Google AI Mode Direct Offers Ads & Universal Commerce Protocol
In a rare Sunday launch, Google announced new AI Mode ads named Direct Offers. Google also announced branded AI agents and a new open standard for agentic commerce it calls Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP).
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Daily Search Forum Recap: January 12, 2026
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...
Google Integrates Core Search Signals Into AI Experiences
Google's Robby Stein reiterated that Google's AI experience, such as AI Mode and AI Overviews, integrates Google's core search signals. This helps Google provide more useful and helpful responses to users in the AI experiences. But it doesn't always get it right, as many of you know.
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Google Ads Performance Max A/B Testing Assets
Google Ads has a new experiment feature for Performance Max campaigns that lets you A/B-test assets. This allows you to compare the performance of 2 different sets of assets within the same asset group to find out which creative combination works best for your Performance Max campaign.
Google Merchant Center Business Agent - Branded AI Agents
Google announced new Business Agents, branded AI Agents, a "new way for shoppers to chat with brands, right on Search," Google said. "It’s like a virtual sales associate that can answer product questions in a brand’s voice, enabling retailers to connect with consumers during critical shopping moments and help drive sales," Google added.
Google Ads Brand Linking Experiment
Google Ads seems to be slowly rolling out a new Google Ads experimental feature in the Google Ads Lab section named Brand Linking. Brand linking lets you "Link customers to brands," it reads.
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Daily Search Forum Recap: January 9, 2026
Jan 9, 2026Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Volatility, Personalized Google AI Answers, Microsoft Copilot Checkout & More SEO & PPC News
Jan 9, 2026Google Talks On Hiring A GEO/AEO/SEO & Buying AI-Optimization Tools
Jan 9, 2026Google: Don't Turn Your Content Into Bite-Sized Chunks
Jan 9, 2026Microsoft Agents: Copilot Checkout & Brand Agents
Jan 9, 2026Bing Tests Retro Local Pack In Search Results
Jan 9, 2026Microsoft Advertising Reminds Advertisers To Configure Email Settings
Jan 9, 2026Daily Search Forum Recap: January 8, 2026
Jan 8, 2026Microsoft Hiring Very Senior PM To Fight Spam On Bing & Copilot
Jan 8, 2026Picture of the Day
