Recent Comments on Search Engine Roundtable

John A. User commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

He probably used Windows Paint :D

Comment ID #6816423295 12/30/2025 09:58 am

Barry Schwartz commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

that does not look like midjourney

Comment ID #6816420841 12/30/2025 09:52 am

John A. User commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

What did you use to create that? Midjourney?

Comment ID #6816414181 12/30/2025 09:37 am

Mark commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Your site has many thin content & quality issues.... if you think it doesn't you're beyond help.

Comment ID #6816400829 12/30/2025 09:01 am

Sam commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

I predict in March 2026 overviews will be rolledback for informational sites, because if they keep going with this AI suic@ide strategy then they will run out of money. And, yes, you can say they have 58 billion from Tesla but who will buy that? they will be lucky to get 30 billion if that. The government won't save them and they will tell them to stop. They don't have Amazon's cloud infrastructure and can't even compete there as they are 3rd. Google are burning 100 billion a year for a product that people don't want and can't monetise just because Brin is popping into work and all excited about what AI can bring and programming, it is techno hype not business strategy, not real value they killed the Golden Goose and I am not sure they can get it back now as advertisors are shifting those budgets to ensure ROI. It is going to come crashing down big time, in March 26 we will see a shift after the Feb earnings call. They can't hide the drops forever. And, all this 100 billion is what - forced AI that people don't want, they are just pushing people over to ChatGTP. And, still with all the billions of Google money they poured in to AI they are left knowing that ChatGTP is still 800 million users a week (tiny) compared to 650 million Gemini (tiny). The rest is forced and people don't like or want it. The product strategy is all over the place with so many products: AI mode, gemini, overviews it is the craziest product strategy I have seen and Ive been in platform product for 30 years. They need to give it up before they are gone forever. Listen to us publishers when we say, it's not going to end well and they are wiping out their own business, with us along with it. And, this will be a textbook case in years to come, the type of case you read for your business exams on how not to do it. On a last note, the Kodak argument does not hold up as we're not talking about a physical product here. AI is useful as a stand alone product just not in search Google. Stop integrating AI in search it is destroying everything, and your revenue.

Comment ID #6816397895 12/30/2025 08:52 am

Mr AC Ward commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c84b41bc5ca700e4649c69b998647658eccbd405b93896b7282a7da8823db53d.png

Comment ID #6816395661 12/30/2025 08:45 am

Sam commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Wow that says it all. Enshitification. And, that is why my amazing site lost another 17% in this update.

Comment ID #6816394313 12/30/2025 08:42 am

DataDonkey commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Probably also the start of a PrezBot update so Sundar can upload a new set of instructions for the TrumpBot to follow. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/789b3a4538ca1f5ceba0ec6678b624875fe8e07a88670bfcbde12d5c7e6da6a0.jpg

Comment ID #6816392903 12/30/2025 08:37 am

John A. User commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Google are pushing low quality sites in serps so that we have to use AI to get the right answer. <i>Additionally</i> - then justify getting rid of serps because no one uses them.

Comment ID #6816390703 12/30/2025 08:31 am

Mr AC Ward commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

My site had been performing nicely for a few years and recently was seeing more positive improvements in the SERPS, but this update has completely battered my site. The homepage dropped between 4-6 pages for main keywords from page 1, with 1 product review page going from page 1 to page 11. No thin content or quality issues so no idea why I've been punished my it so much.

Comment ID #6816389262 12/30/2025 08:26 am

John A. User commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

I'd say that'll be a bit of wishful thinking but I know where you're coming from. If they're destroying so many businesses with AI, lost taxes. All these bigtech companies push their taxes through third nations, I think I read somewhere that Meta financial HQ is Ireland or did Trump make them bring it back? <a href="https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/meta-international-headquarters-dublin-ballsbridge-campus-ireland">https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/meta-international-headquarters-dublin-ballsbridge-campus-ireland</a>

Comment ID #6816385957 12/30/2025 08:15 am

John A. User commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Can I guess and say you're Hungarian?

Comment ID #6816383930 12/30/2025 08:08 am

John A. User commented on Bing Testing Expanding People Also Ask

If Bing wanted to do anything useful, they'd start by deGooglising their homepage; they'd have a Classic view for those who want one. And the Classic view should be easy to spot not like Google's Web (equivalent) is. As DataDonkey said previously, they all copy one another "When one gets worse, they all follow just like Google followed ChatGPT. "

Comment ID #6816383567 12/30/2025 08:07 am

DataDonkey commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Enshittification is the business model the tech world embraces. When one gets worse, they all follow just like Google followed ChatGPT. There's no innovation in search at all, just moves by them to increase their control over users and to limit clicks to ads or an endless loop of shit that forces users to click ads.

Comment ID #6816364944 12/30/2025 06:57 am

Dark Red Owl commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

interesting observation. for 15 years my site has been in first or second place in search "news and the name of our city". since December 13 it has fallen to 6th 7th place, today it is back in first place. but we are still kicked out of google news and discover. is there any hope of a return?

Comment ID #6816354118 12/30/2025 06:09 am

Ram Babu commented on The Industry Mourns The Loss Of Andy Drinkwater - Experience SEO & Friend To The Search Industry

Sad to hear 😞

Comment ID #6816344029 12/30/2025 05:15 am

Ted (or Big T) commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Don't get excited. Some changes may take 2 weeks to take effect.

Comment ID #6816341422 12/30/2025 05:01 am

Ted (or Big T) commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

A bird :D

Comment ID #6816341172 12/30/2025 05:00 am

John A. User commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Bing complains about Google's monopoly but if they actually improved, i.e. deGooglisation then maybe people will go to the effort of swapping. Why swap on Google product for another Google product. Bing should do everything you said along with removing videos and pictures and they might even get somewhere.

Comment ID #6816330640 12/30/2025 04:00 am

Simon Cox commented on The Industry Mourns The Loss Of Andy Drinkwater - Experience SEO & Friend To The Search Industry

Oh that’s such terrible news. So sad. I first met Andy, and Craig, at one of Andrew’s Optimisey events in Cambridge where he did a very enlightening talk on internal linking, and had beers with him at Brighton. Massive loss.

Comment ID #6816324895 12/30/2025 03:26 am

John A. User commented on Google Search Traffic Drops 25 Points To News Publishers In Two Years

Sadly though, when the Dems get back in power after the midterms, Schumer will become leader of the house/senate. He's consistently refused to allow a vote on the AOIC because he doesn't think they would get the 60 votes even though Amy K said she had. He's as corrupt as Trump but just for a different reason. He doesn't want to do it because his daughters are employed by BigTech. Its who you are not how good you are employed... Bet if we did get AOIC on the books, the daughters will be made redundant as revenge. Oh and don't forget Zoe Lofgren whose daughter works for Google/Meta, I forget which... Clear cases of conflicts of interest.

Comment ID #6816323342 12/30/2025 03:17 am

78j commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2f7761bfa8b6d07bd452f4d7dd1cc7dc221ff9b20b9de7825a4d0b262122bc6c.png Sharing some data in case it helps anyone else tracking the recent core update. We were hit heavily starting in mid-2024 and had been on a steady decline since. However, just before this latest update kicked off, we started to see a 'tick up' that has maintained its trajectory through the rollout. While it's early days and may not last, the nature of the traffic shift is interesting: The YMYL Factor: We pulled some routes that aggregated some of our content in a way that may have been considered YMYL ; plus we removed several site features that could have been perceived as YMYL. We had grown organically with these features for years, but they were the only thing we could identify as potentially 'risky' in the current climate. Quality over Quantity: Our impressions are still significantly lower than our 2024 peak, but our conversion rate has improved drastically. * Better Intent Matching: 2024 and prior, Google ranked us for many searches with 'zero intent' for what we do. We didn't ask for those rankings, and they didn't help us. It seems Google has 'tidied up', we still have to do a full deep dive, but seems Google is doing a better 'job' for us now by matching us with the right users, even if the raw traffic numbers look smaller on paper. Curious if anyone else is seeing a similar 'cleansing' of low-intent traffic in favor of better conversion, or impact from YMYL changes?

Comment ID #6816300719 12/30/2025 12:21 am

78j commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

We were hit heavily starting in mid-2024 and had been on a steady decline since. However, just before this latest update kicked off, we started to see a 'tick up' that has maintained its trajectory through the rollout. Early days, and as always it may not last, but sharing it helps anyone. Some thoughts: > Possible YMYL Factor: We pulled some routes that aggregated some of our content in a way that could have been perceived as YMYL, plus we removed several site features that could have been perceived as YMYL. We had grown organically with these features for years, but they were the only thing we could identify as potentially 'risky' in the current climate. > Quality over Quantity: Our impressions are still significantly lower than our 2024 peak, but our conversion rate has improved drastically. In 2024 and prior Google ranked us #1 for many searches with 'zero intent' for what we do. We didn't ask for those rankings, and they didn't help us. It seems Google has improved and sending us less of these. We have not done a full deep dive on that yet, but it seems clear this must be a part of it. Basically, Google seems to be doing a better 'job' for us now by matching us with the right users, even if the raw traffic numbers look smaller on paper. Curious if anyone else is seeing a similar 'cleansing' of zero-intent traffic in favor of better conversion? Or if YMYL edits /removals of any kind helped them. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2f7761bfa8b6d07bd452f4d7dd1cc7dc221ff9b20b9de7825a4d0b262122bc6c.png

Comment ID #6816298986 12/30/2025 12:09 am

alanyahome_tr commented on Google Deleting Local Reviews More Than Ever

Cool

Comment ID #6816274957 12/29/2025 10:02 pm

Barry Schwartz commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

who told ya?

Comment ID #6816234631 12/29/2025 07:42 pm

David Dennison commented on The Industry Mourns The Loss Of Andy Drinkwater - Experience SEO & Friend To The Search Industry

Rest easy brotha!

Comment ID #6816233221 12/29/2025 07:37 pm

MrSEO commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Hacked sites and repurposed domains with thin one click ai generated content paid off big.. I would say 70% of all organic results in my industry is just that now.

Comment ID #6816222405 12/29/2025 06:59 pm

DataDonkey commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Still great ranks after the update and no traffic change as expected because of AI Slop Overviews, Ads and those People Also Piss boxes. It's enshitification at its finest. Only a layout update, to reduce the Googleshit at the top of the page, will allow eyeballs to see organic results.

Comment ID #6816198834 12/29/2025 05:42 pm

DataDonkey commented on Google Search Traffic Drops 25 Points To News Publishers In Two Years

I just think JD is a swamp rat whereas Desantis is more of a statesman grounded in reality. Both of them served in the military. JD was a journalist, so you think he would care about publishers and their work. Nope. Desantis was an officer. But in the end it may not matter much because the damage is already done. If Democrats sweep midterms next year, that should help check Trump's ability to do the dirty work of his Technocrat buddies.

Comment ID #6816195645 12/29/2025 05:32 pm

Sam commented on Google December 2025 Core Update Done Rolling Out

Maybe it's owned by the USA government? Whatever, the Government may have to force Google to stop AI Overviews, as they will be loosing so much tax revenue, the AI burn and churn is real they can't keep spending 100billion a year if ad revenue is low due to lack of ROI.

Comment ID #6816189125 12/29/2025 05:14 pm

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