Daily Search Forum Recap: May 8, 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.

We are seeing new Google search ranking volatility heat up today, it seems weird. Google Ads launched journey-aware bidding, expanded smart bidding exploration and budget pacing. Google may adjust its site reputation abuse penalty and policy for EU news publishers. Google AdSense will stop the back button trigger for vignette ads. Google Ads will require passkeys for certain sensitive actions. Microsoft Advertising added custom columns for all conversion metrics. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google Search Ranking Volatility Heated Today - May 8th
  Many of the third-party tracking tools, not all, but many, are showing some heated volatility this morning around Google Search's ranking positions. I am also seeing some early chatter within the SEO industry about movement in their rankings. It is possible that there may have been an unconfirmed Google update in the past 24-hours or so.
• Google May Adjust Its Site Reputation Abuse Policy For EU News Sites
  Google proposed a number of changes to the EU in order to avoid fines from the European Union. One of those changes is around the site reputation abuse policy, which the EU watchdog said directly impacts a common and legitimate way for publishers to monetize their websites and content.
• Google AdSense Vignette Ads Drops Back Button Trigger Over Hijack Penalty
  Google AdSense (and Ad Manager) will drop the browser back button trigger for vignette ads additional triggers due to the new Google search penalty for back button hijacking. Google AdSense will drop it on June 15, 2026, the day the search penalty goes into effect.
• Google Ads Journey-Aware Bidding, Expands Smart Bidding Exploration & Budget Pacing
  Google Ads announced it is expanding both Smart Bidding Exploration and budget pacing. Smart Bidding Exploration beta for Performance Max with product feeds and Shopping campaigns will launch in few weeks and budget pacing in Search and Shopping campaigns is rolling out in the coming months.
• Google Ads To Require Passkey For Certain Sensitive Actions After July 15
  Google sent out emails to advertisers that starting July 15, 2026 the Google Ads system will require the use of passkeys for certain sensitive actions. This is likely due to the spike in Google Ads hijacks over the past year or so.
• Microsoft Advertising Custom Columns Supports All Conversion Metrics
  Microsoft Advertising custom columns now support all conversion metrics - instead of just specific conversion metrics. This gives advertisers more flexibility on tracking campaign performance.
• Google Has Google Facts Printed On Its Walls
  Did you know that Google has Google facts or trivia printed on its walls. Satyajeet Salgar shared a photo of the bottom of one of the walls at Google, with a fact printed on it. It reads:
• Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google AI Systems Black Box, Links In AI, UCP Checkout Expands, ChatGPT Ad Manager, Ask.com Shutters & More
  This week in search we covered more heated Google ranking volatility this morning, it seems big - so stay tuned. We also covered how Google spoke about how they try to isolate their AI systems because...

Other Great Search Threads:

• An RFP recently came in that wants a GEO-first agency, not an SEO agency that added GEO to their website., Lily Ray on X
• Hey Lawyers!!!!!!!! ChatGPT Ad Policy Update!!! "Medical, legal, and financial advice contexts are no longer categorically blocked from ads by default." Your Gonna Want The Literally MOST Obsessed Legal Marketer Globally To Be, Anthony Higman on X
• I am not sure if you covered this @rustybrick but many users including me on Google Workspace account is now missing AI Mode on Google Search interface and the only way to access it is clicking either AI Mode button on Chrome sear, Orhan Kurulan on X
• More about 'Back button hijacking'. @DMFanGossip13 replied to me last week that TikTok could be impacted by the new spam policy. It's an interesting example, since you are taken into the app when on mobile (for those that have the ap, Glenn Gabe on X
• Typical issue from over-relying on LLMs. They’re smart, but they’re just snapshots of the past. SEOs, GEOs Want to control LLMs? Push fresh content and remove outdated pages fast ideally with IndexNow. Take back co, Fabrice Canel on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Microsoft Ads expands custom columns to include all conversion metrics
• AI Max vs DSA: Advertisers question control as Google responds
• Google AdSense removes browser back button trigger for vignette ads
• Google adds AI-powered bidding and demand-led budgeting to Search and Shopping
• 5 JavaScript SEO lessons from top ecommerce sites
• 8 GEO metrics to track in 2026
• How to use Google and LLM insights to improve international SEO

Other Great Search Stories:

AI & LLMs

• Advancing voice intelligence with new models in the API, OpenAI
• How Does AI Get Its Information? Training Data, RAG, MCPs, and APIs Explained, Ahrefs
• Introducing Trusted Contact in ChatGPT, OpenAI
• Patterns we see in ChatGPT query fanouts, Peec AI
• How to Fix What AI Gets Wrong About Your Brand, Semrush

Analytics

• Office Hours: Can You Actually Track AI Visibility?, SparkToro

Industry & Business

• EU clinches deal to roll back AI restrictions, POLITICO
• Google Judge Says Too Early to Pause DOJ Remedy in Search Case, Bloomberg
• Google Plans to Let Software Engineers Use AI in Job Interviews, Business Insider
• Inside The Audience Club’s First NY Event: How AI, Search & Creators Are Reshaping News Beyond the Click, Clara Soteras

Links & Content Marketing

• Google Wants Non-Commodity Content. These B2B Brands Show You What It Looks Like., Foundation Inc
• AI Leads B2B Buyer Discovery, But Authentic Content Earns Their Trust – Forrester B2B Summit, TopRank Marketing

Local & Maps

• I tried this new Google Maps feature for electric cars and it finally made me forget about range anxiety, Tom's Guide

SEO

• AI Citation Ranking Factors Analysis, Zyppy
• Entity Governance: A Missing Layer in AI-Ready Content Systems, Schema App
• Google’s (still) doesn’t see your live page, DEJAN
• What is Programmatic Advertising & How Does it Help SEO?, SEO dot co

PPC

• 12 PPC Newsletters Every Paid Search Marketer Should Follow & Why, JumpFly
• Google Shopping Ads: Best Practices for Scalable E-Commerce Growth, Bluetuskr
• Managing your integrations at scale: Ads DevCast E4, Google Ads Developer Blog
• Microsoft Copilot Checkout: What It Means for Your Ads, ZATO
• Providing more transparency for your Performance Max campaigns, Microsoft Advertising
• Google Brings Tag Manager Interface Into Google Ads, PPC News Feed
• Google Is Retiring Dynamic Search Ads - What It Means for Your Campaigns, Koozai

Search Features

• Apple’s Camera-Equipped AirPods Reach Advanced Testing Stage in AI Device Push, Bloomberg
• Google Easter egg celebrates David Attenborough's 100th birthday, 9to5Google

Other Search

• EP 255 - How Google’s Personal Intelligence is Quietly Revolutionizing (Everyone's) Search Results, Near Media
• Google Fit is being replaced, migration tool coming later this year, 9to5Google
• Introducing the new Google Fitbit Air and Google Health app, Google Blog
• Vibe Coding - yay or nay?, Search Off the Record

Feedback:

Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, on Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky and you can follow us on Facebook and on Google News, add as a preferred source on Google and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or just contact us the old fashion way.