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 Ads is rolling out channel prioritization and budget allocation features. Google's Universal Cart has launched today in the U.S. Google posted a video on how Google Search handles URLs. Google has a new Google Ads beta format named automotive model feeds on search ads, also known as Vehicle Top Ads (Beta). Google is testing a redesigned search bar within the Google mobile app. Google Ads has released version 26 of the Google Ads API. Google Ads has updated the sexual content policies. Bing is testing "Related searches based on your browsing" for sponsored results.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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New Google Ads Controls: Channel Prioritization & Budget Allocation
Google Ads is rolling out two new "controls" in the advertising platform named channel prioritization and budget allocation. These are rolling out globally across Google Search, Google Shopping, Performance Max, and soon Demand Gen. -
Universal Cart Launches In Google Search (U.S.)
Google has launched its Universal Cart today in Google Search and Gemini within the United States. This is powered by the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and it was launched right before the big holiday shopping season. -
Google Search On URLs: Ranking Factor, Hyphens vs Underscores & Emojis
Google posted its first video in a series of what they are calling The Non-Canonical Cabinet. In this video, Cherry Prommawin and Gary Illyes discussed how Google Search deals with URLs. They discuss URLs as a ranking signal, hyphens versus underscores, emojis and much more. -
Google Automotive Model Feeds On Search Ads (Vehicle Top Ads)
Google has a new Google Ads beta format named automotive model feeds on search ads, also known as Vehicle Top Ads (Beta). This is a new search ad format designed specifically for vehicle manufacturers to showcase vehicles with rich visuals and key details in the search results. -
Google Tests New Search Bar In Google App
Google is testing a redesigned search bar within the Google mobile app. The new search bar is now has the + sign in it, and instead of saying "Search," it says "Ask Google." The search bar is also white, as opposed to gray and is thinner and higher up on the page. -
Google Ads API Version 26 Now Out Available
Google Ads has released version 26 of the Google Ads API. This is a major release of the Google Ads API updates including SMS messaging, local services, hotel center accounts, lift measurements, EU political items, conversion features, and so much more. -
Google Ads Updates Sexual Content Policy With More Examples
Google Ads has updated the sexual content policies to "provide additional examples and clearer information to advertisers," the company wrote. The main section that was updated was the "Sexually suggestive elements and themes" section. -
Bing Tests Related Searches Based On Your Browsing
Bing is testing showing "Related searches based on your browsing" similar to how Google is/was showing this a few months ago. In Bing's test, this is below the Microsoft Ads in the search results. -
Google Natural Light Fancy Event Setup
Google had an event, the one with the trumpeter, at the Bayview office. And just look how insanely nice it looks, with all the natural light and fancy furniture and setup.
Other Great Search Threads:
- "View full list" along with "Read More" on Google SRP., Shashank Gupta on X
- Gemini returned to growth in September 2026, with website traffic up 0.92% month-over-month and 149.67% year-over-year., Similarweb on X
- Google Tag Manager just got a UI update! A new "Settings" tab now appears in the Workspace sidebar, with options for destinations, data transmission & consent settings. Small UI change. Worth checking before your next GTM setup., Govind Singh Panwar on X
- Many people noticed ChatGPT citations collapsing. Almost nobody noticed what replaced them. ChatGPT now puts a direct link to a website in 42% of its answers. Right inside the LLM answer. A week…, Tomek Rudzki on LinkedIn
- Important update: I shared heavily about the September 4th unconfirmed update, and how a number of sites completely tanked then. But a week later, some of those sites recovered fully. There were a number of sites impacted and I received a lot of calls and emails about this... One, Glenn Gabe on X
- Google Discover also integrates LinkedIn videos into cards. You can clearly see the small video badge that displays the video's timestamp. The problem is that Google can't yet retrieve the duration of a video from LinkedIn. You can clearly see the flag: "creator header in, Damien Andell on X
- ChatGPT's 30-day retention rate is 25 percentage points higher than the productivity category average., Similarweb on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google Merchant Center introduces new store address attribute for local inventory
- Google Ads introduces automotive model feeds for vehicle manufacturers
- Google Ads introduces channel prioritization and budget allocation controls
- Your brand can win the mention and lose the citation
- What language should you track AI prompts in?
- What the PPC agency of 2027 will look like
- Organic growth in ecommerce in 2027
Other Great Search Stories:
AI & LLMs
- Tool and target: US law enforcement grapple with AI-enabled terrorism and anti-tech extremism, The Guardian
- Analyzing technical documents with Deep Review, Google Research
- Google Deepmind's Hassabis calls AI hacks 'early warning shots', Reuters
- We Tested an AI for Signs of Inner Experience. Nobody's Home., DEJAN
- Google is giving Gemini Plus users a little more time before pulling the plug on Pro models, Android Authority
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Russian bot farms are still trolling, even after Ukraine’s drone strikes on Yandex, The Verge
- EU Commission is in dialogue with Google, spokesperson says, Reuters
- OpenAI Computing Chief to Depart, Wall Street Journal
- OpenAI Appoints Uday Ruddarraju to Lead Data Center, Compute Operations, Bloomberg
- Anthropic tells investors quarterly revenue up 50% to $16.8bn ahead of IPO, Financial Times (Sub)
- States Bring Lawsuits Against OpenAI Over Kids Online Safety, Bloomberg Law News
- OpenAI Vows Not to Use Trade Secrets Allegedly Taken From Apple, Bloomberg
- Anthropic’s Rapid But Slowing Growth Could Weigh on IPO Valuation, The Information
- Smartphone Shipments Decline 22% in Q3 2026, IDC
Links & Content Marketing
- Turn Same Old Topics Into Award-Winning Content, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- Apple Maps Detailed City Experience comes to Austin, Texas, Apple Insider
Other Search
- Discover your next favorite video with Ask YouTube, available on web, mobile, and TVs, YouTube Blog
- 6 ways to trick-or-treat yourself to the ultimate Halloween with Search, Google Blog
- Google Home update rolling out with improved Favorites, Gemini fixes, and more, 9To5Google
- No, Siri AI is not coming to the first-generation HomePod mini, Apple Insider
- Old Google Home and Nest speakers getting big firmware update, 9To5Google
PPC
- Microsoft Adds OR Filters and Custom Columns in Trend Charts, PPC News Feed
- 5 Paid Search Strategies That Worked 10 Years Ago but Don’t Today, JumpFly
- How to Use Google’s Promotion Mode for Maximum BFCM Visibility, ZATO Marketing
- Are ChatGPT Ads Worth It? Pros, Cons, & Costs, WordStream
- Google Ads’ new channel controls: PPC experts praise the power, question the defaults, Anu Adegbola
- Stop Learning PPC in Isolation: Why I Started Attending PPC Live, PPC Live
- Lead Forms Now Allow Advertisers to Qualify Leads, PPC News Feed
Search Features
- Google releases Frightgeist Halloween trends 2026, Google Blog
- ChatGPT’s missing UTM tags: what our research shows, Profound
- Google tests opening AI Mode side panel in Chrome on the right by default, Search Engine Watch
SEO
- Add custom data to Schema.org fields with metafields, Ilana Davis
- Selling GEO in 2026: What 47 B2B Agency Leaders Told Us, Demand-Genius
- The Primary Difference Between an SEO Optimized Page and an AI SEO Optimized Page [+ 4 Others], Compass Digital Strategies
- There Is No Such Thing As An “AI-Friendly Content Format”, SEO Theory
- Why Google Says 77% of My SearchEngines.net Traffic Is Branded, Bill Hartzer
- How to Rank in Perplexity: What Photon Reveals, SERPrecon
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