Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

This week in search, we are seeing yet again more Google search ranking volatility. Google sent out notifications about back button hijacking penalties to those sites that have the problem. Google AdSense vignette ads may trigger the penalty, so be careful. Bing Webmaster Tools teased new AI reporting features but no ETA on when it will launch. Google may be deindexing pages at a higher rate says...

Today we covered both Google and Microsoft earnings reports, and Bing hit 1 billion monthly active users.  Google may be showing more links within AI Mode. Microsoft Advertising has added conversion and spend metrics to the PMax Website Publisher URL report. Google announced a number of new updates for AI Max within Google Ads.  0:00 - Introduction 0:26 - Google earnings report and ad revenue surg...

Today we covered how Google AdSense vignette ads can potentially trigger a Google search penalty for back button hijacking.  Google tests a sticky Ask Anything button for search and Enter AI Mode call to action.  Google Ads tests preview impact of negative keywords tool.  0:00 - Introduction 0:59 - Google AdSense Vignette ads trigger search penalty 3:26 - Google AI Mode Ask Anything sticky test 4:...

Today we covered how Google is now sending out notices about the upcoming back button hijacking penalty. Bing teases some new AI features coming to Bing Webmaster Tools.  We are seeing more Google search ranking volatility. Google shows the number of deleted reviews in Germany.  Adthena launches Google Ads-to-ChatGPT conversion tool 0:00 - Introduction 0:54 - Google spam penalty notices 3:16 - Bin...

Today we covered an updated report on click-through rates from search results with Google AI Overviews. Google spam reports now won’t process if there is personally identifiable information.  Google Ads Demand Gen campaigns have some review delays. Bing Copilot results test less clickable interface. Google is testing an AI label on its sponsored ads. 0:00 - Introduction 0:28 - CTR report on Google...

This week, we covered new heated Google search ranking volatility.  Google’s Danny Sullivan spoke about commodity versus non-commodity content. Google now wont use spam reports with personality identifiable information. Google said you can do a lot of SEO that doesn’t work and still do fine.  Google said no one knows everything about SEO.  Google posted documentation on the read more deep links. ...

Today we covered Danny Sullivan of Google’s slides on commodity content. Google has a job listing to hire a GEO. We are seeing more Google search ranking volatility.  And ChatGPT is allowing CPCs. 0:00 - Introduction 0:55 - Google on commodity content 6:12 - Google is hiring a GEO 8:29 - Google search ranking volatility 9:38 - ChatGPT using CPCs 10:40 - Conclusion A daily recap video summarizing a...

Today we covered Google rolling out new AI safety features for Ads Advisor. OpenAI’s ChatGPT ad management interface is out there in the wild.  OpenAI also has a new ads bot. 0:00 - Introduction 0:40 - Google Ads Advisor updated features 2:10 - OpenAI’s ChatGPT ad interface leaked 3:45 - OpenAI new ads bot 4:23 - Conclusion A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headline...

Today we covered a couple statements from John Mueller on doing SEO.  Google Search Console has a bug with the jobs data in the performance report.  Google added read more deep link best practices documentation. Microsoft Advertising released new AI features.  0:00 - Introduction 0:35 - John Mueller on SEO 3:00 - Google Search Console jobs reporting bug  3:55 - Google read more deep links best pra...

Today we covered the Google Maps safety report and the Google Ads safety report.  Google has videos in local ads. We also covered some ChatGPT ads news. 0:00 - Introduction 0:37 - Google Maps safety report 1:45 - Google Ads safety report  3:10 - Videos in Google local ads 5:03 - ChatGPT ads news 8:00 - Conclusion A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered a...

This week we covered a new Google Search spam penalty for back button hijacking. Google also updated its spam report, it may now be used for manual actions. Google is aware of self-serving listicles and warns not to manipulate LLMs. Google Search Console seems to be testing an AI contribution report. Google Ads is retiring Dynamic Search Ads in place of AI Max. Google Ads removed 8.3 billion ads a...

Today we covered that Google Ads Dynamic Search Ads are being replaced by AI Max.  Google spam reports may now be used for manual actions. Google Search Console had an unfortunate email bug.  Google Ads is simplifying enhanced conversions with a new on and off toggle. 0:00 - Introduction 0:38 - Google Ads DSAs deprecating to AI Max 2:58 - Google spam reports used for manual actions  5:01 - Google...

Today we covered the new Google search spam penalty for back button hijacking.  Google said don’t try to manipulate LLM results. Google Ads updated its analytics sources and more. Plus, did you see the PMax channel reporting insights page. 0:00 - Introduction 0:47 - Google back button hijack spam 4:18 - Listicles and other LLM manipulation 7:56 - Google Ads updates analytics usage 9:01 - PMax repo...

Today we covered how we spotted hints of a new Google Search Console report for AI contribution.  Google AI Overviews study shows there are problems with accuracy.  Google Ads enhanced conversion lets you toggle to a single switch.  Google Chrome reusable skills. 0:00 - Intro 0:31 - Google AI contribution report 1:56 - Google AI Overviews have accuracy problems 4:12 - Google Ads simplifies enhance...

Today we covered the conclusion of the March 2026 Core update, new location assets spotted in Google Ads and AI Mode takeover from the "show more" button in AIOs.0:00 - Intro0:46 - The March 2026 Cord Update is over2:30 - Swipeable Location Assets in Google Ads?4:43 - Major test with AI Mode taking over the AIOs7:10 - ConclusionA daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search mark...

Today we covered ChatGPT hitting $100 million in ad revenue and ads are showing up very often.  Google is testing AI Overview changes with the background. Bing is testing larger product ads.  Google released the March 2026 core update - seems quiet so far.  0:00 - Intro 0:34 - ChatGPT ad revenue 3:16 - Google tests new AI Overview citations 4:08 - Bing tests larger product ads 5:32 - Google March...

This week we covered the release of the Google March 2026 core update that rolled out this morning and will take about two weeks to finish. We also covered Google March 2026 spam update that launched on March 24th and finished 19.5 hours later on March 25th. We also covered Google’s confirmation of using AI to generate title links in search results. Bing Webmaster Tools AI performance report added...

Mordy and Greg talk about the newest Spam update, breakdown the "Dig Deeper" guides that Google is leaning into (only if opted in!) and uncover some good news for news publishers about AIOs.0:00 - Intro1:12 - Google Spam Update2:29 - Google’s Web Guides6:40 - Jeter vs Arod8:10 - AIOs showing less for Breaking News?9:57 - ConclusionA daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search m...

Mordy covers bubble overlays in Google Results as well as the possibility of Google's Personal Intellegence rolling out globally. Anu talks about duplicate stats on Google Ads and Greg covers Apple Map ads coming this month?0:00 - Introduction2:00 - Hover Preview in AIOs5:21 - Personal Intelligence Coming Globally?7:00 - Duplicate stats on Google Ads Display8:30 - Ads Coming to Apple Maps?9:38...

Mordy, Anu & Greg cover Google using AI to (badly) rewrite title links in the SERPs, ChatGPT is using phone calls and spreadsheets to help advertisers optimize and AIOs are slowly taking over breaking news.0:00 - Introduction1:16 - Google Rewriting Title Links with AI6:53 - The State of ChatGPT Ads11:57 - AIOs are overtaking Breaking News 13:04 - Jokes!14:00 - Conclusion A daily recap video su...

The gang covers the developing ability to opt-out of AI Features in Search, a new beaker icon and Google retiring several legacy ad format policies. Oh and Mordy covers Google's Personal Intellegence updates that we already covered yesterday.0:00 - Introduction1:11 - Opt-Out of Google AI Features in Search is Developing5:44 - Google Beaker Change6:40 - Mordy Rehashes Personal Intelligence 9:22...

The gang covers the new rollout of Google's Personal Intellegence along with an ad-free (FOR NOW) version of AI mode if using Personal Intellegence. Anu covers a sticky ad that can't be skipped on YouTube and Mordy has better baseball scores in AI Mode.0:00 - Introduction1:35 - Google Personal Intelligence Expands2:40 - Ads Won’t Show For Personal Intelligence Users in AI Mode4:30 - Skippa...

Today Mordy, Anu & Greg covered ChatGPT Ads Manager, A Loss of Call Buttons in the Local Packs, an odd recommendation to reach out to SearchLiaison and new updates in Google Ads Editor 2.120:00 - Introduction0:52 - ChatGPT Ads Manager4:08 - Call Buttons Disappearing? 7:21 - Google Ads Editor 2.12 10:15 - Conclusion & St. Patrick’s Day TriviaA daily recap video summarizing a few of the top...

Today we covered the continued March volitility, went deep on the Alvin Picklefest, talked about the launch of Google's Merchant Center for Agencies and ended with some AI-Voice overs in PMax0:00 - Introduction1:16 - Google's "Related Activity"2:35 - Google continued volitility3:45 - SER Programming Note4:03 - Merchant Center for Agencies7:14 - AI Voice Overs for PMax 8:30 - Conc...

This week, we continue to see ongoing heated Google Search volatility. I posted the big Google webmaster report for March 2026. Google AI Mode added more links to recipe sites. Google AI Mode has this recipe widget but is that a good thing. Google AI Overviews has expandable drop-downs that just seem weird. Google AI Mode sidebar links don’t pass referrer, but it should be fixed. ChatGPT launched...