Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

This week in search, we covered how Google’s Nick Fox announced Google Search broke all usage records when Argentina scored its winning goal in the World Cup. Google Search Console now shows third-party platform content performance data from Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube. Google Search Generative AI controls are rolling out to more sites outside of the UK. There is a trick to see the AI perform...

Today we covered how Google announced it had broken all time historical usage records after Argentina scored its winning goal at the World Cup.  Google seems to be rolling out the search generative AI controls in Search Console to more.  Google Merchant Center Next dropped Next, it is just Merchant Center. Google Ads fights back on budget bidding changes complaints. 0:00 - Introduction 1:15 - Goog...

Today we covered Google is testing google.com/goto tracking URLs in the search results and it might cause trouble for trackers. Google Business Profiles updated its appeal form.  Google Ads added frequently asked questions to the AI Max help document. 0:00 - Introduction 0:42 - Google Tests /goto tracking URLs from search results 2:50 - Google Business Profiles updates appeals form 4:25 - Google A...

Today we covered Google Search Console releasing social and video channels reporting with platform properties. Google merchant listings structured data supports product categories and sale durations. Google is testing visit site buttons on sponsored results. 0:00 - Introduction 0:32 - Google Search Console reporting for social and video channels with platform properties 3:02 - Google merchant list...

Today we covered how last week, Google reviews went missing in masses and Google is investigating. Google page indexing report is now back, after 3 weeks of delays. Google AI Overviews now show further explorations section.  Google and YouTube Shopify sync app may cause a huge mess with your Google shopping campaigns.  ChatGPT Ads can use AI to generate your ads. 0:00 - Introduction 1:17 - Google...

This week, I covered that Google’s June 2026 spam update completed last Friday afternoon. Fraudulent DMCA takedown requests are breaking Google Search and no one seems to be doing anything. Google AI Mode improved links for recipes again. Google also started putting top stories carousels in AI Overviews. Google AI Overviews can show markdown files in snippets, but it doesn’t mean anything. Google...

Today we covered how Google Ads is making changes to bidding for campaigns limited by budget. Google Ads is testing a new Channel Diagnostics feature for Performance Max campaigns within Channel Performance. Google Ads updated the all campaign drop down. Google Ads now lets you unsubscribe from those pesky ad expert emails. Google Search makes changes to the behavior of AMP pages. Bing Webmaster T...

Today we covered how the fraudulent DMCA takedown requests on Google are causing a huge mess. Google Ads is testing AI-generated summaries. Google AdSense ad intent ads with AI-generated text. Google AI Mode updates recipe links, but is it enough. Google Trends added the ability to see previous period comparison data. Google Search Console had a data bug for Discover and AI Discover reports. Fabri...

Today we covered how John Mueller said Google does not require meta descriptions but they can be useful.  Shocking content in Google Ads are now allowed for kids. Google Ads and Merchant Center now let you upload your customer match data via the Merchant API.  Google Ads is testing open in new window icon. 0:00 - Introduction 0:54 - Google on meta descriptions 2:58 - Google Ads drops shocking cont...

Today we covered the Google June 2026 spam update completing late Friday.  Google’s Liz Reid said it wants your content to shine in Google Search.  Google is testing top stories in AI Overviews. Bruce Clay, an SEO pioneer, and the father of SEO, has passed. Google Ads makes changes to Display & Video 360 API and Structured Data Files. The Google Ads API version 21 will sunset soon. Google Ads...

This week, Google released the June 2026 spam update, Google said it was a normal spam update but it does feel like this one started a bit earlier and was a big one. Yes, we covered on Sunday what we thought was a Google update that focused on black hat techniques. Google Search Console’s AI performance report is rolling out to more users. Google’s John Mueller explained when an impression is coun...

Today we covered the new Google June 2026 spam update being rolled out. The page indexing report is delayed two weeks. Google is testing autocomplete in the follow up section of AI Mode. Google explained how impressions are counted in the AI performance reports. The Google Ads API will stop supporting new Smart Campaign creation.  And the Google Ads API version 24.2 is out. 0:00 - Introduction 1:0...

Today we covered Google Ads testing strongest match and strong match labels on sponsored results. Google Ads new unique search categories with clicks, conversions and impressions. Google Ads to allow some final URLs to redirect to outside different domains. Google Merchant Center added details on how to remove the Found by Google products from your feed. 0:00 - Introduction 1:37 - Google Ads stran...

Today we covered Google Search Console expanding access to the new generative AI reporting features.  Google Ads clarified its AI Max for Search Campaigns reporting. Google Ads also updated travel promotion ads and booking links.  Google Ads expanded the verification requirement for financial advertisers in 24 EU markets.  Google News subscription linking has new policies. 0:00 - Introduction 1:06...

Today we covered the Friday unconfirmed Google update that hit hard. Google’s John Mueller said site moves are hard and unpredictable.  Google spoke at Search Central Live Milan on chunking and more. Google Ads rolled out text disclaimers to all. Google Ads posted more tips on pinning headlines and descriptions. Target CPA and Target ROAS will show as standalone bidding strategy options, separatin...

This week, we covered the typical and ongoing Google Search ranking volatility. UK’s CMA ordered Google to share its search ranking algorithm and enable data portability to some third-parties. Google Search rolled out its information agents in AI Mode to subscribers. Bing Webmaster Tools released updates to its AI performance reports including intents, topics, citation share and a compare feature....

Today we covered a change to the Google site move documentation, around domain variants.  Google is testing giving credit to the merchant who created the 3D model. Google Ads measurement boost with additional data sources. Microsoft Advertising now lets you target LinkedIn job seniority profiles. 0:00 - Introduction 0:52 - Google site move domain variant document update 2:04 - Google 3D models for...

Today we covered Bing releasing new AI reporting features in Bing Webmaster Tools. Google search ranking volatility is still heated. UK’s CMA tells Google to hand over its search ranking algorithm and more. Google Ads slightly updated its campaign status interface. Google Ads shifts Demand Gen billing to CPM for some Discover campaigns. 0:00 - Introduction 0:52 - Bing Webmaster Tools new AI report...

Today we covered that Google updated its help documents to say LLMS.txt files don’t help or hurt your search rankings, they are simply ignored.  Google said using subfolders for US site targeting doesn’t make a difference for SEO. Microsoft Advertising released Product Explorer. Google is mixing ads in image search. 0:00 - Introduction 1:17 - Google says LLMS.txt files won’t help or hurt your rank...

Today we covered a lot of Google Ads news including the timeline for DSA to switch to AI Max off until 2027.  Google Ads announced updates to building target optimization, promotion mode beta roll out and expands smart bidding exploration. Google Ads to limit ad impressions from unqualified advertisers. Google Search Console fixed the link report and teased a new platform property tooltips page. ...

This week, we covered the post-Google core update volatility that hit some folks hard throughout last weekend and this whole week. An updated zero click study shows Google Search is sending less and less traffic to the open web. Apple announced the all new Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Bing gave searchers a way to disable AI responses in search. Apple also updated its Applebot documentation to i...

Today we covered how the big Gemini outage yesterday had no impact on Google Search. Gemini will soon work with Google Business Profiles.  ChatGPT Ads manager now supports product data feed uploads for ad creation. Google Merchant Centers product feed API is broken. Google is showing images in the sitelinks with Google Ads. Google is testing dotted underlined and shaded URLs in snippets. 0:00 - In...

Today we covered the updated Google zero click study from Rand and friends, and how clicks from Google Search continue to decline. Apple updated the Applebot documentation for the new AI changes. Schema.org added usage statistics to the schema types. We have a new study on rejected review replies on Google Maps. Google Ads is testing blue dotted underlines for sitelinks.  0:00 - Introduction 1:53...

Today we covered the new Apple announcements on Siri AI and new Apple Intelligence. Google Ads has a new campaign guidance feature with experiment power score.  Google added new PMax asset testing tools.  Google AI Mode shifts links to the bottom. 0:00 - Introduction 2:10 - Siri AI & Apple Intelligence 5:34 - Google Ads campaign guidance with new experiment power score 7:28 - Google adds new P...

Today we covered Google’s new help documentation on guidance from third-party tools, service and advice and the updates to hiring an SEO.  Google is rolling out Search profiles and there is analytics.  We had more search volatility this weekend from Google Search. Bing released an extension to block its AI Copilot results.  Google Chrome won’t default to AI Mode. Microsoft Advertising expanded Aud...