Welcome to the first edition of SALT’s Search Summary.

This is the first in a series of short videos by the SALT.agency team. These videos will cover key topics around SEO industry news, Google updates, SEO tool updates, company news, and more. If it’s current and relevant, we’ll be talking about it.

In this episode, SALT.agency’s Callum Corrigan discusses the following:

  • Mobile-first indexing
  • Google ads in the local pack
  • The new time-based Google algorithm
  • Official core update advice from Google

Below, we outline the subjects that Callum talks about in a little more detail.

Mobile-first indexing

Everyone knows by now that mobile-first is essential; however, Google recently made an announcement that crystallises this point.

If you are planning on building a new site, it will be indexed according to mobile-first guidelines. It is, therefore, imperative that mobile UX is a significant consideration during the site build.

Google ads in the local pack

Google recently announced that it is testing out a new map pack design. This new design prioritises paid ads and pushes organic listings further down the page.

If you’re currently in position three or lower in the local results, this could mean that you won’t be visible at all unless a user clicks on the carousel.

If you’re in position one at the moment, you will undoubtedly be pushed down the page, losing immediate visibility.

Time-based search intent

In February, Google began testing a new time-based algorithm, and it has recently been released. This new algorithm identifies time-related queries and tries to return the most up-to-date information through featured snippets.

If your historic posts have been appearing in featured snippets less recently, this is probably the reason why.

This new algorithm is a timely reminder to always post the most up-to-date information possible in your content.

Official advice regarding Google core updates

Google has finally offered some guidance regarding what site owners should do in light of recent core updates. You can read this, here.

As an aside, if you need to diagnose your Google ranking changes, you can find out more in our blog post on this topic.

It is recommended that you take the time to understand the nature of each core update. Often, nothing needs fixing on a site or at landing page level.

The advice reiterated the importance of staying relevant, so we would recommend doing so by monitoring and adjusting your SEO strategy accordingly.

We hope you enjoy the first episode of our Search Summary. Don’t forget to hit that Subscribe button if so, to see our future videos in your feed. You can find our YouTube channel, here.

If you have any questions about what was discussed in the video or would like to know what SALT.agency can do for your business, get in touch today.