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 explained why core updates take longer to roll out. Bing is testing invisible sponsored labels. ChatGPT enables precise location setting. Google Ads PMax asset group theming. Google Business Profiles may call, text or WhatsApp to confirm information.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google On Why Core Updates Take Weeks To Fully Roll Out
Google's John Mueller explained, one again, why it takes weeks to roll out a core update. It is often because there are different components to core updates through the rollout stages, and each needs to be pushed individually. -
Bing Tests Sponsored Label That Is Almost Transparent
Microsoft is at it again with its sponsored labels tests. This time, Microsoft is testing almost transparent sponsored labels within the Bing search results. The labels are super grayed out and super hard to see. -
ChatGPT Enables Location Sharing For More Localized Near Me Results
Last week, OpenAI announced a new feature for ChatGPT named location sharing. This allows you to share your precise location with ChatGPT, so ChatGPT can give you more localized and near me results. -
Google Ads PMax Asset Group Theming
Google Ads is rolling out asset group theming for Performance Max campaigns. This lets you copy an asset group and apply this theme to your text and images using Google AI. -
Google May Call, Text or WhatsApp To Confirm Business Details
Google is sending out emails with updates on how Google Business Profiles may verify your business details. Google said it may "reach out using automated messages via call, text, or WhatsApp to the verified phone number on your Business Profile."
Other Great Search Threads:
- AdSense Updates for 2026 This week I had the monthly internal meeting with the #AdSense forum managers, and they presented the updates coming this year for the program. For now, I can only share what's already active for most publishers, Bruno Ramos Lara on X
- Did you know you can start partnering with YouTube creators for your performance campaigns right in Google Ads? This week, I've been in NYC for the YouTube Newfronts and sat down IRL(!) with Melissa Nikolic whose teams are building t, AdsLiaison on X
- Google now places a call to action button for posts shown in Google Discover from X, “View on X", Radu Oncescu on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- 5-step Google Business Profile audit to improve local rankings
- A 6-point scorecard for AI-ready product pages
- Google removes Search Engine Land article after false DMCA claim
- Microsoft lets merchants update store names and domains in Merchant Center
- Reddit Pro opens to all publishers, adds new features in public beta
- Google Ads Editor bug links structured snippet languages across accounts
- New Google TurboQuant algorithm improves vector search speed
- Where paid media optimization should stop in long sales cycles
- How to build a custom GPT for business (that your team actually uses)
- How to build FAQs that power AI-driven local search
- What the ‘Global Spanish’ problem means for AI search visibility
Other Great Search Stories:
AI & LLMs
- AI Citations Explained: How they work and how cited by AI models, Yoast
- Copilot Cowork: Now available in Frontier, Microsoft 365 Blog
- Target Updates Terms for Google Gemini AI Shopping Integration, Business Insider
- The state of AI safety in four fake graphs, Windows On Theory
Industry & Business
Links & Content Marketing
- Employee-Generated Content: Tips, Examples, & Benefits, WordStream
- Using AI for PR? Here’s Where It Goes Wrong, Koozai
Local & Maps
- Google Maps simplifies battery predictions and trip planning for 350+ Android Auto EV models., Google Blog
SEO
- Are websites getting “fat”? Page weight, HTML size & Googlebot limits explained, Search Off the Record
- Expose of parasite SEO firm Clickout Media removed from Google, Press Gazette
- What If the Best GEO Strategy Is the One You Stopped Investing In?, Seer Interactive
PPC
- Google Ads Editor Bug Links Copied Structured Snippets, PPC News Feed
- AI in Online Advertising: 5 Key Trends from March 2026, JumpFly Digital Marketing Blog
- GEO & AI Search: From Discovery to Influence (Part 1), Microsoft Advertising
- Google Ads Free Credit Offers Stop Applying Automatically, PPC News Feed
- How SEO and Paid Search can work more effectively together, Majestic SEO Podcast
Search Features
Other Search
- Announcing ADK for Java 1.0.0: Building the Future of AI Agents in Java, Google Developers Blog
- Apple Intelligence rolling out now in China, per user reports, 9to5Mac
Feedback:
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