Daily Search Forum Recap: May 26, 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.

The EU may fine Google in the triple-digit million euros over favoring its own services in the search results. Google AI Mode new shopping ad formats are here. Google is testing expanding shopping ad units. Google Merchant Center conversational attributes are also here. Google Business Profiles photos and video sections now show the view counts.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• EU May Fine Google Triple Million Euros Over Favoring Itself In Search Results
  The European Union may fine Google its largest fine for a breach of the 'new Digital Markets Act (DMA). It would be in the triple millions of Euros and would be done because Google allegedly favors its own services in its own search results.
• Google Shopping Ads In AI Mode Tries New Styles?
  We know Google said it was expanding shopping ads into AI Mode and saw some examples of that. We also know about the new conversational discovery ads and highlighted answer ads. So I am not sure if this is another new format or part of those, but this one seems different.
• Google Tests Growing Expanding Shopping Ads
  Google is testing Shopping ads that enlarge, grow and expand when you hover your mouse cursor over the ad unit. We saw something like this for another Google ad format in March and now we are seeing a variation of this for Google Shopping ads.
• Google Merchant Center Conversational Attributes For AI-Driven Surfaces
  Part of Google Marketing Live was a small note about conversational attributes, a way to add more attributes to your product feeds within Google Merchant Center that can be used "to update their product descriptions to reflect the more conversational way people search."
• Google Business Profiles Photos / Videos Add View Counts
  Google is now showing the number of times a photo or video was viewed and seen by users in the Google Business Profiles photos/videos section. So now, business owners can see if the images and videos that they are uploading are being seen by searchers and which are the most popular ones.
• Google Chocolate Fountain
  Here is a flowing chocolate fountain at the Google office in France. I am not sure why they have a chocolate fountain but hey, it is Google and it is in France - so why not.

Other Great Search Threads:

• Google Maps is currently popping up surveys asking users a critical question: "How authentic do merchant replies on Google Maps feel to you?", Claudia Tomina on LinkedIn
• Spotted: the new Map view for Connected Products inside Google Ads Data Manager., Thomas Eccel on LinkedIn
• We heard concerns that Antigravity consumes many tokens for simple tasks now. So, we're adding Gemini 3.5 Flash (Low) as a way to optimize token usage for these tasks. In our internal testing, it generates around 45% fewer tokens than G, Varun Mohan on X
• Thanks for flagging this. We’re rolling out a fix for cases where AI Overviews are misinterpreting some search queries that include action words. This should address many of these issues, but please keep providing, News from Google on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• The latest jobs in search marketing
• What makes a brand machine-readable in AI search
• OpenAI expands Ads Manager Beta with new budgeting and geo targeting controls
• Organic traffic is still worth tracking — just not all of it
• Velocity: What the Googlers not on stage said at I/O 2026
• ‘Fix everything’ is the wrong SEO strategy
• Google’s AI search guidance is naive and self-serving
• Yes, you need to use AI, but you need to use it strategically
• Google May 2026 core update rolling out now

Other Great Search Stories:

AI & LLMs

• Employ an AI Twin to Handle Your Piles of Busy Work, Wall Street Journal
• Google clarifies its slightly confusing pair of AI Ultra plans, 9to5Google
• How GenAI Platforms Generate Answers, Practical Ecommerce
• The Prehistory of A.I. Slop, The New Yorker
• UK Institute Is Hunting for Dangers Lurking in AI, New York Times
• Gemini user hits usage cap after a single prompt, Google responds, Android Authority

Analytics

• Is Google Analytics HIPAA Compliant? Honest 2026 Answer, KP Playbook

Industry & Business

• EU plans to fine Google high triple-digit million euro sum, Handelsblatt reports, Reuters
• Google's $15B Missouri data center would get $1B in tax breaks. County officials say it will generate billions more, KSDK

Links & Content Marketing

• Inimitable Product is the New "Make Great Content", SparkToro

Local & Maps

• 61 Hilarious And Confusing ‘Shenanigans’ People Accidentally Found On Google Maps, Bored Panda

SEO

• Automotive SEO 101: A Refresher on the Basics, SearchLab Digital
• Does Product Grid Size Affect SEO Performance?, Search Pilot
• Fast and Furious - Nimbus Manticore Operations During the Iranian Conflict, Check Point Research
• Microsoft To Publishers: Don’t Block The AI Bots, AdExchanger

PPC

• Bose’s Sayantan Bose turned off paid search to test new marketing strategies, Ad Age
• The power of intent: How Visa used AI to capture high-intent users in the DRC, Google

Search Features

• Google’s Nick Fox on remaking its search engine, Semafor

Other Search

• Google is cannibalizing the web to feed AI, The Register
• Google Search logo refreshed with newer font, Piunika Web

Feedback:

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