Google May Be More Successful In Blocking Scrapers & Tracking Tools
Google may be more successful in blocking AI scrapers, search scrapers and third-party tracking tools since around September 13th or so. This coincides with the September 4th and September 12th reversals we reported, and it also aligns with the methods Google has been using to block non-human behavior in its search results recently.
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Google Page Experience Docs Adds CrUX Ad Metrics
Google has updated the understanding page experience in Google Search results help document to add the new CrUX ad metrics which launched last week. To be clear, Google did not say this is a specific ranking signal for search, the CrUX ad metrics line was added to the "Page experience resources" section of the document.
Google Merchant Center Auto Enables Native Checkout: Buy On AI Mode & Gemini
Google is sending email notifications to Google Merchant Center users if their e-commerce platform supports Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and if so, telling them that "your products are now eligible for native checkout." This means that your eligible products are automatically included, so if you don't want people buying directly on Google, and you want them to buy on your site, then you need to turn it off.
Search Video Recaps
Daily Search Forum Recap: September 22, 2026
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...
Gemini Notebook Pages Spamming Google Search
It looks like spammers are taking advantage of Gemini Notebook, public NotebookLM, pages to spam Google with all sorts of content. This includes pages on sex toys, porn, peptides, coupon codes and more.
Google AI Overview Links Pushing You To AI Mode Over Web Pages
Google is placing links, normal looking links, within the AI Overviews that take you into AI Mode instead of taking you to web pages and web sites. These links appear at the bottom of the AI Overview and prompt follow-up questions that take you into AI Mode.
Google Merchant Center Updates Requirements For Google Store Ratings
Google added a new section to the Google Store ratings: An overview for Merchants within Google Merchant Center detailing the requirements for Google Store ratings. This was added a week or so ago, and it says you need at least 100 reviews, an average star rating of 3.5 to 5, a 24-hour timeframe and the ratings are geo-segmented.
Google Business Profiles Permanently Closed Option Gone?
In Google Business Profiles, businesses can go in and mark their business as "Permanently closed." But it seems that option went missing a few days ago. I no longer see it as an option, along with the option to select "temporarily closed" and some others.
Archives
Google Business Profiles Email: Detected A Spike In Spam Reviews
Sep 22, 2026Google Sponsored Results Sitelinks Tests More From Advertiser Name Title
Sep 22, 2026Google Ads To Run Gun Accessory 6-Month Pilot
Sep 22, 2026Programming Note: Offline Monday For Yom Kippur 5787
Sep 20, 2026Google Web Guide Classic Search Button Doesn't Take You To Classic Search
Sep 20, 2026Google Search Console Crawl Stats Missing A Day Of Data: September 15th
Sep 20, 2026Google Discover Tests Dive Deeper Feature
Sep 18, 2026Picture of the Day
