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 Google Search ranking volatility is still pretty heated four+ days after the Google June 2025 core update completed. Microsoft's Jordi Ribas compared Copilot to Google AI Mode. Google Ads negative keyword lists for PMax campaigns. Google Ads optimization score column with tips. Google Ads disallows daily fantasy sports ads in California. Google added the AI Mode button to the search box. Google Maps puts the Ask button at the top of the Google Maps business profile listing.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Ranking Volatility Very Heated Days After Core Update Completed
Google told us the June 2025 core update completed early on Thursday, July 17th, but now, four days later, we are still seeing incredibly heated volatility, even through today. The tools and community are still experiencing significant ranking movement and instability, even today. -
Microsoft's Jordi Ribas Compares Copilot To Google AI Mode
Jordi Ribas, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Search and AI, posted a comparison of Microsoft's Copilot to Google's AI Mode on LinkedIn. He said, "They're both excellent AI search products but we're taking a different approach for some query segments." -
Google AI Mode Button Now On Home Page Search Box
After months of testing, it seems Google is rolling out a button for AI Mode directly in the search box on Google's home page - on Google.com. This seems like a big deal to me, and goes along with AI Mode being the first tab in the main search results. -
Google Ads Optimization Score Column Tips
Google Ads is adding a tips icon in the Optimization Score column within the Google Ads reporting. Clicking on the icon will bring up tips and recommendations that Google thinks will help improve your campaign optimization scores. -
Google Ads Negative Keyword Lists For Performance Max Campaigns - Maybe?
Google Ads is letting some advertisers add negative keyword lists to their Performance Max campaigns. This is despite Google's very own help documentation specifically saying, "Negative keyword lists aren't available to use in your Performance Max campaigns." -
Google Ads Now Disallows Daily Fantasy Sports In California
Google posted a new policy on Friday, July 18, 2025, that immediately prohibits advertising of Daily Fantasy Sports on Google Ads within California. This is based on a new law by the California attorney general that says daily fantasy is illegal in the state. -
Google Maps Business Profile Ask Button More Prominent
Google is testing moving the "Ask" button to one of the main buttons on some Google local listings. I cannot replicate this but the Ask button in this example below comes right after the directions and start buttons, and before the call button. -
Balloons Of Google Hot Air Balloon
Here is an interesting one; a replicate of a hot air balloon with the super G Google logo in the center, but it is all made up of balloons.
Other Great Search Threads:
- If you're a news or media publisher, keep an eye on Google's Preferred Sources test. Those sources dominate the Top Stories carousels when users add them to the list. Here are two examples..., Glenn Gabe on X
- Interesting to see Instagram surge with the June core update. They just opened up indexing for more images and videos but that was on 7/10 -- so that probably wasn't the reason for the surge (especially since core updates aren't abou, Glenn Gabe on X
- New setting: hide AI-generated images in DuckDuckGo Our philosophy about AI features is “private, useful, and optional.” Our goal is to help you find what you’re looking for. You should decide for yourself how much AI you want, DuckDuckGo on X
- I'd focus on the portion of URLs with issues, not on the absolute counts of good URLs, when it comes to Search Console. As to why a distribution changes, that's harder :-). I have some guesses, but I don't want to lead you into useless deto, John Mueller on Bluesky
- We will cross well over 1 million GPUs brought online by the end of this year! very proud of the team but now they better get to work figuring out how to 100x that lol, Sam Altman on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Snapchat Ads drive higher ROAS for ecommerce brands: Study
- Google Ads moves brand controls under AI Max in new search campaigns
- Google homepage search box rolling out AI Mode button
- AI search is booming, but SEO is still not dead
- How to master the client call: Agency edition
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- How to Track Email Traffic in GA4 (+ Custom Report Guide), Design Modo
- Referral Traffic, KRM Digital Marketing Ltd
- Tracking QR codes in GA4, KRM Digital Marketing
Industry & Business
- AI models with systemic risks given pointers on how to comply with EU AI rules, Reuters
- OpenAI's Red Team plan: Make ChatGPT Agent an AI fortress, VentureBeat
- The AI Exec Who Isn’t Trying to Become God, Wall Street Journal
Links & Content Marketing
- 7 Reasons You're Avoiding That Copywriting Brief, And Why It's Costing You Money, Nikki Pilkington
- Why It's Okay To Not Buy Or Obsess Over Links Anymore, Search Engine Journal
- The Content Creator's Dilemma: Quality vs. Quantity, RicketyRoo
Local & Maps
- Google Business Profile Suspended for Deceptive Content, Online Ownership
- Google Earth images used as evidence to reject planning appeal, BBC
- The Local Search AI Crocodile Effect Emerges..., Local SEO Guide
- Google Maps navigation missing media controls on Android , 9to5Google
- Google Maps removes a crucial feature from its navigation experience, Android Police
Mobile & Voice
SEO
- Analyzing pages that improved following the June 2025 core update, Marie Haynes
- Top 20 SEO Influencers and Voices to Follow [2025], Clearscope
- The Great Decoupling of Clicks and Impressions — Whiteboard Friday, Moz
- Is SEO dead? The data and Google say SEO is not dead..., SEOSLY
- Topic-first SEO: The smarter way to scale authority, Growth Memo
- Google Organic CTR 2025 [New Study of 200K Keywords]: Organic CTRs for Position #1 Down 32%, GrowthSRC
PPC
- Adblockers stop publishers serving ads to (or even seeing) 1bn web users, Press Gazette
- Should You Use Performance Max Without a Product Feed?, Jyll Saskin Gales
Search Features
- ChatGPT Shopping, Product Feeds & the Future of Discovery, PPC Hero
- DuckDuckGo now lets you hide AI-generated images in search results, TechCrunch
Other Search
Feedback:
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