Here is our monthly Google Webmaster Report - the May 2025 edition - where I summarize the past 30 days or so of the big organic Google related news in one place. Google did not have any official Google ranking updates but we sure did see several days of intense ranking volatility.
Google confirmed it will now link its AI Overviews to more search results, with yes, more AI Overviews, that link to more AI Overviews. Google AI Mode now is multimodal and there is this follow up search box feature. Click through rates continue to be horrid from AI Overviews.
Google Search Console released hourly data in the API, they may be releasing desktop Discover data when Discover rolls out on Desktop. Plus, Google updated a number of Search Console and Merchant Center reports.
Google is migrating off their ccTLDs, which is big news, but it does not mean you should do the same. Google can now subscribe to your emails to find content not necessarily on your website. And Google is finally doing away with special announcement structured data.
Google released its maps spam prevention numbers, promised to drop reviews on schools and launched video previews for video verification.
Google was ruled a monopoly for the second time but reported very good earnings days later.
Below are all the larger headlines for the past month and if you missed last month, you can see April here.
Google Ranking Updates:
- Google Search Ranking Volatility Spiked Friday - April 25th
- Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up April 22-23
- Google Search Ranking Volatility Heating Up April 16th
- Google Search Ranking Volatility Kicks In April 9th & 10th
- Google April Post Core Update Ranking Volatility Heats Up
- Official: Google AI Overviews Link To More Search Results
- Google AI Mode Gains Search With Image Multimodal Capabilities With Lens
- Google AI Mode Tests Anchor Text & URL Base Links
- Google AI Overviews Linking Over & Over Again To Itself
- Google Things To Know Also Linking Back To More Search Results
- Google AI Overviews With Duplicative Links
- Google Ask A Follow-Up Search Box
- More Studies Show AI Overviews Harm Google Click Through Rates
- Deposition: Google Used Search Signals & Data To Train Gemini AI Models
- Google Tests AI Mode Shortcut In Search Bar
- Google Knowledge Panel AI Overview With Reference Links
- Google AI Summaries Now In Local Knowledge Panels
- Google Tests AI Overviews On Right Hand Side (Local?)
- Google Search Analytics API Hourly Data For Past 10 Days
- Google Search Console Discover Performance Report Hack Suggests Desktop & Mobile Data Filters Coming
- Google Search Console API Data Stuck On April 22
- New Google Merchant Center Popular Products Report
- Google Refreshes Its Merchant Opportunities Report
- Google Letting Merchants Manage Brand Profiles
- Google Updates Some Merchant Center Product Specs
- Google Merchant Center New Search For Products Feature
- Google: Nothing Has Changed With International SEO with ccTLD Change
- Google To Subscribe To Your Emails To Find Content For Your Search Listings
- Google: We Don't Have A Brand-Ranking System But...
- Google Stops Supporting Special Announcement Structured Data On July 31
- Google Again Says Structured Data Does Not Make Your Site Rank Better
- Google Expands Availability For Structured Data Carousels (beta)
- Google Maps Blocked 240 Million Fake Reviews, 70 Million Edits, 12 Million Fake Listings In 2024
- Google To Drop Reviews On School Business Profiles
- Google Posts Go Missing From Local Panels
- Google Tests Linking Reviews Button On Local Panel To AI Overviews
- Google Business Profiles Video Verification Gets Video Previews
- Google Business Profiles Performance Messaging Clicks Report
- Google Discover Coming To Desktop After Years Of Testing
- Google Tests New Shipping, Returns & Payment Section In Retail Knowledge Panel
- Google Search Tests Indent Vertical Bars By Title & Descriptions
- Google Mobile Tests Search Snippet With Blue URL & URL / Site Name Switch
- Google Tests Video Player To Shopping / E-Commerce Card
- Google Tests Shaded Blue Gradient Site Name & Favicon
- Google Search Behind The Music Generative AI Section
- Google Ad Revenue Up 8.5%, Overall Revenue Up 12% & AI Overviews Served To 1.5B+ Users Monthly
- Judge: Google Illegally Engaged In Anticompetitive Monopolistic Ad Tech Practices
- Google Sued For £5 Billion In UK Class Action Lawsuit Over Search Dominance
- Google Made Search Much Faster - But How Much Faster?
- Google Search ccTLDs Are Going Away
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