Daily Search Forum Recap: March 19, 2026

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.

A lot of you are emailing me where did the newsletter go. You may not have seen it, but I need several days off. So Glenn Gabe, Greg Finn and Mordy Oberstein have been posting stories. Here are the stories they have posted over the past week or so. I am still not back but figured I'd chime in.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Bing Business Profiles With Image Slider
  Microsoft Bing now has an image slider in the Bing Business Profiles local panel. So when you find a business listing and that business listing has photos associated with its Business Profile, Bing will let you slide through those images on the search results page.
• Live Sports Data In Google AI Mode
  Google's AI Mode is showing entity cards with a live score of ongoing sports events.
• Google Officially Removes "What People Suggest" Health SERP Feature
  In March of 2025 Google announced a new SERP feature that would organize and surface health conversations from online discussions. For example, from Reddit, X, Facebook...
• Are Local Packs Losing Their Call Buttons?
  A new study points to there being a low rate of call button appearances in Local Packs.
• Google News Support Team Still Advices You Go To Search Liaison For Updates
  As you know, Google's Danny Sullivan stepped down from his role as the Search Liaison, and that support channel closed down on August 1, 2025. That isn't stopping Google News support team from advising publishers to follow the Google Search Liaison account for updates.
• OpenAI Continues To Expand Ads in ChatGPT and Tests Ads Manager
  OpenAI continues to drive forward on the ads front. This weekend AdWeek reported that OpenAI is currently testing an Ads Manager for ChatGPT advertisers. As AdWeek explained, "The Ads Manager is a dashboard that lets marketers run, monitor...
• Google Brings Helpful Changes to Ads Editor with Version 2.12
  Google is now rolling out Ad Editor version 2.12, featuring helpful changes from the web interface into the software. This update should be a welcomed one, with a handful of changes that should allow for more meaningful work in Ads Editor...
• PMax Channel Reporting Gets Video Segmentation Option
  Hana Kobzova has spotted a new segmentation option within the Performance Max (PMax) Channel Reporting that allows advertisers to view data from ads with video as well as without video...
• Bing Adds AI Shopping Additions In Shopping Results?
  Is Bing testing new AI-curated results in Bing Shopping? Maybe? Have a look.
• Google What People Are Saying With Popular & Latest Comments
  I am not sure how new this is but the What people are saying box within Google Search now also shows the more popular comments and latest comments for Reddit threads.
• Store Tab Appearing in Google Shopping
  Google appears to have added a "Stores" button in Google Shopping.
• Google Haircuts Mobile Trailer
  Did you know that Google has this mobile trailer that comes on its campus to give Googlers haircuts. We've seen signs of this before but here is a photo of the actual trailer that does the cut.
• Is Google Hitting Self-Promotional Listicles Hard Again?
  Is continuing rank volatility again impacting sites focusing on self-serving listicles? Industry chatter seems to indicate so.
• New Google Business Profile Playbooks With Local Optimization Tips
  Google just emailed site owners about new Google Business Profile Playbooks containing recommendations for optimizing local listings. Daniel Hale pinged me on LinkedIn about this the other day after receiving the email...
• Google Ads Hold Music Driving Some Advertisers Crazy
  Have you ever waited on hold for support with Google Ads? Do you enjoy the hold music that Google selected for your wait time? Well, some advertisers say it can drive you crazy.
• Cute Google Space Cookies
  Here are some cute looking cookies I found on Instagram from one of the Google offices. I found them on Instagram, the person wrote, "Tiny treats with major space energy! This mission was powered macarons.
• Google Rolls Out "Ask Maps" in Google Maps - It's like AI Mode In Maps
  Google just announced "Ask Maps", which is a new feature in Google Maps that leverages Gemini to help users research local businesses, plan trips, get recommendations...
• Google Ads Asset Optimization Layout Gets a Refresh
  Google Ads has a new interface for Asset Optimization that allows for quick managing of opt-ins.
• Google Tests Instagram Knowledge Panel Design
  Google is testing a new knowledge panel design for when you search for an Instagram account of a notable person. Google will display the individual's knowledge panel, promoting the Instagram card higher up in that panel.
• Google Tests Ask About Feature in AI Mode Citation Overlays
  Google is now testing the Ask about feature in AI Mode's citation box overlays.
• Google’s AI Mode Checking For Personalized Information
  A look at how personalization without opt-in to connect other Google properties, such as Gmail, appears in AI Mode.
• Google Cityscape Pedestal Cloud Signage
  There is this Google cityscape pedestal with the Google super G logo hovering above with clouds. This photo was taken from the new Google office in Austin. Paige Bailey from Google said the building is now open to Google employees.
• Branded Queries Filter Rolling Out in Search Console
  Branded queries filtering is now available for all eligible sites within Search Console.
• Google Launches Merchant Center For Agencies
  A new agency-dedicated experience Merchant Center experience from Google should streamline management
• Google explains undocumented way to disavow entire TLDs (and why you probably shouldn't)
  Google's John Mueller revealed an interesting tip on Bluesky the other day for anyone still disavowing links. John explained that site owners can indeed disavow entire TLDs if they want to. Note...
• Google Search Your Related Activity Adds Chart
  Google has offered this feature that shows you your past searches, including being able to see your related activity searches from the Google Search results. Now, it seems, Google added a chart to show that search activity over time.
• Sundar Pichai With Narendra Modi
  A couple of weeks ago, Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO, went to India for a Google event. Here is the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, with Sundar Pichai at the event.
• Survey Says: PPC is Harder Than It Was 2 Years Ago
  A new survey from the aptly named PPCsurvey.com shows that the majority of PPC practitioners believe that PPC is getting MORE difficult.

Other Great Search Threads:

• From the cofounder of an AI search visibility platform (@lil_bsz) on Reddit -> The GEO Bullshit - State of GEO in 2026 From him: "I’m a co-founder at an AI search visibility platform. By all accounts, I should be writing a hype post ab, Glenn Gabe on X
• Got off a call with a prospect, and they were questioning how incremental their Google is. Their Google CAC is 20% of their Meta CAC, and they told me they had already stopped spending on brand. I can already picture the SQR in, Collin Slattery on X
• So fun to spend part of the afternoon with some of India's builders, creators, and AI teachers in Bangalore! I learned a lot from you!, Josh Woodward on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Local content playbook: From service pages to jobs-to-be-done pages
• 30-day vs. 7-day attribution in Google Ads: What the shorter window revealed
• Why customer personas help you win earlier in AI search
• YouTube tests sticky banner after ad skip
• Google adds video visibility to Performance Max reporting
• Google expands Personal Intelligence to AI Mode, Gemini, Chrome
• Google says AI Mode stays ad-free for Personal Intelligence users
• Yahoo CEO: Google AI Mode is the biggest threat to web traffic
• How nonprofits can build a digital presence that actually drives impact
• 5 competitive gates hidden inside ‘rank and display’
• Why social search visibility is the next evolution of discoverability
• Google Ads Editor 2.12 adds creative control and campaign flexibility
• How Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol could reshape search conversions
• OpenAI tests Ads Manager as ChatGPT ad business takes shape
• Google tests “Sponsored Shops” blocks in Shopping results
• What incrementality really means in affiliate marketing
• LinkedIn updates feed algorithm with LLM-powered ranking and retrieval
• Why entity authority is the foundation of AI search visibility
• 7 organic content investments that drive ecommerce ROI
• How to avoid 11 common SEO interview mistakes and land your next job
• Breaking Through Creative Ops Bottlenecks: Your 2026 Technology Roadmap
• Chloe Varnfield talks sneaky Google Ads settings and tanking performance
• The latest jobs in search marketing
• SerpApi asks court to throw out Reddit scraping complaint
• Beyond keywords: Mastering AI-driven campaigns
• Why surface-level SEO tactics won’t build lasting AI search visibility
• Only 15% of pages retrieved by ChatGPT appear in final answers: Report
• Stop paying for traffic: The enterprise CMO’s guide to ROI-driven SEO
• Google Search Ads in 2026 require a different kind of audit
• Google leaves door open to ads in Gemini
• Google AI Overviews cut search clicks 42%: Report

Other Great Search Stories:

AI & LLMs

• AlphaGo at 10: How AI Innovation Is Paving the Path to AGI, Google DeepMind
• AI Overviews Now Appear on 14% of Shopping Queries (Study of 20.9 Million SERPS), Visibility Labs
• Microsoft scales back Copilot plans on Windows 11, Windows Central
• More transparency and control over Gemini API costs, Google Blog
• OpenAI's GPT-5.4 mini and nano launch - with near flagship performance at much lower cost, ZDNET
• Personal Intelligence in AI Mode and Gemini expands in the U.S., Google Blog

Analytics

• Google Business Profile in GA4, KRM Digital Marketing
• Lookup Tables in GTM, KRM Digital Marketing Ltd
• Search Box in GA4, KRM Digital Marketing

Industry & Business

• Amazon Wins Court Order to Halt Perplexity’s AI Shopping Bots on Marketplace, Bloomberg
• Google completes acquisition of Wiz, Google Blog
• Search Central Live is coming to Canada!, Google Search Central Blog
• Search Has Changed. And So Have We., SEM Rush
• Another Reminder: Lawsuits Over Competitive Keyword Ads Are Stupid, Eric Goldman
• European publishers, tech firms urge EU to speed up fine on Google over search, Reuters
• OpenAI Clinches AWS Deal in Bid to Win Government Contracts, The Information
• Scaling clean energy and reliability in Michigan, Google Blog
• Search Advertiser PVC Fence's Battle With Google Sent To Arbitration, MediaPost
• Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone on AI, gambling, and the open web, The Verge
• Google’s response to the CMA’s consultation on potential requirements for Search, Google Blog

Links & Content Marketing

• You’re Not Scaling Content. You’re Scaling Disappointment., The Inference
• Can Displaying Links to Popular Destinations Improve SEO?, SearchPilot
• Digital PR Strategy in 3 Simple Steps, Moz
• If your content audit didn’t change decisions, it wasn’t an audit, SALT.agency
• What Is Content Decay? (And How to Fix It Before It Tanks Your Traffic), Ahrefs
• AI Content Wasn’t Good Enough. Now It Is., Ahrefs
• More pages do not equal better SEO or better website performance, Alice Rowan
• A Thorough Guide on How to Do a Website Content Audit, BruceClay

Local & Maps

• Google Maps is getting AI-powered ‘Ask Maps’ feature and more immersive navigation, The Verge
• Ultra-Practical Local SEO Tasks AI Can Help You With, Local Visibility System

SEO

• Answer Engine Optimization: How to Optimize Content for LLM Citations, Ann Smarty
• How Much Do Keywords Matter in 2026?, Moz
• How to Defend Your SEO Roadmap From Audit Poachers, SEO for Lunch
• How to Migrate GSC Bulk Export Without Losing a Single Day of Data, Jose Luis Hernando
• SEO Busywork - Same As It Ever Was, Nikki Pilkington
• 6 Reasons Why an SEO Professional Must Be Involved in a Site Migration, JumpFly
• "There is no Sandbox" - Google Lies, Black Hat Accusations and The HostAge Attribut, Hobo
• Google crawlers behind the scenes, Search Off the Record
• Google CTR Stats – Changes Report for Q4 2025, Advanced Web Ranking
• Is Query Length a Reliable Predictor of Search Volume?, DEJAN
• Product pages need to move beyond features and benefits, Dan Taylor SEO
• SEO is no longer one channel, Brainlabs
• Structured data and AI in 202, Wix SEO Hub
• Structured Data Is Not Enough: Why AI Search Needs a Memory Layer, WordLift
• The Dark Side of AI No One Talks About, Moz
• How to Rank on ChatGPT: What Actually Works (Based on Data), Ahrefs
• Google Discover Core Update (Feb 2026): Winners, Losers, and Unexpected Outcomes, DiscoverSnoop
• Keyword Intent: What It Is and How to Use It in Your SEO Strategy, ahrefs
• The Content Moat Is Dead. The Context Moat Is What Survives., Duane Forrester
• What Google's New Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) Means for Marketers, Seer Interactive
• Exclusive: Small publishers hit hardest by search traffic declines, Axios
• Google Knowledge Panel: What Is It & How to Get One, Semrush
• Can You Trust What AI Tells You About SEO? We Tested It!, WordStream
• Google Discover Publishers ranking in February 2026, DiscoverSnoop

PPC

• Keywords Still Matter in Google Ads, But Intent Matters More (Here's Why), WordStream
• Time-Sensitive Offers in Google Ads, Practical Ecommerce
• Ads Decoded: Bidding and budgeting, Google Blog
• What’s the right bidding strategy for a brand new Google Ads account?, PPC Live
• Google Ads Updates Asset Optimization Layout in Demand Gen, PPC News Feed
• Google Is Not Ruling Out Ads in Gemini, Wired
• Google Ads AI: Which Tools to Leverage & Which to Avoid, Marlin SEM
• Creative Assets Expanded With Google Owned Assets, PPC News Feed
• Google Updates Alcohol Subscriptions Start Date, PPC News Feed
• Recurring Billing Policy Expanded for Prescription Drugs in the U.S., PPC News Feed
• Google Ads Filter Bug Shows Zero Daily Budget, PPC News Feed
• Google Budget Pacing Update Explained for Businesses, Hopskip Media
• Video Usage Segment Added to PMAX Channel Reporting, PPC News Feed
• Google Wants Cutoff Date For Ad Tech Rivals' Claims, Law360 UK
• Negative keywords for PMax and other product news for March 2026, Microsoft Advertising
• 7 Reasons Your eCommerce Paid Search Isn’t Scaling, JumpFly Digital Marketing Blog

Search Features

• Query Intent Drives a 5X Gap in Financial AI Overviews, Seer Interactive
• Automatic YouTube Channel Linking Rollout Begins, PPC News Feed
• Google app starts rolling out quick access to AI Mode history, 9to5 Google
• Microsoft Bing is aggressively pushing Copilot when people search for ChatGPT or Gemini, and it's embarrassing, windows latest

Other Search

• Gemini Embedding 2: our first natively multimodal embedding model, Google Blog

Feedback:

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