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's John Mueller implied unrelated content can hurt a site's ranking in Google Search. Google updated its removal-based demotion content in a very slight way. Google added new loyalty markup support. Google AI Overviews show Reddit mostly, while ChatGPT shows Wikipedia. Microsoft Advertiser launched a new report builder. Google is looking to offload some employees in search and ad units.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Removal-Based Demotion Systems Changes Threshold
Google has made a small but I assume meaningful change to the search ranking systems document, the section for "Removal-based demotion systems." Google changed the wording from a "high" volume to a "significant" volume throughout that section. -
Google On Unrelated Content As A Search Ranking Issue
Google's John Mueller responded to a complaint about indexing issues and ranking drops within Google Search, citing that the possible reason is unrelated content on the site. John said in response to the complaint, "One of the things I noticed is that there's a lot of totally unrelated content on the site." -
ChatGPT Mostly Source Wikipedia; Google AI Overviews Mostly Source Reddit
A study from Profound of OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity shows that while ChatGPT mostly sources its information from Wikipedia, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity mostly source their information from Reddit. -
Microsoft Advertising New Custom Report Builder & More
Microsoft Advertising posted its June report showing off some new features added to the ad platform. The big item is the new custom report builder, but also PMax updates, import tool updates and Shopify integrations. -
Google Looks To Reduce Search & Ad Units With Buyout Program
Just when you thought the layoffs were over (remember January 2023), Google is offering a buyout program across search and ad units, including knowledge and information and central engineering units as well as marketing, research and communications teams, CNBC has reported. -
Google Gains Markup Support For Loyalty & Membership Programs
Google added new markup support for loyalty and membership programs with special pricing. This was supported in Google Merchant Center but now is supported in under Organization structured data combined with loyalty benefits under Product structured data, Google announced. -
Running To Or Away From Google
Here is a photo that I spotted when I was at Google I/O of a group of people either running to or away from Google - that building on the right, is the new Bay View Google campus.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Microsoft is testing on Bing Search some formatting for AI-generated search results, “Bold” and “Italics”., Radu Oncescu on X
- First time seeing chatgpt as a sales source. I can't wait for them to let us advertise on these apps., Jamie on X
- GenAI Traffic Share update — 🗓️ 6 months ago: ChatGPT: 87.5% Google: 5.4% Perplexity: 2.0% Claude: 1.6% 🗓️ 3 months ago: ChatGPT: 77.6% DeepSeek: 8.1% Google: 4.9% Grok: 2.7% Perplexity: 2.0% 🗓️ 1 month ago: ChatGPT: 80., Similarweb on X
- The 202505 dataset is live, Google Groups
- Updated Perplexity iOS voice assistant coming soon. Simple yet useful updates., Aravind Srinivas on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google looking to downsize search and ad units
- YouTube tests 30-second non-skippable ads in standard campaigns
- ChatGPT leads on generative AI traffic share, but Google is rising
- 90% of AI search traffic comes from desktop: Report
- Is Google ‘stealing’ your international search traffic with translations? Here’s what we found.
- Google adds loyalty programs support to organization structured data
- How Google Ads’ AI tools fix creative bottlenecks, streamline asset creation
- Kelsey Libert on AI reshaping SEO, scalable knowledge, and building authority
- How multimodal discovery is redefining SEO in the AI era
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Ask an SEO: Why's GA4 Reporting Higher Traffic Than GSC?, Search Engine Journal
- Google Analytics vs Adobe Analytics Statistics - Which is Better?, Coolest Gadgets
Industry & Business
- Exclusive: OpenAI taps Google in unprecedented cloud deal despite AI rivalry, sources say, Reuters
- Google in Mexico faces major potential fine as antitrust ruling nears, Yahoo Finance
- Google overhauls internal learning platform to focus on AI courses, CNBC
- How Google used generative AI at I/O 2025, Google Blog
- Judge rejects class action for Google privacy lawsuit, Reuters
Links & Content Marketing
- How to Write Good Content Using AI?, Sara Taher
- The Complete Guide to Mastering White Hat Link Building, The Upper Ranks
- What’s the Point of AI Detectors?, Ahrefs
Local & Maps
- Apple's new Maps will learn your commute in iOS 26, TechCrunch
- Garmin smartwatches tipped to gain Google Maps support with future updates, NotebookCheck
- Google Maps Rival Wants To Be a Better Waze Alternative, Gets New Features, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
- Alexa Plus now has a million users and could be coming to you this summer, The Verge
- Android 16: Productivity, security and more features on Android, Google Blog
- New on Android: Daily Listen, new image editing and more, Google Blog
- OpenAI won WWDC 2025, Engadget
- Snap to launch smaller, lighter AR Specs smartglasses in 2026, CNBC
- This is what really happened with Siri and Apple Intelligence, according to Apple, TechRadar
SEO
- AI Mode is the future of Search. How will you adapt?, Marie Haynes
- Apple's AI rollout leaves Siri behind & fans asking questions, AppleInsider
- Future-Proofing SEO: How to Stay Ahead Amid AI Disruption, Sitebulb
- Google’s New AI Tools Have News Publishers Prepping for a ‘Post-Search Era’ as Clicks Dwindle, Wall Street Journal
- How Publishers Can Survive (and Thrive) in the Age of AI Search | Lily Ray, Advanced Web Ranking
- How to diversify your traffic sources to reduce search reliance, Oncrawl
- How Vercel's adapting SEO for LLMs and AI search, Vercel
- Old Hat SEO is Finally Dead. The Bar Has Been Risen For The Next Generation., SEO for Lunch
PPC
- 7 ways to create better ads: Insights from eye-tracking research, PPC Hero
- Every Google Ads Asset Option & How to Use Them, WordStream
- New custom report builder and other product updates for June, Microsoft Advertising
- New Requirements for Debt Service Advertisers in Ireland (June 2025), Google Advertising Policies Help
- What’s New in Google Demand Gen for 2025, Seer Interactive
Search Features
Other Search
- ChatGPT is having some issues, The Verge
- OpenAI announces 80% price drop for o3, it's most powerful reasoning model, VentureBeat
- Sam Altman claims an average ChatGPT query uses ‘roughly one fifteenth of a teaspoon’ of water, The Verge
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