TikTok video descriptions now have a 2,200 character limit
TikTok video descriptions, once limited to 300 characters, have now been updated to 2,200 characters.
What this means. The update was first noticed by social media consultant Matta Navarra on Twitter, who posted that the new character limit allowed users to express more details about their content, generate more engagement, and make their videos more searchable.
Early reactions. Some people on Twitter aren’t too thrilled with the update. Ash-win Fern-&-es posting “But no one really reads the description there. Would be helpful for some to add more hashtags though.” Grady Hopper says “I don’t get why this matters 95% of most people’s views probably come from fyp not search.” FYP is TikTok’s “For You” Page, where they show users suggestions of accounts to follow and videos to watch.
TikTok, the new Google. Though the general reaction here is “meh,” some people see the value in longer captions for optimizing SEO. In response to tweets saying that nobody reads the descriptions, Rhayven J says “Even if they don’t, the algorithm will. If folks know SEO, then this is a huge game changer.”
TikTok is known for trying to replace Google search among its Gen Z users. This latest update could be a step in that direction.
Source: TikTok video descriptions now have a 2,200 character limit
Are 301 Redirects A Google Ranking Factor?
Is there a relationship between 301 redirects and Google rankings? Read on and discover what the evidences have to say.
Using 301 redirects is crucial when permanently moving an old webpage to a new URL. They will ensure a positive user experience by instantly connecting users to the content they are looking for, even if they were given an old URL.
But do 301 redirects affect your rankings in organic search?
This chapter will cover the relationship between 301 redirects and improved Google rankings.
More questions about Ranking Factors? We cover all of them in Google Ranking Factors: Fact Or Fiction.
The Claim: 301 Redirects Are A Ranking Factor
What are 301 redirects?
A 301 redirect is a server-side redirection for a permanently changed URL.
You would use a 301 redirect for the following scenarios:
- You are going from HTTP to HTTPS.
- You are moving from an old domain to a new one.
- You are optimizing URL slugs for existing posts and pages.
Most of the discussion surrounding 301 redirects focuses on whether PageRank would transfer from the old URL to the new URL.
Or, if inbound links existed for the old URL, would they automatically be applied to the new URL?
The Evidence Against 301 Redirects As A Ranking Factor
Not much is officially said about 301 redirects as a ranking factor.
In 2012, Matt Cutts, former head of Google’s Webspam team, said that Google would follow an unlimited number of redirects from one page to another.
Google will even make multiple hops if a page is redirected to another page, then redirected again and again. He noted that the Googlebot might stop following redirects after four to five hops.
In 2013, Cutts confirmed that a small percentage of PageRank is lost in 301 redirects. While some SEO professionals quote a loss of 15%, Cutts doesn’t say there is a specific percentage.
Source: Are 301 Redirects A Google Ranking Factor?
WordPress Considers Historic Development Change
WordPress considers a Plugin-first approach that promises faster core development but some are skeptical
Matt Mullenweg, the developer of WordPress and CEO of Automatic, proposed no longer adding new features to WordPress, pivoting instead to a plugin-first policy.
This new approach to the future of WordPress has already resulted in a new feature intended for the next version of WordPress to be dropped entirely.
Canonical plugins are said to offer a way to keep improving WordPress on a faster schedule.
But some WordPress core contributors expressed the opinion that publisher user experience may suffer.
Canonical Plugins
First discussed in 2009, canonical plugins is a way to develop new features in the form of plugins.
The goal of this approach is to keep the WordPress core fast and lean while also encouraging development of experimental features in the form of plugins.
This approach to features and options is also referred to as Plugin First, to emphasize how features will first appear in the form of plugins.
These plugins are called canonical because they are developed by the WordPress core development team as opposed to non-canonical plugins that are created by third parties that might limit features in order to encourage purchase of a pro-version.
Integration of canonical plugins into the WordPress core itself would be considered once the plugin technology has proven itself to be popular and essential to the majority of users.
Canonical Plugins the Future?
Matt Mullenweg published a post titled, Canonical Plugins Revisited, in which he made the case that this is the way that WordPress should be developed moving forward.
The first casualty of this new approach is the cancellation of integrating WebP image conversion into the next version of WordPress, WordPress 6.1, currently scheduled for November 2022.
Plugin-First is Controversial
The shift to a plugin-first development process was subjected to debate in the comments section.
Some developers, such as core contributor Jon Brown, expressed reservations about the proposal to switch to developing with canonical plugins.
The commenter used the example of a commenting functionality that is currently served by multiple bloated plugins as a less-than-ideal user experience.
They noted that having one canonical plugin to solve a problem is preferable to the current state where desirable options can only be found on bloated third-party plugins.
But they also said that having a settings option within the core, without the need for a plugin, could present a better user experience.
Source: WordPress Considers Historic Development Change
Google surveys will soon be closed
Google is making new updates almost every day. In one such update, the company announces shutting down Google surveys. Google is shutting down surveys 360 on November 1. Google is giving users time till December to download the historical data.
Also, Google informs the public that it is shutting down its market research surveys. The market research product Google surveys will go off now. From November 1, the surveys will be unavailable. However, users can download the historical data till December.
Google started releasing the notifications this week. Google plans to send emails to users spreading the information. The email takes users to a Google help page with full Q&A on the queries regarding the Google surveys.
Most users are curious about the reason the survey is going off. Although there were no direct answers, the company plans on reservicing the entire thing.
But apprehensions are that this replacement will take time. Google has no immediate plans to re-introduce the service. But there are replacements for Google surveys available on the web.
For users with recent surveys that they might not be able to finish before November 1, there is a way out. People can ask for refunds in such cases.
There is a Google Opinion Rewards for publishers that they can use. This app isn’t closing down any time soon. The shutdown of Google surveys will not impact this app. People can continue to use it freely.
Source: Google surveys will soon be closed
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