And Google’s Webmaster tools strike again! This time, however, the changes being made aren’t quite as important as some of the changes made in the past. Google is simply trying to change and improve the messages and notifications that are sent through the Webmaster tools. If you haven’t noticed, some of the notifications that you usually get were paused over the last few days, and this is because of the renovations Google was trying to make.
Why Are the Changes Necessary?
Essentially, Google decided to improve their notifications because many webmasters were receiving delayed notifications in the past. They are going through and reviewing many of these messages, which may have caused email delivery to be paused on those being evaluated. According to SEO Roundtable, Google Webmaster tools explained that they are simply trying to make things clearer and more consistent—nothing crazy.
A few more notable Webmaster tool changes in 2012 include:
- Jan 25, 2012. Changes made on top search queries data in Webmaster tools.
- Jan 26, 2012. Webmaster tools sitemaps interface with a new look.
- March 5, 2012. User and administrator access available in Webmaster tools.
- March 12, 2012. Better crawl errors reporting.
- October 2, 2012. Updated version of Webmaster Quality Guidelines announced.
- October 16, 2012. Google disavow links tool announced as part of Webmaster tools.
It’s tough to know when the next Google Webmaster Tools change will occur, so it’s important to follow their blog here. This will help ensure that you’re always prepared and notified if something major does occur.
