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.
Another weekend, another huge spike in Google search ranking volatility. Google may be using an undocumented generic Google crawler user agent. Google Ads is testing horizontal lines above the sponsored results. Gary Illyes was interviewed on AI Search, content, and SEO. Google is testing a Deep Dive AI button in the knowledge panels.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Ranking Volatility Shakes Up
This weekend I am seeing a spike in chatter within the SEO community on the topic of, you guessed it, Google search ranking volatility. Truth is, it really has not calmed down and the heated Google search results have been ongoing for about 6 weeks now but this weekend, I saw a spike in the SEO chatter. -
Google May Be Using Generic & Undocumented Google Crawler
There are numerous reports that Google may be using a more generic and undocumented Googlebot, Google crawler. The crawler user agent is just named "Google," and it is not listed in any of the documented crawlers that Google has provided. -
Google Ads Tests Horizontal Line Above Sponsored Results
Google is testing a horizontal line about the search ads, the sponsored results, within the Google search results. We've seen Google show a blue side color on these ads, we've seen animated horizontal lines and lines separating the sitelinks in ads as well. -
Google's Gary Illyes Interviewed On AI Search, Content & SEO
Kenichi Suzuki and Rio Ichikawa from Farber Company in Japan sat down with Gary Illyes of Google to interview him on AI Search, AI content, SEO and other topics. It is a good interview, it is in English, so I wanted to share it here. -
Google Search Testing Deep Dive Button
Google seems to be testing a new "Deep Dive" button in the search results. This button is on some of the knowledge panels, specifically, this one is for a movie panel. When clicked, it gives you some bullet points on the highlights of the movie. -
Google London Airplane Office
We've seen Google airplane rooms before in Germany but here is the Google London office with an airplane room. This one has the overhead spaces as well and fake airplane windows.
Other Great Search Threads:
- It works until it doesn't -> Yet another example of a site publishing a ton of pure AI-generated content, and it works until it doesn't work. The site was increasing over time, ranking for 700K+ queries by May, and then tanks heavil, Glenn Gabe on X
- Bug in GSC API: Using "notContains" or "notEquals" on the "searchAppearance" dimension returns only the excluded value, instead of filtering it out!, Max Peters on Bluesky
- Blogger will insert Search Links?, Google Blogger Community
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google to enforce EU Political ads rules in ads API and scripts
- X will put ads inside Grok AI answers
- Live Monday: What’s next for SEO in the generative AI era
- Will GEO replace SEO – or become part of it?
- The Fujiwhara effect on YouTube: AI, Shorts, and the rise of duplicate content
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Customise GA4 Reports: A Step-by-Step Guide, KRM Digital Marketing
Industry & Business
- OpenAI's Altman: 'Willing to run the loss' after GPT-5 launch, CNBC
- Google's New Ad Shows a Slopper Meeting the Love of His Life by Surrendering His Brain to the AI's Instructions, Futurism
- OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap: GPT-5's Capabilities, Why It Matters, and Where AI Goes Next, Big Technology
Links & Content Marketing
- How to Speed up Content With AI, Moz
- Burnout in Content Creation: Recognizing and Addressing Signs, RicketyRoo
Local & Maps
- South Korea delays decision on Google's request for map data exports, Reuters
- Google Maps sucks on unpaved roads; I use this free app instead, Android Authority
Mobile & Voice
- Apple App Intents Voice Control Feature for Siri, Apps; iOS 26 Release Timing, Bloomberg
- I tested Gemini on Wear OS vs. Google Assistant. It wasn't close, Android Authority
SEO
- Interesting Technical SEO related stuff from recent IETF meeting, Gagan Ghotra
- Is SEO Dead in 2025?, Backlinko
- No, llms.txt is not the “New Meta Keywords”, Cshel
- Google’s Query Fan-Out System – A Technical Overview, DEJAN
- Project Management for SEOs and Content Teams, Marketing Aid
- GPT-5 Made SEO Irreplaceable, DEJAN
- Only 12% of AI Cited URLs Rank in Google's Top 10 for the Original Prompt, Ahrefs
PPC
- Google Ads Support Giving Incorrect Advice on Ad Grants, PPC Live
- $0.01 Value for New Customers No Longer Supported, PPC News Feed
- Enhanced Conversions Uplift by Campaign Type, PPC News Feed
- Google Launches Conversions with Cart Data Diagnostics Tool, PPC News Feed
- Vehicle ads now available to advertisers in France and the Netherlands, Google Merchant Center Help
Search Features
- Google Finance testing new AI features, Google Blog
- Google, Schmoogle: When to Ditch Web Search for Deep Research, Wall Street Journal
- OpenAI Brings Back Fan-Favorite GPT-4o After a Massive User Revolt, Gizmodo
Other Search
- OpenAI says GPT-5 hallucinates less — what does the data say?, Mashable
- Alexa Got an A.I. Brain Transplant. How Smart Is It Now?, New York Times
- Chatbots Can Go Into a Delusional Spiral. Here’s How It Happens., New York Times
- Diving into ChatGPT-5's web.search() Function, Chris Green
- GPT-5: Overdue, overhyped and underwhelming. And that’s not the worst of it., Gary Marcus
Feedback:
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