Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.
Google Search ranking volatility seems to have heated up big time in the past few days. Google AI Mode expanded to 35 new languages and 40 new countries and territories. Google Try on now supports shoes and three new countries. Google Business Profiles is testing a new Insights section. Google added NotebookLM to the list of Googlebots. Google AdSense has a new authorized buyers section.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up October 7th & 8th
While I was offline, it seems the chatter within the SEO industry spiked around the topic of search ranking volatility. It is harder to confirm the volatility, now with the tools recalibrating, but it does seem something started around Tuesday, October 7th, into the 8th. -
Google AdSense Authorized Buyers To Replace Ad Networks Blocking Controls
Google announced it will replace the "Ad networks" blocking control from Brand safety within in AdSense with a new "Authorized Buyers" blocking control. This will start on November 6, 2025, the company said. -
Google AI Mode Expands To 35 New Languages & 40 Countries
Google AI Mode is now available in over 200 countries and territories. Google said they are expanding AI Mode to "more than 35 new languages and over 40 new countries and territories." -
Google Try On Adds Shoes & Expands To Australia, Canada and Japan
Google upgraded the Try On feature to now support shoes, in addition to other forms of clothing. Plus, Try on will soon also work in Australia, Canada and Japan, Google announced. -
New Google Business Profiles Insights
Google seems to be testing a new Insights feature for Google Business Profiles. The new insights section shows you profile suggestions, like tips on getting more reviews, what to update on your profile and what information to share with your visitors - amongst other suggestions and insights. -
Google Adds Google NotebookLM To User-Triggered Fetchers
Google added Google NotebookLM to the list of Google crawlers, under the list of user-triggered fetchers. Google said they added this user-agent "based on feedback." -
Pawrtying With Dooglers
Google calls their dogs, Dooglers and they treat their dogs very well. Here is an event named Pawrtying With Dooglers.
Other Great Search Threads:
- It appears a much better local search experience is coming to ChatGPT via embedded third party apps., Greg Sterling on X
- Now 800M+ weekly ChatGPT users., Greg Sterling on X
- Title A/B Testing — Explained!, YouTube Liaison on X
- Agentic Chrome is getting closer. 'Contextual tasks' showing up in Canary. Stay tuned., Glenn Gabe on X
- Your "Earn my trust first.” is a good way of thinking about this, keeping in mind that trust is about the whole picture, especially the rest of the site. And also showing the added value of the site on the rest of the internet., John Mueller on LinkedIn
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google’s virtual try-on adds shoes, expands internationally
- Campaign Type added to Google Ads Channel Performance report
- Sam Altman’s ChatGPT pivot: From ‘I hate ads’ to ‘maybe they don’t suck’
- When AI agents do the shopping: Insights from 100 conversations with ChatGPT Agent mode
- How to get smarter with AI in PPC
- Instacart brings retail media targeting to TikTok Ads Manager
- Microsoft taps Amazon DSP as preferred partner
- ChatGPT becomes a platform for apps – and maybe marketing
- Holiday ecommerce to hit record $253 billion – here’s what’s driving it
- Meta cuts political ads across the EU
- PPC in the age of zero-click search: How to stay profitable
- Google replaces ‘Ad networks’ blocking with new ‘Authorized Buyers’ control
- Consumers don’t trust the first search result – and AI use surges: Survey
- Optimizing content for generative engines: 17 actionable tips
- DOJ and Google wrap up ad tech monopoly hearing
- YouTube launches Activation Partners program
Other Great Search Stories:
AI & LLMs
- OpenAI ramps up developer push with more powerful models in its API, TechCrunch
- Sam Altman says ChatGPT has hit 800M weekly active users , TechCrunch
- Google AI Plus comes to 36 more countries around the world, Google Blog
- Introducing the Gemini 2.5 Computer Use model, Google Blog
- Jony Ive Says He Wants His OpenAI Devices to ‘Make Us Happy’, Wired
- OpenAI’s platform play, Platformer
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Google exploring data center project near Palo, The Gazette
- The judge tasked with deciding Google’s fate would rather not, The Verge
- U.S. v. Google: What Each Side Argued for Fixing Google’s Ad Tech Monopoly, New York Times
- US Supreme Court allows order forcing Google to make app store reforms, Reuters
- Google Judge Anticipates 'Fine-Tuning' Ad Tech Remedies, Law360
- Google’s AI bounty program pays bug hunters up to $30K, The Verge
- Inside the competing plans to unwind Google’s ad tech monopoly, Digiday
- The long tail lockdown: how Google is quietly fencing off the internet for itself, Enrique Dans
- Google Plans $5.8 Billion Investment in Belgium, Wall Street Journal
Links & Content Marketing
- Content as a Service (CaaS): The Framework That Aligns Marketing with the Business, SparkToro
- The Rise of “Click-to-Book” Travel Content, Koozai
Local & Maps
- Google Maps Timeline error leaves users unable to access location history, Android Authority
- 2025 GBP Study for Automotive: Ranking Comparison, SearchLab Digital
SEO
- The New SEO Checklist for Content That Ranks, WordStream
- AI Survival Strategies for Publishers, SEO for Google News
- Does Schema Help SEO and AI Visibility?, Ann Smarty
- From automation to action: Winning SEO with agentic AI and human insight, Oncrawl
- Google appears to prioritise global newsbrands over local ones for breaking news events, Press Gazette
- Optimizing Your Content for Inclusion in AI Search Answers, Microsoft Advertising
- SEO Casserole: A Recipe For Online Success, Nikki Pilkington
- What Google’s Latest Update Means for Your SEO and Content Strategy, Koozai
PPC
- How to deploy email to turbo charge your PPC results, PPC Hero
- Support for Global Privacy Protocol (GPP) National v2, Google AdSense Help
- Beyond Bids: Building Enterprise Search Performance with Search Ads 360, Brainlabs
- Bidding enforcement for conversion environment in in-app conversions no longer planned, Google Ads Developer Blog
- Google Ads in AI Mode: Here's What We Know, WordStream
- How To Create Videos With Google Ads’ Video Creation Tool, JumpFly Digital Marketing Blog
- How to Submit a WooCommerce Google Shopping Feed to Google Merchant Center Using CTX Feed, FeedArmy
- Open Source Google Ads API MCP Server, Google Ads Developer Blog
Search Features
- What Our AI Mode User Behavior Study Reveals about the Future of Search, Growth Memo
- Supporting a dynamic online shopping industry in Europe, Google Blog
Other Search
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