Daily Search Forum Recap: September 24, 2026

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 may have pushed another unconfirmed Google Search ranking update in the past 24 hours. Google Search Console has a new multimodal filter for the search performance report. Google Business Profiles is testing automatically posting your hours using your descriptions. Google is testing a new Local Service Ads design with larger images and highlights. Google Ads has a recommendation forecast with the ability to make the change. Bing is testing an expandable sitelinks interface. Google is testing moving the AI Overviews from the top of the page to the bottom-right location for hotel searches. Google has released version 25.2 of the Google Ads API, this is a minor release with several of updates. Google Ads updated its Recommended Investment Strategy tab on the Recommendations page with Strategic budget allocation using Holistic and Growth modes.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google Search Ranking Volatility Hits September 23rd & 24th
  We are seeing significant volatility again within the Google Search rankings again, this time starting around September 23rd (maybe the 22nd) and throughout today. As we have been seeing, the chatter is generally slowing down as Google has been sending less and less traffic to sites, but I believe there are enough signals to say there was some sort of unconfirmed Google Search ranking update.
• Multimodal Search Type Filter In Google Search Console Performance Report
  Google is rolling out a new Search Console performance report filter for the web results named Multimodal. Some may see it now, when you select the Search type filter in the performance report, under the "Web" option it now shows "Text-based" and "Multimodal."
• Google Business Profiles Tests Set Your Hours Automatically
  Google Business Profiles is testing a new feature to let it set your business hours for you automatically by just asking you to describe your business hours in text. Google will then use AI to interpret them and make them into a structured format to list on your local panel in Google Search and Google Maps.
• Google Ads Budget Recommendation Change With Forecast
  Google Ads is showing some advertisers not just a recommendation with the ability to make a change on that recommendation but it is tied to the advertiser's forecast. It shows your projected weekly conversion value and adds that your campaign is limited by budget, and that you should spend more to hit the forecast.
• Bing Tests Another Expandable Sitelinks Interface
  We've seen Microsoft test variations of expanding sitelinks within the Bing search results before. But here is a different variation on that, one that expands and shows descriptions under the sitelinks after you hover your mouse cursor over the specific sitelink.
• Google Tests Local Service Ads With Larger Image & Highlight Box
  Google is testing a redesigned Local Service Ads design in the search results that have larger images and a highlight box under the listings. It makes the ads really stand out and in your face.
• Google Tests AI Overviews On Hotel On Side Panel
  Google is testing moving the AI Overviews from the top of the page to the bottom-right location for hotel searches. So when you bring up a hotel knowledge panel, you may see an AI Overview at the bottom of the page.
• Google Ads Investment Strategy New Holistic & Growth Modes
  Google Ads updated its Recommended Investment Strategy tab on the Recommendations page with Strategic budget allocation using Holistic and Growth modes. Holistic mode reallocates spend from underperforming campaigns to top performers for maximum efficiency, while Growth mode adds fresh budget to top performers without cutting spend anywhere else.
• Google Ads API Version 25.2 Now Available
  Google has released version 25.2 of the Google Ads API, this is a minor release with several of updates. This update includes competitive benchmarks percentile metrics, the ability to generate Performance Max drafts from Smart campaigns, asset group URL options, Search bid adjustment recommendations, and more.
• Google Logo In A Bush Inside
  Here is a Google sign and logo embedded within a bush of sorts inside the Google office in Stockholm, Sweden.

Other Great Search Threads:

• Just read about a company that said they are focusing on AI Overviews more than 10-blue links (that makes no sense btw). They also said algorithm updates have been challenging for them. Uh, I'd say that... Well, hello June 2025 broad core update. Yep, that was a big one, Glenn Gabe on X
• We heard you loud and clear. ChatGPT Voice can now: - Use plugins like your email, calendar, and Slack. - Be powered by GPT-6 Astra, Sol, and Luna. - Be used in ChatGPT Work on web and mobile, so you can create docs, decks, sites, and spreadsheets or tackle complex tasks in, OpenAI on X
• One thing that I think happened is that a lot of the niche SEO communities merged into a more general SEO community (initially on Twitter, now who knows where). All those weirdos who focused on users joined the weirdos who focused on technical SEO joined the weirdos who were doing links joined the weirdos doing affiliate joined the weirdos doing actual spam joined the weirdos doing recipes, and who knows which weirdos in addition. Weirdos are great. Finding common ground to discuss in a reasonable way when you have a very different background & very different perspective is hard though. Think about all the SEO forums that we gone now, they're all channeled to a handful of broader social sites., John Mueller on LinkedIn

Search Engine Land Stories:

• How much of your Google Ads conversions come from AI Max?
• Google expands its list of local advertising codes
• Rank Math AI unifies SEO tools, adds Gemini visibility tracking
• Google expands AI Brief and adds deeper AI Max reporting
• Visual content and SEO: How to use images and videos in 2027
• Google AI Mode cuts clicks and user satisfaction: Study
• How to segment SEO data for multi-location brands

Other Great Search Stories:

AI & LLMs

• Google tests new Gemini 4 Pro checkpoints, early outputs, Testing Catalog
• Advancing confidential AI with secure memory, Google DeepMind
• Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS and Gemini 3.8 Flash-Lite TTS, Google Blog
• Buying journeys are conversations, not prompts, SearchPilot
• OpenAI gives AI cyber defence tools to Ukraine, BBC
• Use plugins in Voice and get work done by speaking, ChatGPT Release Notes
• Anthropic’s biolab made a discovery it’s comparing to Crispr, The Verge
• How we made claude.ai 3x faster in two weeks, claude
• Meta Will Stop Training Its AI On 'Visual Data' From Its Smart Glasses — If You Opt Out, Engadget
• Google Nears Release of Flagship Gemini 4 AI Model, The Information
• OpenAI’s A.I. Tried Breaching Four Other Targets, With No Prompting, New York Times
• Gemini 4 is almost ready, says new Google DeepMind chief, The Verge

Industry & Business

• Inside OpenAI's Influencer Marketing Strategy for ChatGPT, Business Insider
• Altman pushes for AI cooperation at UN after Trump rebuffs controls, CNBC
• Heads of AI firms tell UN Security Council that it could imperil humanity, AP News
• Google Ex-Executive Says Bias Led To Layoff, Law360
• Exclusive Mark Zuckerberg interview, The New Things
• The AI Build-Out Is Becoming the Biggest Economic Bet in U.S. History, Wall Street Journal

Links & Content Marketing

• Make Paid Media Earn Its Place in Your 2027 Budget, Content Marketing Institute
• This Test Fixes Marketing and Sales Misalignment, Content Marketing Institute

Local & Maps

• Google Maps update makes it easier to see traffic lights, stop signs, 9To5Google
• Google Maps wants to help prevent users from running stop signs, Android Authority
• New Google Maps Navigation Update: Traffic Lights and Stop Sign Pop-Ups on Android Auto, Autoevolution

Other Search

• Siri AI upgrade is a dead cert for a HomePod mini update, Apple Insider
• YouTube Creator Monetization & Brand Partnerships 2026, YouTube Blog
• ChatGPT as an extension in Siri dramatically underperformed, Apple Insider
• Meta Launches $1,299 VR Headset That Look Like Glasses to Rival Apple Vision Pro, Bloomberg

PPC

• Microsoft Competition Tab Adds Search/Shopping Filter for Performance Max, PPC News Feed
• "Automated Promotions" Live in Google Ads, PPC News Feed
• Building Google and Meta as One Growth System, Hop Skip Media
• Demand Gen Turns On VTC Optimization by Default, PPC News Feed
• Microsoft's Optimization Experiments Now Available for Shopping, Audience and Performance Max, PPC News Feed
• Quality Score isn’t the whole reason your CPCs are rising in 2026, PPC Live

Search Features

• ChatGPT mobile app gets voice-based agentic features, TechCrunch
• Google AI Mode now shows a login popup by default in Incognito mode, Search Engine Watch
• New connected apps roll out to Gemini, Google Blog
• Google Organic CTR by Position: 2026 Study + AI Overviews, Advanced Web Ranking

SEO

• Fifth of News UK website traffic was 'non-human' in past six months, Press Gazette
• Should Publishers Block AI Training? Why, When and the Data, Orit Mutznik
• I surveyed in-house teams & business owners on their AEO/GEO strategies: Here’s what you need to know, Ann Smarty
• Entity SEO: What is it & Why is it Important?, JumpFly
• The SEO that works now isn't better writing, Product-Led SEO

Feedback:

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