SearchCap: Local SEO report, Google Maps spam report & following Googlebot

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

From Search Engine Land:

• Did you know you can report Google Maps-related spam calls and other violations to Google?
  Nov 28, 2018 by Barry Schwartz

  Google local has its share of spam and manipulation issues. There’s a form you can use to report some of those violations.

• 7 ways to use dynamic content and multiply your conversions
  Nov 28, 2018 by Digital Marketing Depot

  Five years ago, people were awed when Amazon could recommend a product they’d love. Today, users expect that Netflix will recommend to them another binge-worthy series based on their tastes. So, how does a marketer meet this high demand for personalized communications? The answer is in understanding the power of dynamic content and how it […]

• Moz ‘State of Local’ report shows confusion, fragmentation in local SEO efforts
  Nov 28, 2018 by Greg Sterling

  90 percent of respondents believe Google’s focus on proximity “frequently or sometimes” harms search results quality.

• Here’s what happened when I followed Googlebot for 3 months
  Nov 28, 2018 by Max Cyrek

  This experiment uncovered no direct way to bypass the First Link Counts Rule with modified links but it was possible to build a structure using Javascript links.

• Why Disney, Microsoft and Home Shopping Network attend SMX West
  Nov 27, 2018 by Search Engine Land

  For more than 10 years, marketers have attended Search Marketing Expo – SMX® West for a variety of reasons. Here’s what a few of them had to say about the experience: “… changes in search marketing are impacting the variety of stakeholders in the industry. It is too easy to get stuck in one’s own perspective alone, and SMX […]

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

• For many marketers, platform integration is a ‘must have’ for new tools
  Nov 28, 2018 by Barry Levine

  What is often hidden in organizations’ software choices is that many marketers will only select from the application ecosystems of Salesforce, HubSpot or other major platforms.

• Teach yourself about machine learning and artificial intelligence
  Nov 28, 2018 by Pamela Parker

  Shifting to data-driven marketing requires hiring or training staffers familiar with the latest technologies. Bolster your staff development with these free educational resources.

• Compare 15 top marketing automation platforms
  Nov 28, 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. Better alignment of sales and marketing goals. Improved lead conversion and ROI. MarTech Today’s “B2B Marketing Automation Platforms: A […]

• 165 million people shopped online and in stores over Black Friday weekend
  Nov 28, 2018 by Greg Sterling

  There were just under 90 million multichannel shoppers who spent on average $93 more than online or in-store only buyers.

• Quora unveils new Promoted Answers ad unit
  Nov 28, 2018 by Robin Kurzer

  The Promoted Answers unit has the same targeting options as the platform’s other ad formats.

• Data privacy: Will the industry emerge stronger following the Facebook fallout?
  Nov 28, 2018 by Adam Corey

  New regulation will push transparency to be normalized so advertisers must communicate simply and openly about how audience data is used.

• Why Disney, Microsoft and Home Shopping Network attend SMX West
  Nov 27, 2018 by Marketing Land

  For more than 10 years, marketers have attended Search Marketing Expo – SMX® West for a variety of reasons. Here’s what a few of them had to say about the experience: “… changes in search marketing are impacting the variety of stakeholders in the industry. It is too easy to get stuck in one’s own perspective alone, and SMX […]

• Cheetah mobile and another Chinese firm accused of mobile ad download fraud
  Nov 27, 2018 by Greg Sterling

  A Q1 report from AppsFlyer said that mobile ad fraud is costing brands $700-$800 million globally on a quarterly basis.

• Forrester decides to buy SiriusDecisions
  Nov 27, 2018 by Barry Levine

  This latest expansion by the Cambridge-based research firm adds marketing, sales and product operational methodology, as well as the SiriusDecisions’ “Demand Waterfall.”

Search News From Around The Web:

• Google chief executive Sundar Pichai set to testify to Congress in December, Washington Post
• Google Maps updates the side menu to fit its new Material look, Android Police
• Google Said Focus On Building A Site That If Google Doesn’t Rank Well, Google Would Consider It A Bug, Search Engine Roundtable
• How Google Might Predict Query Intent Using Contextual Histories, Go Fish Digital
• How To Use Scroll Depth Tracking, Adjusted Bounce Rate, and Average Time On Page As A Proxy For User Engagement, User Happiness, and Content Quality, GSQI
• Killing 3ve: How The FBI And Tech Industry Took Down A Massive Ad Fraud Scheme, BuzzFeed
• Using a New Correlation Model to Predict Future Rankings with Page Authority, Moz
• Why Does Google Confirm Some Core Algorithm Updates & Not Others? It’s About Confusion., Search Engine Roundtable