Without further ado, here is what the News Dashboard team read this week.

Google Rich Results Test tool goes live (officially)

A Google tool that shows webmasters whether or not a site supports rich results is officially out of beta, the company announced Tuesday.

The Rich Results Test tool is now positioned to replace the Structured Data Testing Tool sometime in the future.

So, what exactly does the new tool do? It lets anyone know whether or not a site is structured in such a way to let Google crawl and display its content in something other than a blue text link on the SERP. Check out this handy search gallery for an overview of SERP modules.

• https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2020/07/rich-results-test-out-of-beta.html

Redirects: A crash course

Mujahdid Robinson at iPullRank, a digital marketing agency, wraps Internet redirects into a timely metaphor: a seemingly confusing Independence Day party. It’s an easy enough way to understand how browsers do all the behind-the-scenes work to point users in the right direction.

If your publisher is mulling over a possible site migration or redesign, this lengthy and comprehensive guide is a good starting place to deepen your knowledge.

• https://ipullrank.com/the-foolproof-guide-to-redirects/

How to prepare for life post-AMP

In late May Google announced it was changing its search algorithm to incorporate new metrics into its ranking criteria. The new metrics take into account the quality of a user’s experience on a page.

Next year that page experience will replace the AMP restriction on Top Stories meaning there could be more competition for the Top Stories module.

If you’re at a loss for how this should change your Top Stories strategy, watch Matt Dorville, SEO manager at Buzzfeed, talk with Search Engine Land about how Buzzfeed’s strategy is changing for the future.

How has Google’s philosophy on paywalls changed over time? Does Google crawl paywalled content? Do free sites have an SEO advantage over paywalled sites? What are the best paywall practices? Derek Gleason at CXL answers all those questions and many more in this comprehensive guide on all things paywall SEO.

• https://cxl.com/blog/paywall-seo/

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