June’s top SEO stories included the launch of Google’s new Perspectives search filter, and better video indexation reporting.
In other search news, Google is removing Canada news links in response to new legislation, there is some algorithm update chatter (although nothing confirmed), and Google has provided updated Merchant Center data specs. Google and Bing have also both been busy rolling out a number of new SERP features and testing others, including multiple featured snippets, larger product images, a price range product slider and more.
John Mueller shared some insights and clarifications around a few topics, including a warning about using custom elements in the head of the page, answered a question about whether security headers are a ranking signal, offered some nuance regarding the topic of “index bloat”, and more. We’re also seeing a lot of conversation and updates on the AI front, with both Google and Bing iterating rapidly and rolling out a lot of updates to their various AI offerings.
June’s Top Stories
Google launches new Perspectives search filter: after formally announcing this new feature at Google I/O in May (although we’ve been hearing about it for longer), Google started rolling out their new “Perspectives” search filter to mobile search results over the first weekend in June. The feature sits with the rest of the filter options under the search bar, and is intended to pull in a compilation of commentary on a searched topic from video, social media, news, forums and similar.

Screenshot from Google, June 2023
Improved video indexing reporting: Google has also been making some changes recently to how and when video content is indexed and displayed in SERPs. The latest guidance has emphasized that video should be the “main element” on the page for it to qualify for a SERP thumbnail, and Gary Ilyes has now further clarified that while it does not need to be the first element on the page, the video should be “in their face right away”. Alongside this update to the guidance, they have rolled out changes to the video indexing reporting in GSC, to provide more specific reasons for why “Google could not determine the prominent video on the page”. The three new issues they are reporting on are: “video outside the viewport”, “video too small”, and “video too tall”.
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Read on for our roundup of what else is new in search this month:
Industry News and Updates
Algorithm Updates
- Google Search Algorithm Ranking Update Volatility Around June 6th
- June 14th Google Search Ranking Algorithm Update & Fluctuations
- Google Search Ranking Volatile Super Heated Over Father’s Day Weekend
- Google Search Ranking Volatility Exploding Today – Where Is The Confirmed Algorithm Update?
- Google Search Ranking Volatility Heated Again (June 28 & 29th)
General News and Updates
- Google Removes Canada News Links In Response To Online News Act, Bill C-18
- How Facebook ranks content in 2023: Feed, Stories, Reels and more
- Word Count For SEO & Google Rankings Is Not A Thing
- Google: New Web Sites Homepages Should Get Indexed
- Google Selling Google Domains Won’t Impact Your SEO Or Google Rankings
- Google’s John Mueller Warns Against Custom Elements In Head
- Google: Launching A New Domain Before Migrating Content To It Reduces Some Risk
- Google sued by USA Today publisher amid falling ad revenue fears
- Google Sues Business Over Alleged Fake Business Profiles & Reviews
- Removing Personal Info From Google: Insights From John Mueller
- Study: Removing The Address In Google Business Profiles Will Make Your Local Rankings Drop
- Google’s John Mueller On Domain Selection: gTLDs Vs. ccTLDs
- Google News Showcase coming to the US and updates to follow tab on Google News
- Google Debunks The “Index Bloat” Theory
- Google: Links From Non-English To English Language Sites Are Not Bad?
- Google Checks To See If XML Sitemaps Change Before Reprocessing
- Google To Drop Support For Sitemaps Ping Endpoints In 6-Months
- Google trials new CTA that takes customers directly to your website
- 2023 Google Merchant Center Product Data Specification Updates
SERP Tests and Updates
- Google
- Google Rolling Out Multiple Featured Snippets On Desktop Search
- Buy on Google program to shut down Sept. 26
- Google Tests Larger Product Images For Search Snippets Again
- Google Price Range Product Slider With Store Names
- Google: Products Within Google Business Profiles Not Going Away
- Google Search For Clothing Adds Virtual Try-On Models
- Google trials new CTA that takes customers directly to your website
- Google Investigating Disappearing Search Results Bug
- Google Cleaning Up Local Service Ads Reviews?
- Google Search Tests Recipe Setting Icon
- Google Business Profiles Now Display Long Form Videos
- Google Featured Snippets Tests Define Option On Words
- Google Search Now Contains Verified Translation Label
- Google Knowledge Panels Gets Small Update For Newsy Topics
- Bing
- TikTok
AI Updates
- SGE
- Google Search Generative Experience Sources Reviews & Photos From Business Profiles
- Google Search Generative Experience Gets Quality Updates & Major Speed Boost
- Google Search Generative Experience Results Not Really Personalized
- Survey: Most SEOs Not Too Impressed With New Google Search Generative Experience
- Google’s Search Generative Experience can now generate answers in half the time
- Google Invites More Users To Try Search Generative Experience After Recent Quality Updates
- Bard
- Bing
- Bing adds new AI-powered shopping tools
- Microsoft on the future of advertising and conversational AI
- Bing Gains AI Shopping Features For Price Match, Buying Guides & Review Summaries
- Bing Chat gains voice search on desktop interface
- Bing Chat Increased Limits, Added More Travel Visuals & Expanded Bing Image Creator
- Other