Tom Williams brings you the latest SEO news, including parameter handling for HTTPS migrations.
Parameter Handling For HTTPS Migration
If you have parameter handling already set up in Google Search Console, and you’re looking to migrate your site from HTTP to HTTPS, make sure you transfer the setup.
Barry Schwartz writes:
Make sure to set up a new Google Search Console verified property for your HTTPS site, leave the HTTP version alone. Then set up the parameter handling in there as well.
When it comes to site migrations, certain legacy configurations need to be handled properly, such as chain and URL redirects, hreflang tags and structured data.
Here’s a word from Google’s John Mueller via Twitter:
@JohnMu: You need to transfer the parameter handling settings if you move to HTTPS (that’s in our docs). Usually a sign that you’re internally linking w/parameters a lot too.
Featured Snippets Update
On 22nd November, Barry Schwartz noted: “Pete Meyers from Moz was tweeting yesterday about how the featured snippets at the end of October have significantly changed.”
It seems as though the SERPS that stopped showing featured snippets last month are now displaying knowledge panels.
According to data from Mozcast and RankRanger, there were prominent fluctuations with featured snippets showing in search results.
Featured snippets are constantly subject to change, so we cannot determine what will happen next.
Update To Blocked Search Results Snippet
Speaking of snippets…
Google has announced an update to the text used when telling a user that a search result snippet doesn’t have any information.
The previous text:
A description for this result is not available because of this site’s robots.txt – learn more.
The new text:
No information is available for this page. Learn why.
Now users can click to the “Learn why” page, it means Google has provided them with more ways to change this result.
Google Content Labels Get A Refresh
Earlier in November, Google seemed to be trialling a new look for PDF labels in the search results.
Now, the search engine giant is doing the same for other content types, such as PowerPoint. PDFs have a small “PDF” icon next to the web address, and similarly PowerPoints have “PPT”.
Here’s what Barry Schwartz thinks:
It is clean and descriptive, I like it.
Whiteboard Friday – Targeting The Keywords Your Competitors Use
Last week, Rand Fishkin talked us through which of our competitors’ keywords we should and shouldn’t be targeting.
According to our favourite MozBod:
You don’t want to try and rank for every one of your competitor’s keywords. Like most things with SEO, it’s important to be strategic and intentional with your decisions.
More SEO News and Advice
Read last week’s SEO News Roundup: Google’s Panda and Penguin Still Receiving Tweaks
Maximise visibility with an optimised website and improved rankings with top reporting tools and industry knowledge. Discover more about how our SEO experts can help you optimise your current strategies by getting in touch today.
Talk To Us About Accelerating your Digital Performance
Related Articles
More articles you might be interested in:


Instagram in Google Search: What Brands Need to Know
Read more
How to Protect SEO Performance During a Site Migration
Arming yourself with the right tools to ensure a smooth site migration is important - find out how to protect your SEO during a migration today.
Read more
How to Understand and Address Google Algorithm Updates
Google employees have recently announced that the upcoming Google Core Update is set to be released in the coming weeks. Understanding and addressing...
Read more
Why LGBTQ+ Terminology Matters in Marketing
Language matters. Any marketer worth their salt knows this. But when discussing gender and sexual orientation, that importance is amplified tenfold.
Read more
Why Thought Leadership is a Key Marketing Tool
When marketers think of thought leadership, there are names rather than ideas, that tend to spring to mind.
Read more
How to write the perfect meta description using ChatGPT
With the release of GPT-4, how revolutionary will this tool be? Alan Rowe takes us through it...
Read more
How well integrated is your organic search?
To help prompt you to consider your approach to organic search integration, Dr. Dave Chaffey gives some practical tests you can apply to review your...
Read more