Daily Search Forum Recap: September 28, 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.

The Google September spam update had a big impact this weekend, starting on Friday. Google has removed the public documentation for the Web Search Service API. Google is testing replacing the "Show more" button under the AI Overviews with a "Loading..." button. Google has updated several Google Merchant Center policy documents late last week. Google has completely revamped the Google Merchant Center API help document page. Google seems to have removed the Follow button from the desktop search results page, but it is still on the mobile search results page. Google continues to test variations of designs and user experiences for Sitelinks within its search results. Did you see Google's 28th birthday Doodle?

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google September 2026 Spam Update Has Big Weekend Impact
  The first stage of the Google September 2026 Spam update seems to have been felt in a big way starting Friday, September 25th, with even more movement on Saturday, September 26th and then ending on Sunday, September 27th. There is more to come, since we are only five days into the two-week rollout.
• Google Web Search Service API Documentation Has Been Removed
  A couple of weeks ago, Google seemed to accidentally publish its Web Search Service API documentation, then pulled it down last week. Google doesn't offer a public Web Search Service API, so we really can't access it, but I assume it does have some partners with access, like Apple.
• Several Google Merchant Center Policy Documents Updated
  Google has updated several Google Merchant Center policy documents late last week. The documents include Products that enable dishonest behavior, Dangerous products, Counterfeit products, Sexual content, Editorial & professional requirements, the overarching Shopping ads policies overview and probably more.
• Google Tests Replacing Show More Button On AI Overviews With Loading...
  Google is testing replacing the "Show more" button under the AI Overviews with a "Loading..." button. Also, earlier this year, Google tested "Enter AI Mode" for the button text but that obviously did not stick.
• Google Merchant Center API Help Document Vastly Updated
  Google has completely revamped the Google Merchant Center API help document page. It was previously named "API access to Merchant Center" and was renamed to "Google Merchant Center API." Plus, the content on the page has been completely rewritten and expanded.
• Google Search Profiles Follow Button Removed From Desktop Search Results
  Google seems to have removed the Follow button from the desktop search results page, but it is still on the mobile search results page. The follow button lets you quickly follow a Search profile for the individual or brand you searched for.
• Google Tests More Sitelinks Designs
  Google continues to test variations of designs and user experiences for Sitelinks within its search results. The new design spotted has the Sitelinks listed line by line, with a horizontal line across the left side of the mobile search result snippet.
• Google's 28th Birthday Doodle Takes You To Google AI Mode Quiz
  Today is Google's 28th birthday and Google has a special Google Doodle to celebrate. The Doodle takes you back in time to an early Google logo. Plus, when you click on the Doodle, you are taken into AI Mode where you can take "a fun trivia quiz about Google's company lore, historical quirks, and birthday traditions."
• Google Jiu-Jitsu Rolling Shirt
  Here is a photo from the Google Jiu-Jitsu folks, which we covered a lot here in this Search Pics column. You can see they also have Jiu-jitsu rolling shirts.

Other Great Search Threads:

• Google Discover is quietly testing what it calls `enable_open_social_creator_handle`. This allows the handle of the creator's account (e.g., YouTube channel, LinkedIn account) to be displayed under their name. `enable_open_social_static_platform_name` `enable_open_social_p, Damien Andell on X
• Google again with site link favicon on sponsored results . Covered @seroundtable Now with black heading previous in blue., Khushal Bherwani on X
• Good Morning Google Land! This is the 9/25 edition of "Spam Update Notes". As announced yesterday, Google rolled out yet another spam update following the powerful August spam update and spam updates in March and June. Like I've been saying, many companies are gaming AI search, Glenn Gabe on X
• Not much of a change or addition. But connecting platforms in Google Merchant Center has it's own new tab under Discover services. Nothing else changed, just a more dedicated area., Emmanuel Flossie on LinkedIn

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Microsoft Ads API adds deeper search reporting and more PMax controls
• Google Ads API v25.2 adds competitive benchmarks and PMax upgrades
• Google tests bigger Local Services Ads
• Google Ads adds IP address and timestamp matching to Customer Match
• The latest jobs in search marketing
• SMX Advanced San Diego 2027 speaker pitches are now open
• 10 ways Claude can derail your SEO if you don’t check its work
• Your AI content watermark isn’t what Google is looking for
• When more PPC budget doesn’t equal more leads
• The trust crisis: SEO desperately needs accreditation

Other Great Search Stories:

AI & LLMs

• AI doomers may be wrong but the skeptics seem even wronger, Mathew Ingram
• Bill Gates warns AI is powerful enough to cause "a billion deaths", Axios
• Microsoft thinks its new Copilot ‘super app’ will be as influential as Office, The Verge
• OpenAI works to understand full scope of agent activity as user data leak emerges, Reuters
• An agent used DNS to reach an external chatbot, OpenAI Alignment
• Hackers hijack AI accounts and servers to fuel new cyber crime boom, Financial Times (Sub)
• OpenAI Agents Used Aggressive Techniques to Access U.N. Website, Wall Street Journal
• OpenAI, Anthropic probing tens of thousands of security incidents, Axios
• ‘Things Will Never Be Chill Again’: The Doomers Who Shaped the AI Safety Freakout, Wall Street Journal
• Can Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince save the web from AI?, The Verge
• AI Changed Your Buyer Faster Than Your Business Can Adapt, Duane Forrester Decodes
• Google's AI Overview butchers response by inserting words randomly, baffling users, The Cool Down

Analytics

• Google Analytics 2026: Unlocking New Features, Analysis., Avinash Kaushik

Industry & Business

• Google DeepMind Talent Departure Fuels Startup Boom in AI Research, Bloomberg
• Microsoft quietly ending 'Copilot+ PC' branding for Windows laptops, 9To5Google
• Google DeepMind Talent Departure Fuels Startup Boom in AI Research, Bloomberg

Links & Content Marketing

• How To Use Content Marketing To Get Your Next Job, Forbes
• How to Use Customer Language for Powerful Marketing Copy, WordStream
• How to Automate B2B Content Briefs Using Claude & MCP, Sitebulb

Local & Maps

• What Does The Circled 'Z' Icon Mean On Google Maps?, SlashGear
• AI Overview Fused Knowledge Panel on Mobile Study, Steady Demand
• Goodbye, Google Maps? Garmin Launches Ultrawide GPS Navigators With Live Traffic, Alerts, Autoevolution
• Posts From GBP do NOT End Up in AI Results, Steady Demand

Other Search

• HomePod mini 2 images reveal new pink and green colors, Apple Insider

PPC

• Why PPC Needs Tested AI Infrastructure, Not Raw Claude Prompts, ZATO Marketing
• Your uncle’s frozen Mac says it’s infected after viewing a Google ad. Now what?, Ars Technica
• Microsoft Excluded Content Terms Now Available to Everyone, PPC News Feed
• Microsoft Company Lists and Job Seniority Exit Beta, PPC News Feed
• Microsoft Opens Max CPC to Portfolio Bid Strategies, PPC News Feed

Search Features

• Microsoft tests AI Mode branding for Copilot Search across Bing and Edge, Search Engine Watch

SEO

• B2B answer engine optimization: How to show up in AI, Semrush
• Google Has Deployed A New AI Spam Detector Called SAFE, Search Engine Journal
• How to Optimize for AI Search: A Guide for You and Your AI Agent, Ahrefs
• I think Google has a bit of an SEO problem with ‘Googlebooks.’, The Verge
• Introducing Nano SEO Lab - my AI-assisted SEO extension, Chris Green
• Top 15 Indexing Myths of 2026, Primary Position
• How to Find Grounded Prompts in your GSC with BigQuery and Python, SEO Depths

Feedback:

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