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 Ads sponsored results grouping interface expanded and it is borderline deceptive. Google Ads updated its campaign set up screen, here are the pros and cons. Google has local packs at the top of the Google Shopping tab. Google AI Mode agentic features begin to roll out. Google AdSense sunset session-related metrics. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Large Sponsored Results Grouping Label Rolling Out To More
Back in May, we covered how Google was testing a new sponsored results label that placed a few ads beneath it, as opposed to labeling each and every ad as sponsored. Well, that version seems to be expanding and more and more people are seeing it and many are not liking it. -
Google Ads New Campaign Set Up Screen Updated
Google Ads seems to be rolling out a change to the campaign set up screen and flow. Instead of being asked what ad format you want to run, you must select all for PMax or specific campaign types for display, search, discover and so on. -
Google Local Pack At Top Of Google Shopping Tab
Google seems to be testing showing the local pack, Google Business Profile listings, at the top of the Google Shopping results in the Shopping tab. Normally, Google does not show local packs in the Shopping tab, I believe... -
Google AI Mode Agentic Features Go Live For Some
A month ago, Google announced new agentic (agent based) features for AI Mode. Well, some are now seeing this live in AI Mode, specifically making reservations at recommended restaurants. -
Google AdSense Dropping Session-Related Metrics
Google is sunsetting the session-related metrics for Google AdSense. Google said this includes all metrics that rely on ad sessions, such as "Ad sessions", "Ad session RPM", etc. -
Google London DeepMind Office
Here is a fancy-looking lobby in the Google London office, in the lobby area for the Google DeepMind office space. I found this on X from Ben Kaufman, who works at Google as a PM in AI Search-related topics. -
Video: Google Spam Update And Post Volatility, Cloudflare Fights AI Overviews, Sneaky Google Ads
This week we covered the completion of the Google August 2025 spam update and then we saw ranking volatility heat up again post spam update. Google Search Console impressions are impacted by Google blocking bots...
Other Great Search Threads:
- Copilot Mode rolled out multi-tab reasoning and voice navigation – now on their way to becoming ubiquitous, a new bar for all browsers, Mustafa Suleyman on LinkedIn
- It's back. You can click on the name of a website on a Google Discover card and access the publisher's profile page., Damien (andell) on X
- The threshold remains 5,000 keywords per negative keyword list, but there may be some cases in which lists a bit over the limit are accepted. Note that we have increased the number of camp, AdsLiaison on X
- In 2022 my blog had a noindex page which linked to a URL containing today's date in a ? These destinations were getting requested and indexed > 6 months later., Oliver H.G. Mason on Bluesky
- Started seeing the new Google Finance beta show up for me this week. Includes AIO-like functionality and the ability to ask open-ended questions that return AIO-like answers (in the Research section)., Glenn Gabe on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Ads will recommend you link to your Google Analytics account with one click
- OpenAI is staffing up to turn ChatGPT into an ad platform
- Google Ads updated policies to target dishonest pricing practices
- How to deliver monthly PPC reports clients love
- How to use TikTok Creator Search Insights to find content opportunities
Other Great Search Stories:
AI & LLMs
- Continuing to bring you our latest models, with an improved Gemini 2.5 Flash and Flash-Lite release, Google Developers Blog
- Gemini app updates 2.5 Flash with better response formatting, 9to5Google
- Meta in Talks With Google to Use Gemini to Improve Ad Targeting, The Information
- Data Commons MCP Server Launches for AI Data Queries, Google Blog
- How AI and Wikipedia have sent vulnerable languages into a doom spiral, MIT Technology Review
Industry & Business
- Alphabet may become biggest company in the world thanks to AI, MoffettNathanson says, CNBC
- CoreWeave inks $6.5 billion deal with OpenAI, CNBC
- Day 3 of the Google ad-tech antitrust trial remedy phase, Marketing Brew
- Exclusive: Google likely to be hit with second EU antitrust fine, sources say, Reuters
- Google Considered Selling Part of Ad Tech Unit Last Year, Google Executive Says, The Information
- Google isn't kidding around about cost cutting, even slashing its FT subscription, TechCrunch
- OpenAI is looking for a head of ads for ChatGPT, Sources News
- The Digital Markets Act: time for a reset, Google Blog
Links & Content Marketing
- Turn Up the Impact of Your Content and Marketing, Content Marketing Institute
- Why You Should Prioritize Website Content in AI Era, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- Google Maps Now Shows a Bigger Interface on Android Auto, It's Not What You Think, AutoEvolution
- Review Extortion - A Growing Threat to Your GBP Profile, Near Media
- We Studied 383 Pages: What Type of Images Work Best for Small Businesses, Sterling Sky
SEO
- GEO – Thing or No Thing? SEO Community Weights in, Search Engine World
- How Search Fits Into the Bigger Picture of Customer Experience, Bruce Clay
- Scrape Google AI Mode - Scraping AI Answers for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), SEO and More, SERPai
- Similarweb MCP Overview, Similarweb
- Staying Seen In AI Search: How Citations & Mentions Impact Brand Visibility, Airops
PPC
- 5 Google Ads Challenges PPC Managers Vent About (and How to Fix Them), Optmyzr
- AI-Powered Product Filtering Rolls Out in Merchant Center, PPC News Feed
- Google Updates Unit Pricing Policy for Shopping Ads and Free Listings, FeedArmy
- Scale Up for the Holidays: Media Marketplace Simplifies Premium Cross-Channel Buying, Microsoft Advertising
- Streamlined Account-Default CustomerConversionGoal Behavior in Google Ads, Google Ads Developer Blog
Search Features
- AI Mode Impacts on Publishing: Researching Local News and Sports Headlines, iPullRank
- Introducing the Perplexity Search API, Perplexity
Other Search
- DuckDuckGo Browser now lets you choose whether to use Search or AI on its homepage, gHacks Tech News
- OpenAI really, really wants you to start your day with ChatGPT Pulse, The Verge
Feedback:
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