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 UK forced Google to add AI Search blocking controls in Search Console and there are also new AI performance reports - this is all rolling out slowly, first to some folks in the UK. Microsoft announced a ton of AI news, including a new search engine service for AI-agents, but also announced Microsoft Scout, which is weird, since Yahoo has Yahoo Scout. Google added more link cards to AI Mode and AI Overviews. ChatGPT is testing new multi-advertiser placements ads and new ad controls and features for advertisers. Google may have dropped several bid controls for Google Hotel Ads.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Console AI Performance Report & AI Blocking Controls (Limited)
Google has announced the new Search Console Search Generative AI performance reports and a toggle to block your site from showing in AI responses. This is available currently only for a small subset of UK site owners, but it will expand globally at some point. Oh, and no, the reporting does not show click data - not that any of you expected that. -
Google Adding More Link Cards To AI Responses
Google may be adding more link cards to the sidebar of the Google AI responses. Specifically, Google AI Mode and AI Overviews are testing showing more citation/link cards on the side of the AI response. -
ChatGPT Multi-Advertiser Placements & Ads Manager Updates
OpenAI sent out an email to advertisers announcing some new ad unit tests, specifically multi-advertiser placements in ChatGPT. OpenAI also announced new updates to the ChatGPT Ads Manager to help advertisers manage their ads and control targeting. -
Google Hotel Ads Drops Several Bid Adjustments - A Bug?
Google Hotel Ads may have dropped several bid adjustments, or maybe it is a bug. Bid adjustments such as day of the week check-in, advanced purchase, check-in date, length of stay and maybe some others are no longer showing up in the Google Ads interface. -
Yahoo Scout Slighted By Microsoft Scout? And More on Microsoft Web IQ.
Microsoft held its Microsoft Build event and announced Web IQ, a search engine platform for AI-agents and so many other AI enhancements. But what gave me a double-take was Microsoft Scout. I mean, didn't Yahoo just announce Yahoo Scout in January, in partnership with Microsoft? Why did Microsoft name a similar product Scout, when Yahoo went with that name and even owns the domain name scout.com? -
Basketball Court At Google Dublin Office
Here is a photo from, what I believe is, the basketball court Googlers use at the Google Dublin office. I am not 100% sure if it is owned by Google or not. I found this on Instagram...
Other Great Search Threads:
- As Satya shared in today’s keynote at Build, we just launched Microsoft Web IQ - our next generation search engine for AI agents. It is a new suite of AI-native grounding APIs designed to connect AI systems with fresh, reliable w, Jordi Ribas on X
- In the last 6 months at Ahrefs, we analyzed over 1 billion data points across 14 studies. Here's what we learned about AI search optimization:, Tim Soulo on LinkedIn
- The video feed in the Google app, alongside the Discover feed, isn't currently working, but clicking the Videos tab takes you to a different Discover feed than the one on the home screen. And Google has just updated the app so t, Damien (andell) on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Search Console AI performance reports and controls to block your content in AI responses
- Google spotlights invalid click credits with new Ads help documentation
- Google begins testing healthcare ads in AI Mode
- Google Ads updates terms of service ahead of July 2026 rollout
- Microsoft releases Web IQ, powered by Bing but designed for how AI-agents search
- How SEO turns customer success into AI-readable proof
- Why high-ROAS campaigns don’t always deserve more budget
- Google May 2026 core update rollout is now complete
- How ‘it’s just SEO’ took over the GEO conversation
Other Great Search Stories:
AI & LLMs
- Building a hill-climbing machine: Launching seven new MAI models, Microsoft AI
- Codex for every role, tool, and workflow, OpenAI
- Codex is becoming a productivity tool for everyone, OpenAI
- Google Is Quietly Buying Code From Play Store Developers to Train AI, 404 Media
- Inside Microsoft’s Project Solara: A new platform for devices that run AI agents instead of apps, GeekWire
- Introducing Microsoft Scout: Your always-on personal agent, Microsoft 365 Blog
- Microsoft’s AI chief on the greatest game of catchup ever played, Semafor
- Perplexity Computer adding ability to split tasks between local and cloud models, 9to5Mac
- The Trump Administration Is at War With Itself Over AI Regulation, Wired
- Top AI labs expand research into machine ‘consciousness’, Financial Times (Sub)
Analytics
- Google tag gateway for advertisers via Google Cloud Platform is now available, Google Release notes - Tag Manager Help
Industry & Business
- Blue, yellow and green: Google invests in its first data center in Sweden., Google Blog
- Google and Voltus sign agreement for smart energy capacity, Google Blog
- Google Challenges AI Rivals With Its Financial Muscle, Wall Street Journal
- The Google Capital Company, Stratechery by Ben Thompson
- Trump signs downsized AI order, POLITICO
- CMA secures fairer deal for publishers and improves Google search services in UK, UK Government
- Google Can't Ditch Software Co.'s Patent Infringement Suit, Law360
Links & Content Marketing
- The Mid-Year AI Reality Check Marketing Teams Need, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- 5 marketing takeaways on the future of Search, Think with Google
- How to Make a Location Page Truly Local for SEO, JumpFly
- Google Maps Lists Are Changing Local Discovery (And Most Businesses Don't Know It), CTB Digital Marketing
SEO
- 124 SEO Statistics for 2024, Ahrefs
- 5 Takeaways from Google’s GEO Guidelines, Moz
- 8 Common Mistakes in SEO Silo Implementation, Bruce Clay
- From Aesthetic to Infrastructure: Branding in the AI Search Era, SE Ranking
- How to Do Prompt-Based Keyword Research to Show Up Better in AI Results, WordStream
- How To Interview SEOs In An AI first World (2026), SEO for Lunch
- SEO on Wix Harmony: A Guide from the Wix SEO Hub, Wix
- So, How Do You Fix Your Reddit Reputation? (For SEO & AI Visibility), Ann Smarty
PPC
- About marginal cost optimization for Demand Gen campaigns, Google Ads Help
- 14 Handy Tips and Tricks For AdWords, Koozai
- Should You Fire Your Google Ads Agency and Replace Them With Claude? (Some Things to Think Through First), ZATO PPC Marketing
- The End of Keyword-Centric PPC in Automotive Search, PPC Live
- Update to Prediction Markets in Ohio (June 2026), Google Advertising Policies Help
- How PPC Will Help Your SEO, JumpFly
Search Features
- Gemini overlay gaining Dynamic Color, integrates ‘Screen content’, 9to5Google
- Google delivering on Gemini promises means Apple Intelligence can do the same, 9to5Mac
Other Search
- Announcing Microsoft Web IQ, Bing Search Blog
- European Parliament ditches Google for French search firm over privacy concerns, POLITICO
Feedback:
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