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 announced ads are coming to AI Mode and expanding ads to AI Overviews desktop. Google launched Smart Bidding Exploration for Google Ads. Google Ads announced new video ads format, "generated for you," Image-to-video, AI outpainting, a new Asset Studio, Video management tools, and new Agentic capabilities. Google has new help documents on using AI and AI search features. And Bing is testing a double border for its search box.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Ads Come To AI Mode & AI Overviews Desktop
Google is now pushing search ads on AI Mode and the desktop version of AI Overviews. Google's Vidhya Srinivasan said at Google Marketing Live, "we're expanding ads in AI Overviews to desktop, and bringing ads to AI Mode to create new opportunities for our customers." -
New Google Ads Smart Bidding Exploration: Bidding Update
Google announced a new bidding update to Google Ads named Smart Bidding Exploration. Google said this is the "biggest update to bidding in over a decade." -
Google Ads New AI Tools & Agentic Capabilities
Google announced a number of AI-related features to help advertisers create and manage their ads account across Google Ads and Merchant Center. These include new AI tools for creating ads and creatives and also agentic capabilities to help you with this on the backend. -
New Google Docs On Using AI Generative Content & AI Search Features
Google has published two new help documents on the topic of AI; one on guidance on using generative AI content on your website and the second on AI features and your website. Google also published a blog post on the topics over here. -
Bing Tests Double Border Search Box
Microsoft is testing a double border style around the Bing Search box. This goes around the main search box but not the auto-complete box, I believe. -
Google London Colored Office Buildings
Here is a photo of a number of buildings in London, they seem to be colored with the Google logo colors. I am not sure if this is legit or not but hey, I found it on Instagram.
Other Great Search Threads:
- From trying it out, there are different UI "versions" & experiments - these features are new and will definitely change over time. We try to make sure the counting for Search Console is consistent, but man, UIs are complex and making a call, John Mueller on Bluesky
- I don't know if it's really most of the industry, sometimes it feels like these independent-thinking rebels are an exception. But anyway, it takes a lot of different types to make something like the web with this much charm & flavor., John Mueller on Bluesky
- I'm not sure what you're asking (or what the consequence would be). EEAT is a concept from the quality raters guidelines - it's not a concept in Search Console's performance report., John Mueller on Bluesky
- My kids and I spent the day playing with Search Live and the results were... a blast! Check out this fun video our team put together for #GooglelO., Rajan Patel on X
- Sergey Brin dropped unannounced at Google I/O and said: “we fully intend that Gemini will be the first AGI” yeah, I'm thinking google is back…, NIK on X
- This dude is channeling @TheCoolestCool. He just said all content is now infinitely remixable., Mic King on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Marketing Live 2025: Everything you need to know
- Google expands ads in AI Overviews, AI Mode to desktop
- New Google AI tools transform Creative Ads, Video Campaigns, Brand Listings
- Google unveils Smart Bidding Exploration
- Google unveils new tools for testing, measurement, data
- Google is putting agentic tools in Ads and Analytics
- Google Marketing Advisor, an AI sidekick for advertisers, coming soon to Chrome
- Google shares 8 ways to be successful with AI Search experiences
- Google Ads rolls out new Performance Max image optimization features
- The modern SEO: Researcher, strategist and project manager
- Google Ads headlines: Your guide to create clickable and converting ads
- How to audit your brand using search data
- 5 ways marketers are actually using AI to get more done
- How to use Google Gemini for better SEO
- Google AI Overviews expand to more users
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- How to measure topical authority [in 2025], Kevin Indig
Industry & Business
- Google moves to reassure EU cloud users amid concern over Trump threat, Financial Times (Sub)
- Google wins judgment in Rumble's US antitrust suit over search, YouTube, MLex
- Google, AI firm must face lawsuit filed by a mother over suicide of son, US court says, Reuters
- News/Media Alliance calls Google's AI Mode 'theft', Engadget
- OpenAI buys iPhone designer Jony Ive device startup for $6.4 billion, CNBC
Links & Content Marketing
- How To Use Hashtags on Social Media Now, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- How Google Review Count, Frequency, Recency, and Average Rating Affect Your SEO and Credibility, Igniting Business
- The Impact of Google AI Overviews on Local Business Search Visibility, Local Falcon
- The Local SEO Advantage Most Businesses Are Too Lazy To Use, Nikki Pilkington
- Volvo will be the first to install Google’s Gemini in its cars, The Verge
Mobile & Voice
SEO
- “EEAT Optimization” is Crap. Differentiate Your Brand to Become a Destination, Ann Smarty
- Build your brand to stay ahead of Google updates, Wix SEO Hub
- Google not reading dynamic meta tags set up by Javascript and using default tags or stuff from the body instead, Reddit
- How to Do Realistic SEO Forecasting Step-by-Step (+ Template), Backlinko
- Implications of AI Mode and Personal Context - 2025 Google I/O Hot Takes, iPullRank
- SEO Isn't Free. It's Just Non-Paid. Attribution Still Screws Us., SEO for Lunch
- Structured Data in the AI Search Era, BrightEdge
- Top ways to ensure your content performs well in Google's AI experiences on Search, Google Search Central Blog
PPC
- An upgraded dev experience in Google AI Studio, Google Developers Blog
- Bridging the Gap: Using Amazon Attribution to Drive E-Commerce Growth with PPC, JumpFly
- Google Is Keeping Cookies, So Advertisers Will Keep Buying Junk Data In Bulk, AdExchanger
- Let’s Talk Landing Pages: What Most Marketers Get Wrong, PPC Live
- New Google Pay features to enhance your payment flows, Google Developers Blog
- Wriggle Marketing on cultivating success for both clients and community, Microsoft Advertising
Search Features
- With AI Mode, Google Search Is About to Get Even Chattier, Wired
- At Google I/O, everything is changing and normal and scary and chill, Platformer
- Google AI Mode Is Here, But You Can't Track It Properly, Ahrefs
- Google I/O 2025: 100 things Google announced, Google Blog
- Google pretends to be in on the joke, but its focus on AI Mode search is serious, Ars Technica
- Google’s future is Google Googling, The Verge
- I Tried the New Real-Time Translator for Google Meet—It’s Wild, Wall Street Journal
Other Search
- Google’s New URL Context Tool, DEJAN
- I really don’t like ChatGPT’s new memory dossier, Simon Willison
- The AI Bots That ~140 Million Websites Block the Most, Ahrefs
- We did the math on AI’s energy footprint. Here’s the story you haven’t heard., MIT Technology Review
Feedback:
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