[chiefalchemist]

Yes and no. Anecdotally, most of the SEOs and ppl who do SEO "part time" (e.g., ecomm store owner) still don't understand the foundation of modern SEO.

1. Google doesn't care about the sites. The sites aren't Google's customer.

2. More importantly, the person doing the search is the customer.

Unfortunately, most sites believe SEO is about them. They can improve how they present themselves but the "transaction" is not about them.

Google, serving ads aside, needs to maximize customer satisfaction or run the risk of losing a customer.

It's worth repeating: Google doesn't care about rhe sites.

If Google believes a site's content is a good fit for maximizing customer satisfaction, but the title isn't optimal then it makes perfect sense Google would want to optimize the title, if the title is the "gateway" to a happy customer.

Whether that's right or wrong, IDK. Whether it actually helps, again IDK. But from a pure relationship / business perspective it makes sense.

[dorgo]

1. Most SEOs don't care about what Google cares about. The sites are their customers.

2. SEO is about the sites and Google and other sources are just that: means to an end.

It's all a matter of perspective.

[chiefalchemist]

No actually it's not. You're (gravely) mistaken.

The customer is the person doing the search. The sites aren't viewing the ads. The sites aren't clicking on the ads. *That* is Google's #1 source of revenue. Full stop.

And thus, as originally stated and supported, too many practicers of SEO, with that wrong lens, continue to misunderstand Google.

Put another way, Google doesn't change the title for the benefit of the sites. There's simply no biz model / source of revenue to support that idea. None.