions, Skyword
• How to Tailor Google Analytics Dashboards to Your Business Type, UpBuild
• The Importance Of Manual Accessibility Testing, Smashing Magazine
• The Ultimate Guide to Web Image and Animation Optimization, Elephate

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.

About The Author

Debra Mastaler

Debra Mastaler is an internationally recognized authority on link building and is an OMCP Certified Link Building Trainer. Based in Washington DC, Debra is also a columnist for Search Engine Land, has written for or been featured in numerous tech publications and is active on the search marketing conference circuit as a speaker and trainer. Debra serves as a judge for the Landy Awards and is the President of Alliance-Link.com. Connect with Debra on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay in touch.