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 is testing using tracking URLs within its search results, which may impact your third-party tools. Google Ads conversions cards added a last event ping timestamp. Google Ads posted new AI Max FAQs. Google Search can show "contact store for pricing" labels in its product results. Google Business Profiles updated its appeal form and workflow.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Tests google.com/goto Tracking URLs In Search Results
For the past week or so, I have heard a few folks notice that Google is appending tracking URLs to the search results. So when you click on a search result, instead of the URL going directly to that site, Google is using a google.com/goto URL as a passthrough URL that then passes through to the page URL listed in the search results. -
Google Ads Conversions Last Event Ping Timestamp
Google added a useful detail to the active conversions screen, to show you when was the last time Google Ads was able to trigger a ping event on your conversion feed and data. When you hover over the conversions, it will show you the date and time for the "last event ping." -
Google Ads New AI Max FAQs
Google has posted some new frequently asked questions to the Google Ads AI Max help document. The questions cover what is AI Max, why you should use AI Max, that AI Max is not a new campaign type, how AI Max differs from PMax and what happens when you upgrade to AI Max. -
Google Search Product Results Contact Store For Price Label
Google Search normally shows product listings with pricing on them, but sometimes it can show "Contact store for price" when it Google does not know the price. I am not sure if I've seen this before, and it might not be new, but it did really stand out as unusual. I mean, you'd think Google would swap this product out for a product it has pricing for. -
Google Business Profiles Appeals Adds Evidence Uploads In Workflow
Google has updated its Google Business Profile appeal process and flow to allow businesses to upload their evidence for the business profile suspension. The old flow had a different form where you would later upload that evidence, and you only had 60 minutes to do so. This is now built into the appeal workflow in Google Business Profiles. -
Google Kitchener Office Building
Here is a photo from the outside of the Google Kitchener building in Canada. I found this on Instagram and found the angle of the shot neat.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Google appears to be experimenting more with rich cards for related content within AI Mode. Examples I've seen so far include an "expert buying guide" section and also a "product documentation" carousel for related content. @SachuPatel53124 also recently shared an example of, SERP Alert on X
- Google Pushing Full Search Partner Network Reporting Now!, Anthony Higman on X
- I’m pleased to share that we’ve just rolled out support for Bing sign-in with Apple or Google accounts. There’s no need to create a new account. This should make it easier to sign in and access more personalized experiences, like Microsoft Rewards. You can try the new sign-in to, Jordi Ribas on X
- Pro tip: just because your brand is being recommended as #1 on your personal, logged-in ChatGPT account certainly does not mean others are seeing the same results., Lily Ray on X
- Claude's growth trajectory continued in Q2 2026., Similarweb on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Hydration and SEO: How it works and why it matters
- Used or cited: The two ways brands appear in AI search
- Google merchant listings support sale duration and product category
- How to get the most from Microsoft Advertising campaigns
- Google Search Console gains reporting on social and video platforms
- Building a brand worth finding: Signals that fuel discovery
- ChatGPT Ads rolling out audience lists
Other Great Search Stories:
AI & LLMs
- Chinese AI models gain ground with U.S. companies as costs surge, CNBC
- AI Giants Are Handing Out Tons of Free Computing Power to Grab Startup Share, Wall Street Journal
- Anthropic's Claude Cowork heads to the cloud as data shows 90% of sessions aren't for coding, ZDNET
- What’s new in Managed Agents in Gemini API, Google Blog
- Meta Built An AI Detection Tool To ID Images And Video Created With Its New Models, Engadget
- Scoop: Trump administration lifts restrictions on OpenAI's GPT 5.6, Axios
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Google says it’s protecting our privacy. The EU thinks it’s guarding a monopoly., POLITICO
- Google announces August 12 event for Pixel 11 and Pixel Watch 5, 9To5Google
- OpenAI’s Chief Futurist Is Leaving the Company, Wired
- Anthropic Expands in Manhattan, Part of an A.I. Boom in New York, New York Times
- Apple loses challenges against EU rules to curb Big Tech, Reuters
- Calif. Judge Asks About Standing In Google Antitrust Case, Law360
Links & Content Marketing
- How To Fix Marketing Silos Without Breaking Them Down, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- Android Auto gets navigation optimized for motorcycles, 9To5Google
- Why Doesn't Google Maps Work In South Korea?, BGR
- Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia on Google Street View, Google Blog
- Get Google Earth Pro while you still can., The Verge
Other Search
- Meta tests ‘super sensing’ AI glasses that can capture every moment, Financial Times (Sub)
PPC
- 60-Second Non-Skippable Video Ads for CTV, PPC News Feed
- Accelerate Google Ads API Basic Access reviews with brand verification, Google Ads Developer Blog
- AI in Online Advertising: 5 Key Trends from June 2026, JumpFly
- Changes To Google Ads Target-Based Bid Strategies, JumpFly
Search Features
SEO
- Google’s AI Search Answers Has a Reddit Problem — And Publishers Should Be Furious, HackerNoon
- How to Future-Proof Your Content Against Google Zero, WordStream
- How to Get a Negative Reddit Thread Removal, the Right Way..., Ann Smarty
- Dear Spammers, Google's Laughing At You Using Its Web Indexing (Job) API. Here's Why., SEO For Lunch
- The Content That Predicts AI Search Traffic Most: Versus Pages, Siege Media
Feedback:
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