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 confirmed there is a bug with the referrer links in AI Mode, they are working on a fix. Local SEOs are noticing a lot of name change notifications in Google Business Profiles. Google AdSense has a new setting for anchor ad positions and a new option for displays in ad intents. Google Search is testing a recently viewed label. Google Search Console's Discover performance report had a weird bug. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap - this one goes over the announcements at I/O and Google Marketing Live.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google I/O, Marketing Live, AI Mode, AI Overviews, AI Ads, Search Volatility & More
This week was a huge week for search; between Google I/O and Google Marketing Live - it was just a lot. We had two unconfirmed Google ranking updates, one on I/O day and one on May 16th. Google announced AI Mode was... -
Google AI Mode Tracking Referrer Issue A Bug
Google released AI Mode in the U.S. a couple of days ago and Tom Critchlow and Patrick Stox noticed that Google prevented you from tracking referrer data from AI Mode. Well, that turned out to be unintentional and Google said it is a bug and it will be fixed. -
Spike In Google Business Profiles Name Changes?
I am seeing some complaints within the local SEO community about a surge or spike in name changes happening to Google Business Profiles. It is unclear how widespread the issue is, or if there is a pattern to the issue or not - at least at this point in time. -
Google AdSense Anchor Ad Positions Setting
Google has added a setting for AdSense publishers to pick the positions of their anchor ads. They can pick from up to six different settings depending on top/bottom or side anchor ads. -
Google Search Tests Recently Viewed Label
Google is testing a "recently viewed" label in the search results, next to search result snippets that you have clicked on in your recent search history. This is similar to the you visit often label and the other recently visited examples we've seen over the years. -
Google AdSense Ad Intents New Display Ads Option
Google has added a new display ads option for ad intents. The new option lets you pick between always show display ads with organic search results or show search ads with organic search results, and display ads if search ads are unavailable. -
Bug: Google Search Console Discover Performance Report Hashtag Notice
Google Search Console's Discover performance report has a weird bug. It started early yesterday morning where a blue notice prompt would show up and have a mysterious hashtag, with the text "Learn more" and "Got it." This is obviously a bug. -
Google San Francisco Balcony Wide View
Here is another photo from the Google San Francisco office, off of one of the balconies there. This is a wider view, that shows the bridge, the surrounding buildings, water and more of the balcony.
Other Great Search Threads:
- A lot of Search momentum today with the launch of AI Mode to everyone in the U.S., plus Gemini 2.5 coming to AI Overviews. Here’s all the latest on Search from Google I/O, News from Google on Bluesky
- We are introducing Bayesian methodology that relies on "prior assumptions" to allow us to run conclusive studies with significantly lower budget and conversion requirements. Bayesian is an industry standard being us, AdsLiaison on X
- We're happy to announce that Google Search Central Live is coming back to Warsaw, Poland on June 16, 2025. If you're nearby, and want to hear and discuss all things related to Google Search, check it out. Register, Google Search Central on X
- You can use campaign experiments to test AI Max in your existing Search campaigns., AdsLiaison on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- LLMs, AI Overviews may be quietly driving homepage traffic: Report
- Ads arrive in Google AI Overviews – here’s what they look like
- Google Ads best practices: The good, the bad and the balancing act
- Google AI Mode traffic is untrackable
- AI visibility: An execution problem in the making
- Why is Google’s AI Mode tab is always on the left
- Understanding and resolving ‘Discovered – currently not indexed’
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- How to track website traffic: how many people are visiting your site?, Yoast
- Understanding the cross-network channel in GA4, Hallam
Industry & Business
- California, Google cut pledged funds to support state’s newsrooms, The Hill
- Demis Hassabis and Sergey Brin on AI Scaling, AGI Timeline, Robotics, Simulation Theory, Big Technology
- Google Faces Antitrust Investigation Over Character AI Deal for Chatbot Tech, Bloomberg
- Google has a big AI advantage: it already knows everything about you, The Verge
- News publishers call Google’s AI Mode ‘theft’, The Verge
Links & Content Marketing
- Backlink Profile: What It Is and How to Build One That Works, The Upper Ranks
- Earned Links: Content That Earns Backlinks & Boosts Authority, SEO dot co
- Engineering Relevant Content: Tips to Get Your Content into LLMs, iPullRank
Local & Maps
- 5 reasons I prefer Apple Maps to Google Maps on Android, Android Authority
- Google Maps Rival Announces Major Update for Android and iPhone Users, AutoEvolution
- I Tried Apple Maps’ New Feature: Here’s How It Stacks Up Against Google Maps, Make Use Of
Mobile & Voice
- What Sam Altman Told OpenAI About the Secret Device He’s Making With Jony Ive, Wall Street Journal
- Apple Plans Glasses for 2026 as Part of AI Push, Nixes Watch With Camera, Bloomberg
- Google I/O 2025: Gemini as a universal AI assistant, Google Blog
SEO
- 8 Best AI SEO Tools for 2025 (Tested Firsthand), Semrush
- Cloudflare CEO on the rise of 'zero-click searches': It'll be much harder to be a content creator, CNBC
- Ecommerce Category Page SEO That Actually Converts in 2025, SEO Testing
- Google AI Mode Could Reshape Search: What SEOs Should Know, Semrush
- How publishers can adapt to AI Mode and LLMs: a strategic framework beyond classic SEO, I Love SEO
- How To Replace Your Lost Google Traffic, SEO Theory
- SEO Myths Debunked: Zero-click Searches Mean SEO Is Pointless!, Nikki Pilkington
- The SEO Bots That ~140 Million Websites Block the Most, Ahrefs
- Adding E-E-A-T to a Web Page: Yes, It's Possible!, Level343 LLC
- Google’s AI Search Shift: Impact on Rankings and Brand Visibility, SEOSherpa
- Re-Designing Your SEO Career, Moz
- Turning data into actionable insights: a data-driven SEO strategy, Yoast
PPC
- 7 Major Announcements from Google Marketing Live 2025, Cypress North
- Hiring a PPC Agency vs. In-house, Koozai
- Misleading ads repeatedly dupe Google users, CBS News New York Investigation finds, CBS New York
- PMax Channel Report Deep Dive, Smarter Ecommerce
- Ready, set, grow: Empowering small businesses to thrive in changing economic landscapes, Microsoft Advertising
- Setting Up Supplemental Feeds in Google Merchant Center Next–Part 2 of 3, JumpFly
- Google Ads Help Page Tests AI-Powered Contact Us Experience, PPC News Feed
- Google Marketing Live 2025: What Search Marketers Need to Know, Hallam
Search Features
- Google Discover redesign emphasizes site names , 9to5Google
- Google rejected giving publishers more choice to opt out of AI Search, The Verge
Other Search
- At Google I/O, Gemini Diffusion’s speed and coding skills hint at the next phase of the AI model wars, Fortune
- Google’s chief emissary to the news business is stepping down — and looking back, Nieman Journalism Lab
Feedback:
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