Google SERP Updates for 2024

Google is always changing its algorithm.

If it’s not making formal changes then it’s testing out potential changes. At this point, the only thing that would be surprising is if Google didn’t have some surprises up its sleeve.

Recently, Google has started toying with some new changes. Some are only in the testing phase, and some have been established.

Here’s what we know about the Google SERP updates for 2024:

Longer Title Tags and Descriptions

Marketers may soon get more wiggle room in what they can include in title tags and descriptions.

Traditionally, the title tags that Google shows in its search results have been limited to only 50 or 60 characters. Yet, in early May, some astute observers noticed that search results were showing up to 70 or 71 characters in the title tags.

That might not seem like a lot, but it’s enough to fit in at least another word or two, which may be all you need to complete the headline you really wanted.

Additionally, Google has increased the characters it allows in the meta descriptions. Sites can now include about 100 more characters in the descriptions, which is about one more line of text. Instead of two lines of text, the descriptions now include three lines.

However, some results are still being shown cut off at two lines, even if Google is processing the additional line of text.

Longer Mobile Title Tags

The rules for mobile have always been a bit different than the rules for desktop.

With the latest changes, only the longer title tags are being applied to mobile search.

However, the changes don’t transfer directly. Actually, mobile search results get even longer title tags — 78 instead of 71. That’s a big improvement over the previous 50 or 60 characters that were displayed.

This creates more opportunities for marketing on mobile, but it also presents a bit of a conundrum. Marketers can’t just write the same content for both versions of the site and expect the responsive design to do the rest. They must create content specifically for mobile and specifically for desktop — which is something they should already be doing as mobile grows more and more separate from desktop.

Addition of Rich Cards

A while back, Google introduced rich snippets, which show just a little more than the basic title and description. Rich snippets include a thumbnail of the page picture or video, and the formatting is a bit larger and more noticeable.

Now, Google is introducing rich cards, which are small boxes that look just like the shopping results in search. The rich cards include a larger photo, a short title, a rating, and a time marker that shows recency.

The rich cards appear right at the top of search results, and users can scroll through them quickly to find what they need. The purpose of these rich cards is to make it easier for mobile users to search — again, showing the dominant position that mobile has taken.

Marketers will need to create content with these rich cards in mind. Specifically, they will need to choose great, eye-catching photos for their posts and write engaging headlines.

Right now, rich cards are being used to display recipes and movies, but industry experts are sure that their use will quickly grow to other categories. It is important that marketers start thinking about how to take advantage of these changes now, even if they are not immediately affected. Having that practice will help them be more competitive when the use of rich cards grows wider.

Moving Forward

It’s still unclear whether the longer title tags and descriptions will be made permanent. Google often tests out new features before it introduces them, and it has made no announcement about these latest changes.

Therefore, the longer titles and descriptions could slip away just as discreetly as they were introduced.

In the meantime, it is a good idea for marketers to experiment with the longer tags to see what difference they make to their results. Marketers can look at their history to see if they have gotten different results since the changes were introduced at the beginning of May, or they can conduct A/B testing of their own to find out what impact the changes make — if any.

It also important for marketers to start creating content with rich cards in mind, as well as to find other ways to make search better for mobile users. Mobile is expected to continue growing, so mobile marketing will be more and more important.

Of course, Google could change anything at any time, so it is also important that marketers remain aware of the current algorithm and any minor tweaks as they occur. They shouldn’t wait until they notice a decline in traffic or search ranking before they start wondering why. A good offense is also better than a good defense.

Moving away from an over-reliance on keywords and focusing on intent-based search instead will also help you to remain relatively untouched by unexpected changes.

Top Apps of 2015

What were the top apps of 2015?

Nielsen, the same company that produces statistics for TV viewing, has released a list of the top smart phone apps for 2015 based on the number of average unique users.

Perhaps not surprisingly for many, the entire top 10 consists of apps put out by Facebook, Google, and Apple. The list reflects the growing influence of both social media and smart phone usage.

Nielsen also said that the use of smart phones grew to 80 percent in the United States at the end of the third quarter of 2015. ComScore still shows smart phone penetration at 78 percent, but the difference is negligible. It is important that online marketers embrace mobile marketing if they are to continue to be successful.

Here’s a look at the top 10 apps and Nielsen’s findings:

Facebook

The Facebook app had the most average unique users, coming in at 126.7 million.

That’s 8 percent more people than were using the app last year.

Marketers already know that Facebook is a great way to reach customers, but this data shows that marketers should also be targeting them through the mobile app and not just the main site or even the mobile site.

YouTube

Parents already know how great the YouTube app is for the phone. But many others use the app to watch music and catch up with viral news.

The app draws in 97.6 million average unique users, which is 5 percent more than last year. YouTube continues to show that it is a force to be reckoned with in digital marketing.

Facebook Messenger

Facebook made waves when it required users to access their messages through this separate app instead of offering it as an option.

Yet users quickly adjusted, and there has been little discussion about it since the change was made.

Likely because of the required change, the Facebook messenger app saw the most year-over-year growth, at 31 percent. The app has 96.4 million average unique users.

Google Search

Google is already the search king, but the app has made it easier for people to perform a quick search without having to open their phone’s browser and type in the search engine’s URL.

The Google search app had just over 95 million average unique users, which was an increase of just 3 percent over last year.

Google Play

Google Play is the app store for Android users, and it is the place to get movies, TV shows, games, music, and more.

It’s not surprising that the app was one of the most popular for the year. It had 89.7 average unique users, which was 7 percent more than the previous year.

Google Maps

Google Maps quickly toppled Mapquest after it came out, and most people use it as their de facto GPS locator.

That’s partially due to the fact that when you search for a business or other place on Google, it provides the directions through Google maps. You have to copy and paste the address to get directions from a different provider.

Google Maps had 87.78 million users this year, up 8 percent.

Gmail

Not surprisingly, Google products dominate this list.

Google has become the authority on the web, and most products that it introduces succeed.

Gmail was one of its early offerings, and it has continued to be one of the top providers of free email. The app has 75.1 million users, which was up 4 percent from the previous year.

Instagram

Instagram exploded onto the scene when it was introduced, and it has become a mainstay in social media.

The app had 55.4 million average unique users, which was up 23 percent over the previous year.

Apple Music

Everyone loves to listen to music on their smart phone or to stream it through their car stereos.

The Apple Music app had an average of 54.55 unique users, which was up 26 percent from the previous year.

Apple Maps

Finally, Apple Maps came in at Number 10, with an average of 46.4 unique users.

The app grew 16 percent over the previous year.

By paying attention to the trends in app usage, you can identify new advertising strategies for your brand. These apps cover the market, so you can reach every niche with one or more of these apps.

In addition to in-app advertising, you can look into mobile marketing on other websites that are popular among users.

It is important that you do not put money into the mobile version of a site when the app is more popular. For example, most people access Facebook through the app not by entering the URL on their phone.

Make sure you understand the audience you will be reaching and how that compares with your other options when putting together your advertising strategy. Working with a consultant can also help you identify the right advertising opportunities and create the most effective campaign.