Daily Search Forum Recap: May 29, 2025

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 Search ranking volatility is heating up this morning - are you noticing anything big? Google updated when it shows the questions and answers section in Google local panels. Google Ads can show ads above/below or within AI Overviews but not both. Google Ads now allows melatonin outside the US and Canada. Google Search is testing light background colors on hover. Bing is testing alternatives for the related searches.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up May 29th
  Google Search ranking and results have experienced increased volatility over the past 24 hours or so - the search results are heating up. I am noticing an uptick in SEO chatter within the industry and also some of the tools are showing increased search ranking volatility.
• Google Updates When Local Questions & Answers Display
  For the past several months, we've been seeing signs that the Google Maps and local questions and answers feature is being phased out. Well, it seems like it is not going away but rather changed when it does and does not show.
• Google: Ads Can Show Above/Below or Within AI Overviews But Not Both At Same Time
  Ginny Marvin, Google's Ads Liaison, confirmed on X that ads can show above/below the AI Overviews or within the AI Overviews but not in both positions at the same time. She wrote, "Your ad could trigger to show either above/below AIO or within AIO, but not both at this time."
• Google Ads To Allow Melatonin Ads Beyond US & Canada
  Google is updating its Unapproved Substances section of the Healthcare and Medicines policy in June to allow the promotion and serving ads for Melatonin. This is currently allowed in the U.S. and Canada, but will now be allowed beyond.
• Google Search Results Light Background Shadow Color On Hover
  Google is testing another search results snippet hover effect. This one will color the background a light gray shadow like color. We've seen variations of this before (see articles below).
• Bing Tests Related Searches Alternative Texts
  Microsoft is testing using alternative names and titles for the related searches section within the Bing Search results. I was able to trigger four alternatives to the normal related searches header.
• Google London Indoor Red Bus
  Here is a photo from inside the Google London office of a red bus has the Google logo on it and says "55 via Hackney."

Other Great Search Threads:

• Love to see more people testing AI Mode! This is consistent with what we heard from our early users in Labs and how we’ve designed the product– Google Search is already great at so many things, and AI Mode is a super helpful complem, Rajan Patel on X
• Question Regarding URL with Parameter Indexation, Reddit

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Google Promoted Pins come to Maps for Demand Gen campaigns
• AI changed search—has your content strategy kept up?
• YouTube Insights Finder expands globally
• Eric Enge on winning SEO, E-E-A-T, and adapting to AI
• YouTube Ad Placements explained: In-Stream, Shorts, and In-Feed

Other Great Search Stories:

Industry & Business

• Google Took 25 Years to Be Ready for Gen AI. Apple Is Just Starting., Business Insider
• The winners and losers of Google’s AI Mode, Digiday

Links & Content Marketing

• How to Build an SEO Content Strategy That Gets Real Results, The Upper Ranks
• Internal Talent: Your Content Creation Goldmine, Content Marketing Institute

Local & Maps

• 2025 Local search consumer behavior study, Rio SEO
• Gemini in cars might be the most impressive AI integration yet [Video], 9to5Google

Mobile & Voice

• iPhone 16 Leads Global Smartphone Sales in Q1 2025, Counterpoint Research
• Search Live should just replace and be called ‘Google Lens’, 9to5Google
• The Orb Will See You Now, TIME

SEO

• Claude Leak: How LLMs Search – What SEOs Need to Know, GPT Insights
• Google Launches AI Mode: A Game-Changer for Search, We Are Roast
• Google’s AI Mode and The Future of Online Marketing (& SEO), Ann Smarty
• How to measure the impact of AI Overviews on clicks and click-through rate using third-party AIO data, the Google Search Console API, and Analytics Edge, GSQI
• The beginner’s guide to SEO reporting, Yoast
• Vector SEO & AI - An Easy Explanation (With Dogs & Cats), Adam Riemer
• A step-by-step guide to creating topical maps for SEO, Hallam

PPC

• Captivating and relevant: How conversational AI is changing advertising, Microsoft Advertising
• Not All "Best Practices" Are… Best Practices, PPC Live
• Promoted Pins Open Up for Demand Gen Campaigns, PPC News Feed
• The Impact of AI-Driven Feed Optimizations and Why You Still Need to Be Proactive – Part 3 of 3, JumpFly
• Google's Ads Liaison Breaks Down What You Need to Know About the Future of Google Ads, Frederick Vallaeys on LinkedIn
• How to Fix Merchant Center Return Policy Issues, Hill Web Creations
• Microsoft Target ROAS versus Max Conversion Value with tROAS Bid Strategies, JumpFly

Search Features

• According to Google AI – No it’s Not 2025, Search Engine World
• AI Mode Internals, DEJAN
• Google Search's AI Overview cannot correctly tell you if it's 2025, Android Authority
• How AI Mode Selects Snippets, DEJAN
• How Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Rewrites the Rules of Search, Andreessen Horowitz
• How Google AI Mode Keeps Users in AI Mode, Lily Ray on LinkedIn
• I tested Google AI Mode vs. Google Search. There's a clear winner, Android Authority
• The difference between Gemini and Search AI Mode is an assistant, 9to5Google
• AI Mode is Not Live Web, DEJAN

Other Search

• Google Photos celebrates 10 years with 10 tips, Google Blog

Feedback:

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