Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

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...

This week, I recorded from Boston - sorry for the appearance.  We covered the Google May 2026 core update rolling out. Google Search Console released to a few new AI performance reports and new AI controls.  Bing Webmaster Tools will release more AI reporting tools very soon. A Microsoft executive had a slide that admitted AI search reduces clicks and website visits.  Google officially released pu...

Today we had a special live version of It’s New at SMX Advanced in Boston. We covered tons of topics, listed below - sorry, not timestamps, and no screenshots this time but I wanted to get the video up in time. Thanks to our special guest, Anthony Higman of Adsquire for replacing Mordy - it was a huge improvement. • Google May 2026 Core Update Has Completed Rolling Out • Google Search Console AI P...

Today we covered Google Search Console rolling out new AI performance reports and forced to give UK publishers the ability to block its content from AI Mode and AI Overviews. Google is testing healthcare ads in AI Mode. Microsoft announced Web IQ, plus Microsoft Scout (but what about Yahoo Scout). And ChatGPT is testing multi-advertiser placements and new ChatGPT Ad Manager updates. We also spoke...

Today we covered even more Google May 2026 core update volatility touching down today, June 2nd and in the show, that core update was completed and is done. Microsoft said in a presentation that AI search reduces clicks and website visits. Google updated its Google Ads terms of service. 0:00 - Introduction 0:50 - Google May 2026 core update heated and done 2:09 - Microsoft said AI search reduces c...

Today we covered how the Google May 2026 core update heated up this weekend again. Google AI Mode and AI Overviews are testing sliding link cards.  Google Ads brand search controls are available for AI Max. And Google Ads has this new lead management screen. 0:00 - Introduction 2:45 - Google May 2026 core update heated again 3:47 - Google AI Mode sliding link cards 6:09 - Google Ads brand search c...

This week in search, we gave a status update on the Google May 2026 core update. Google strongly warned against buying mentions for AI or manipulating mentions for AI. Google removed the indexing lag between search and AI responses. Google Discover report bug caused a drop in clicks and impressions on May 21. There are video interviews with Google’s Sundar Pichai and Nick Fox. Google is testing a...

Today we covered that Google says you should not buy or manipulate your brand mentions to get ahead on Google AI responses. Google AI Mode and AI Overviews gain preferred sources, a new carousel but is it enough - oh, also the highly cited label expanded. Google Ads to delete shorter-term data starting this Monday, June 1st. ChatGPT Ads conversion optimized campaigns are coming for advertisers. 0:...

Today we covered the new Google Ads real time policy review process for faster ad approvals. Google Display ads is being folded into Demand Gen campaigns. Google Search Console Discover performance report broke again on May 21. Google local pack tests a check real time stock button. 0:00 - Introduction 2:40 - Google Ads Real Time Policy Review 4:44 - Google Display Ads now in Demand Gen Campaigns...

Today we covered that the EU may fine Google triple-digit million euros for showing its services in the search results. Bing image search officially launched its AI-curated image search results.  ChatGPT ad manager added geo-targeting, budgeting and more, and is testing ad experiences.  Google does some testing with Shopping Ads, which are renamed ratty ads. 0:00 - Introduction 1:50 - EU may fine...

Today we covered the Google core update being announced on Thursday but being felt in a bit way this weekend.  Google also appealed its search monopoly ruling on Friday. Google Search Console’s link report is broken. Google seems to have removed the index lag between AI Overviews/AI Mode and core search. And Google is promoting its AI features and I/O news on its home page but it was replaced by t...

This week, we had both Google I/O and Google Marketing Live, so we have a lot of news. Google launched a new search box it is calling the intelligent search box. Google also launched Gemini 3.5 Flash, which is now powering AI Mode. Google showed off information agents in search, expanded agentic booking capabilities, showed agentic coding directly in Google Search, expanded personal intelligence a...

Today we covered much of the Google Marketing Live news about changes with Google Ads. This includes new ad formats for AI Mode, conversational discovery ads and highlighted answers. Google Shopping ads coming to AI Mode, Business Agents for Leads also coming and expanding Direct Offers.  Google also combined Ads Advisor and Analytics Advisor into Ask Advisor.   0:00 - Introduction 0:24 - Google M...