Now that we’ve started into 2021, the Trisolute Software team wanted to relaunch our “What we read this week” blog, which focuses on the highlights that news SEOs/anyone in the newsroom interested in search needs to know each week. Hope everyone is having the best New Year they can, and staying safe and well!

First up, as publishers are considering the ramifications of Google replacing the AMP requirement for News Boxes (Top Stories) with Core Web Vitals guidelines, one area to explore is where to start with Web Stories.

If you suspect your site was affected by the Google Algorithm Update in December, Lily Ray breaks down the effects in her “winners and losers” article.

Search Engine Journal breaks down the “10 Important 2021 SEO Trends You Need to Know” – there are two sections that I think apply specifically to news organizations: “All SEO Is Mobile SEO”
and “Brand SERP Optimization, Knowledge Graphs & Entities.” Here’s a great quote about how your brand/content across the web is pulled together in Google:

“It means optimizing your brand’s entire digital presence (e.g., your YouTube channel, images) and how Google features them, said Patrick Reinhart, VP for Digital Strategies, Conductor.

“These days it’s not just about your website, it’s about all of your owned properties and how they interact with one another on the SERP,” Reinhart said. “If they all come together through various snippets, does it tell a good story about your brand?”

The last one is a bit of SEO fun – Google’s Year in Search is always a fascinating study in the trends throughout 2020 (and could spark some story ideas!).

Also, to start the year on the right foot, here’s a cute picture of my new puppy, a 9-week-old Great Pyrenees-Anatolian Shepherd mix.

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