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 Console is now counting AI Mode impressions, clicks and position, just not the way we'd like. Google is linking to the wrong sites in some branded knowledge panels. Google rolled out a new interface for Google Posts. Google is investigating a bug with links being labeled as purple and thus seen. Google Ads has a new conversion setup. Google AI Mode is being tested within people also ask and Chrome auto-complete.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Console Now Counting AI Mode Clicks, Impressions & Positions
Google has now officially confirmed that Google Search Console is counting AI Mode data. Google said, "AI Mode is now counting towards totals in Search Console." We saw this when AI Mode went fully live in the US late last week, which Google announced would happen at I/O. -
Some Google Knowledge Panel Buttons Going To Wrong Sites
A few months ago, Google added big blue buttons to the knowledge panels within the Google Search results but now, some of those knowledge panels buttons are taking searchers to the wrong site or a site that does not exist. -
Google Ads New Step-By-Step Conversion Setup
Google Ads is refreshing the interface for the conversion actions and conversion setup process. It is a new step-by-step process that is much easier to use than the old version. -
Google AI Mode Within People Also Ask & Chrome
Just like Google had AI Overviews (also featured snippets) in the People also ask section of Google Search, Google is now testing AI Mode within People also ask. Plus, Google is testing it in the Chrome search auto-suggestions drop down. I guess this is because AI Mode is live in the US. -
Google Business Profiles Rolls Out New Interface For Google Posts
Google has rolled out a new interface to view your historical Google Posts within Google Business Profiles. Now the interface is a scrollable list view. -
Google Search Previously Visited Links Issue
Google is investigating reports of a number of searchers seeing that all the links shown in the Google search results are marked as previously visited. When you click on a link in a browser, often the link is colored purple next time you see that link, indicating you've previously clicked on that link. -
Google Summer Fest 2025
I guess Google holds some festival at the GooglePlex, the main Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, at the beginning of the summer. They call it the Google Summer Fest.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Amazon homepage missing from search (UK). No sitelinks either, very weird. Link in next tweet, Jon James on X
- I have metrics showing for other search terms? Big if true!, Boris Beceric on X
- It sounds like there's optimization potential, but it should still work. The link goes to the product, search engines can follow it, and the product has the details., John Mueller on Bluesky
- Google searching pizza, but they might not perform abortions, Reddit
- Should I do it? Let Google track everything I do and look for online., Greg Sterling on Bluesky
Search Engine Land Stories:
- New TikTok AI tools let you generate branded videos from images, text
- WhatsApp adds discovery tools, ads, subscriptions
- Google PMax, Smart Campaigns to prioritize high-intent offline conversions
- Google AI Mode traffic data comes to Search Console
- ChatGPT Search gets ‘smarter’ and adds image-based queries
- Confessions of a PPC-only agency: Why we finally embraced SEO
- Evaluating OpenAI’s Sora and other AI video generators
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Remarketing Tag Data Source Now Managed in Data Manager, PPC News Feed
- AI Mode Tracking in Google Search Console Confirmed [SEO Experiment], Brodie Clark Consulting
Industry & Business
- Is Google about to destroy the web?, BBC
- AI could give Google its Kodak moment as a new age of artificial intelligence internet search begins, AFR
- Google issues apology, incident report for hours-long cloud outage, CNBC
- OpenAI and Microsoft Tensions Are Reaching a Boiling Point, Wall Street Journal
- OpenAI wins $200 million U.S. defense contract, CNBC
- OpenAI Seeks New Financial Concessions From Microsoft, a Top Shareholder, The Information
- The DOJ faces growing calls to coordinate Google antitrust remedy efforts , Digiday
Links & Content Marketing
- Content Marketing Analytics, Without the Fluff, Ahrefs
- Websites Using AI Content Grow 5% Faster [+ New Research Report], Ahrefs
Local & Maps
- Google Maps Must Fix This Feature or Many Users Might Switch to Waze or, Worse, Apple Maps, AutoEvolution
- I can't wait to use this iOS 26 feature that helps me remember new discoveries — here's how it works, Tom's Guide
Mobile & Voice
- Apple may buy AI firms, boost Apple Intelligence acquisitions, AppleInsider
- Meta and Google made big promises at AWE, but AR glasses' future is still messy, Android Central
SEO
- 5 AI-Powered Workflows Every SEO Should Be Using Today, Moz
- 80% of Our AI Search Traffic Goes to Our Homepage, Product Pages, and Free Tools, Ahrefs
- A publisher's playbook for YMYL and E.E.A.T, SEO For Journalism
- Answer Engine Optimization, Explained, Practical Ecommerce
- Forms Of Webspam That Google Seems To Be Failing To Get To Grip With, SEO London Surrey
- Google Got Smarter with RankBrain. Did Your SEO Strategy Keep Up?, Level343
- The AI Search Content Optimization Checklist [With Google Sheets], Aleyda Solis
- The Forgotten Coupling - With AI Overviews Surging in Web Search, Don’t Overlook Image Search, Video Mode, and the News Tab in Search, GSQI
PPC
- Google Ads Not Working? Try These 7 Fixes, WordStream
- Google Asking For Feedback on Auto-Generated Videos in PMAX, PPC News Feed
- Is Your Digital Marketing Strategy Putting You at Risk? Understanding CCPA’s New Legal Precedent, Cypress North
- Three Key Updates to Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits, PPC News Feed
- Zero UI: The invisible interface revolution, Microsoft Advertising
- New! Website‑reported Autofeeds For Google Merchant Center Auto‑import In‑Store Inventory, FeedArmy
Search Features
- AI Overviews - Analyze, Strategize, Prioritize in 1 Simple Chart, Seer Interactive
- All Search links stuck on purple? Google's investigating the bug, Tech Issues Today
- Does AI Search Traffic Convert Better Than Traditional Search? For Ahrefs, Yes: 0.5% of Visitors Drove 12.1% of Signups, Ahrefs
- Early testing of Google's AI Mode, SALT agency
- Google Discover may finally make link shorteners optional, Android Authority
- Improvements to the ChatGPT search response quality, ChatGPT - Release Notes
Other Search
- I tried replacing Google Search with Perplexity. It didn't go well, Android Authority
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