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 said larger issues that linger longer on your site, with unrelated content, can take a longer time for Google Search to process. Google added new troubleshooting documentation around blocking content from Google AI Overviews and AI Mode. Google is investigating concerns over search sending people to hosted translated pages, instead of your site. Google Local Service Ads tests a background checked label. Google Video search is testing language speaker icons. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap today.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google: Larger & Longer Issues Can Take Longer To Reverse In Google Search
Google's John Mueller said that for larger and longer issues, it can take Google longer for Google Search to reprocess it all. Meaning, the bigger the issue and the longer the issue was on your site, Google will take longer to reprocess all of those signals and thus, it will take longer for your rankings to change based on the updates you made. -
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Search Volatility, AI Mode in Search Console, Audio Overviews and ChatGPT Search Quality
This week we covered the ongoing Google search ranking volatility. Google is now officially counting AI Mode in Google Search Console's performance reports, but good luck understanding it. Google is testing Audio Overviews... -
Google Investigating Search Clicks Leading To Translated Results
Back in November 2021, it began sending some searchers to translated versions of webpages through the search results. Google then in May 2022 started to report on how often this happened within Search Console. So when I saw a Google representative say they are looking into an "issue" around this and "currently investigating it" I raised my eyebrows. -
Google Troubleshooting On Blocking Content From AI Mode & AI Overviews
Google has quietly updated its AI features and your website help document, which it initially launched just under a month ago, with a new section on troubleshooting preview controls. In short, if you are trying to block your content from showing in AI Overviews, AI Mode or other AI features in Google Search, then this section may help you. -
Google Local Service Ads Tests Background Checked Labels
Google is testing adding the text "background checked" to the local service ads listings in the Google local search results. This seems to be instead of the Google Screened or verified labels. -
Google Video Search Tests Speaker Icon With Language Label
Google is testing placing a speaker icon next to the video snippets. The speaker icon includes a language label indicating what language the video is in. -
Doogler In Teepee Hammock
Google loves their hammocks and here is a photo of a Doogler, Google dog, in a teepee hammock. This was at the Google office in Boulder, California.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Also, I love seeing so many new names & faces who are active in trying to figure these things out. And, of course, all of the long-time-SEOs too. Finding a balance is hard, there's so much hype, but seeing so many folks trying to make sites, John Mueller on Bluesky
- Search term reports are now visible in PMax campaigns. (for me today) After a long wait, we can finally see what users are actually searching for when our PMax ads show up. More transparency, Better optimi, Govind Singh Panwar on X
- You asked, and it's now ready: uploading videos is now supported in @GeminiApp on Android and iOS for everyone, Josh Woodward on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Ads stops auto-opting search campaigns into Display Network
- Google expands Commerce Media suite for brands and retailers
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- Google comes out on top as years-long Mexico antitrust case closed, Reuters
- Google looks likely to lose appeal against record $4.7 billion EU fine, CNBC
- Google, XAI, OpenAI Pull Back After Meta's Scale AI Investment, Business Insider
- Your A.I. Queries Come With a Climate Cost, New York Times
- BBC threatens legal action against AI start-up Perplexity over content scraping, Financial Times (Sub)
- Publishers facing existential threat from AI, Cloudflare CEO says, Axios
Links & Content Marketing
- Content Marketing 2025: Where to Invest Your Budget? These are the Trends, Merca 20
- Skyrocketing Demand For Marketing Content Will Just Keep Growing, Forbes
Local & Maps
- Apple Maps still has a major flaw, and iOS 26 won't fix it, BGR
- Gordie Howe Bridge now on Google Maps; signage on I-75, Freep
- The Ultimate Google Maps Cheat Sheet for Smarter Travel and Exploring, CNET
Mobile & Voice
- Apple explores technique to make AI better match writing styles, 9to5Mac
- Google's Gemini panicked when playing Pokémon, TechCrunch
- I unlocked Apple's hidden Siri chatbot in iOS 26 with surprising–and hilarious–results, Macworld
- It's not just you, Apple Intelligence is down, AppleInsider
- Rumor Replay: Siri’s AI upgrades, iPhone Fold, AirPods Pro 3 timing, more, 9to5Mac
SEO
- Can we predict when a Google Update will land?, Dan Taylor
- Daily Beast gains on Reddit and Facebook as Google traffic falls, Press Gazette
- How AI Is Shifting SEO Priorities, Search Engine World
- How Tally Tapped into GEO to Drive 25% of New Users, Foundation Inc
- Optimize your content directly in Google Docs with Yoast SEO, Yoast
- Why Fixing 404 Errors Isn't A One-time Job - And What To Do To Make Your Life Easier, Nikki Pilkington
- Optimizing Content for AI Search, Pure Visibility
PPC
- Google Might Finally Stop Auto-Enabling GDN in Search Campaigns, PPC News Feed
- Microsoft Advertising Channel App Now Available for More Shopify Merchants, PPC News Feed
- The future of AI personalization is inclusive, part 2: Reimagining audience engagement with emotional intelligence, Microsoft Advertising
- Conv. value (incl. predicted) Quietly Added to Google Ads, PPC News Feed
Search Features
- AI Assistant Bias Revealed: Here’s Who Gets Favored & Who Gets Shunned in the New Era, Ahrefs
- Gemini on Android can finally identify music with Song Search, 9to5Google
- Google CTR Stats – Changes Report for Q1 2025, Advanced Web Ranking
- What Is Google AI Mode? Everything You Should Know, Foundation Inc
Other Search
- OpenAI Changes Price Structure for Business Version of ChatGPT, Wall Street Journal
- Proposal: Consent Framework for LLM System Scrapers, Joe Youngblood
Feedback:
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