This week, we of course had more Google search ranking volatility, this time on the 12th. Google is testing new AI buttons on its home page, which makes you wonder. Google Search Console expanded its generative AI reporting tools again. Google AI Overviews for local results show AI slop. Google is creating AI-generated images in AI Overviews. Google can show spammy Google-selected canonical in Search Console. Don’t misconfigure your Cloudflare account, it can cause major issues for your SEO. Some SEOs are taking over expired X accounts of Googlers. Google Business Profiles now disallows repeated bilingual names and transliterated scripts. You can now report owner responses to reviews in Google. Google is still stealing advertiser accounts from agencies. Google Ads will drop the manual targeting setting in September. Google Ads is testing advertiser names and favicons at the top of ads. Google Ads and Google Analytics gain new AI features. Google Merchant Center performance reporting updates are coming August 24th. Microsoft Advertising has a new bulk edit and appeal for disapproved assets. ChatGPT Ads is testing AI-generated descriptive headlines. ChatGPT is making it harder to find sources in the interface. Google amends its lawsuit against SerpAPI citing licensed content. META/Facebook is crawling the web, maybe building an AI search engine. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Spikes On August 12-13

1:28 - Google Home Page Create Images, Ask About Files & Brainstorm Buttons

2:23 - Google Search Console Generative AI Performance Report Expands To More

2:48 - Google AI Overview Local Results Pulling From Low-Quality Listicles

3:39 - Google AI Overviews With AI-Generated Images In The Wild

4:23 - Spammy Google Selected Canonical In Search Console

5:07 - Misconfiguring Cloudflare Can Hurt Your SEO Badly

6:02 - Googlebot Say They Are Coming From California But Might Not

7:07 - SEOs Taking Over Expired Google X Accounts

7:39 - Google Local Disallows Repeated Bilingual Names & Transliterations

8:08 - Google Local Report Owner Response

8:30 - Google Still Aggressively Poaching Agency Ads Accounts

9:33 - Google Ads Language Targeting Update Coming In September

10:09 - Google Ads Sponsored Results Tests Advertiser Name & Favicon Summary

10:33 - Google Ads & Google Analytics Gain New AI Features

10:52 - Google Merchant Center Performance Reporting Update Coming August 24th

11:18 - Microsoft Advertising Bulk Edit/Appeal Disapproved Assets

11:39 - ChatGPT Ads With AI Descriptive Heading

11:51 - OpenAI Makes The ChatGPT Sources Less Visible

12:20 - Google Amends Lawsuit Against SerpApi Over Licensed Content

13:03 - Meta/Facebook Crawling Web & May Be Building Search Engine

13:26 - Conclusion 

Today we covered Google ranking volatility hitting yesterday. Be careful with your Cloudflare setting, it can hurt your SEO. OpenAI makes the sources in ChatGPT responses less visible. Google makes the subscriber count requirement for Search Profiles lower.

0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - Google search ranking volatility

1:53 - Don’t misconfigure your Cloudflare account

3:54 - ChatGPT sources are now less visible 

8:27 - Google Search Profiles subscriber count requirement lower

9:50 - Anu’s 🐳 story

11:37 - Conclusion

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered how Google amended its lawsuit against SerpApi now citing licenses content protection and safeguards. Google Merchant Center performance reporting update is coming. Google added a campaign data import validation report in Google Analytics. New Google Ads help document named About Local customer optimization within Performance Max campaign for store goals.

0:00 - Introduction

3:10 - Google amends SerpApi lawsuit - licensed content

5:04 - Google local AI Overviews filled with self-serving listicles 

6:36 - Google Merchant Center performance report update coming

9:00 - Google Analytics adds campaign data import validation

10:04 - Google Ads new help document for local customer optimization within PMax campaigns

12:00 - Conclusion

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered how it seems the Google Search Console generative AI performance reports are fully rolled out. Google Ads and Google Analytics added AI Overviews at the top of the pages, new AI data dashboard tools, and a new benchmarking AI feature. Google Ads is testing site names and favicons at the top of the sponsored results ad grouping section. And scammers are snapping up expired X accounts from Googlers. 

0:00 - Introduction

1:40 - Google AI Performance reports rolling out to all

3:05 - Google Ads & Analytics new AI features

7:09 - Google Ads testing name and favicon summaries at top of ad group

10:17 - Expired X accounts being manipulated

12:07 - Conclusion

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered how Google updated its home page to add some AI buttons right under the search bar.  Google Ads is rolling out the strong match labels in the wild. The Google Ads with AI labels on local pack and Discover. META/Facebook is crawling the web and may be building an AI search engine. ChatGPT Ads rolled out oCPC, AAM and a new product carousel.  Google Business Profiles won’t let you use bilingual names or scrip transliterations repeated in your business name.  

0:00 - Introduction

1:10 - Google Home Page with AI buttons

3:45 - Google Ads strong match label in the wild

6:23 - Google AI labels on Discover and Local Pack

7:51 - META crawling the web, AI search coming?

9:34 - ChatGPT Ads oCPC, AAM, new product carousel and more

11:58 - Google Business Profiles bilingual names policy

12:35 - Conclusion

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

This week, we covered two unconfirmed Google search ranking updates, one mid-week and one over the weekend - some were pretty big. Google said Reddit gets no special preference in its search rankings or AI results. Google Search Console can indeed show AI Mode queries, just not where you expect them. Google crawled send HTTP requests for GET and POST but also HEAD, OPTIONS, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE. Google Assistant will be replaced by Gemini on mobile devices on September 4th. I posted the big Google Webmaster Report. Bing Webmaster Tools promises page and query level filtering. Google Ads test anchor text in sponsored result descriptions. Google Ads has a new video Q&A on the August 17 bidding update. Google Ads ad preview and diagnosis tool is broken. Google Product Listing Ads has a new Deal Ends annotation pilot. Google Ads won’t let free email accounts make some sensitive changes in Google Ads. Google Ads will migrate Automatically created assets and campaign-level broad match setting to AI Max starting on September 1, 2026. Microsoft Advertising has new enclose audience ads placements within PMax and age exclusions. ChatGPT Ads have new ad formats and feature updates. Google has some massive leadership changes in its AI department, including Jeff Dean leaving and Demis Hassabis taking on a new role. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

Sponsor: BruceClay 𓍲 one of the founding fathers of the SEO space, doing search marketing optimization since 1996. Bruce Clay is big into SEO training, check out seotraining.com to learn more and check them out at bruceclay.com. Also, check out their new product, Prewriter.ai - this tool empowers writers to write better and more efficiently, so check it out.

uction

1:11 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Into August 5th & 6th

1:36 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Hits August 1st & Heats Up Into August 3rd

1:52 - Google: Reddit Gets No Special Preference In Google Search Rankings

2:33 - Google Search Console Shows AI Mode Queries, Not In Generative AI Reports

3:58 - Google Crawlers Send HTTP Requests: HEAD, OPTIONS, PUT, PATCH, DELETE

4:19 - Google Assistant Shutting Down On Mobile Devices On September 4

4:49 - August 2026 Google Webmaster Report

5:04 - Bing Webmaster Tools Page & Query Level Filtering Coming To Reports

5:30 - Google Ads Tests Anchor Text Hyperlinks In Ad Descriptions

6:00 - Google Ads Live Tests Of Strong Match Labels

6:46 - Google Ads Video Q&A On August 17 Bidding Update

7:26 - Google Ads Ad Preview & Diagnosis Captcha Bug

7:46 - New Google Product Listing Ads Deal Ends Experimental Annotation

8:33 - Google Ads Won't Let Free Email Accounts Take Sensitive Actions

8:59 - On Sep 1 Google Ads To Migrate ACA & Campaign-Level Broad Match To AI Max

9:19 - Microsoft Ads New Exclude Audience Ads Placements Within PMax Campaigns

9:58 - ChatGPT Ads Updates: oCPC, Dynamic URLs, Muti-Product Carousel & More

10:16 - Google AI Leadership Changes: Jeff Dean Leaves, Demis Hassabis Change & More

11:50 - Conclusion 

Today we covered the core-like Google Search ranking volatility that hit yesterday.  Google had big executive changes with Jeff Dean leaving, Demise Hassabis changing roles and much more. Google Search Console can show AI Mode queries but not where you need it.  Google has new Deal Ends annotations for Product Listing Ads.  Microsoft Advertising adds excluded content terms for Audience Ads.

0:00 - Introduction

0:36 - Google ranking volatility - core like

1:33 - Jeff Dean Leaves Google, Demise Hassabis Changes Roles & More

3:40 - Google Search Console AI Mode queries?

6:00 - Google Deal Ends annotation for PLAs

8:47 - Microsoft Advertising excluded content terms for Audience Ads

10:14 - Conclusion

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered how Google said Reddit gets no special preference in its search or AI rankings. Gemini will be replacing Google Assistant on September 4 on mobile devices. Google Ads is testing keyword anchor text links in ad descriptions. Google Ads has new help docs for PMax pay per leads.

0:00 - Introduction

1:08 - Google says Reddit gets no special preference

4:06 - Gemini to replace the Google Assistant

5:19 - Google Ads test anchor text hyperlinks in ad descriptions

7:15 - Google Ads new help docs for PMax pay per leads

8:08 - Conclusion

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered more Google search ranking volatility kicking in this weekend and heating up today.  Bing Webmaster Tools promises the ability to filter by query, URL, etc in the performance reports. Google Search is testing making searchers sign in to see more results. ChatGPT Ads is rolling out a new campaign type for business agents.

0:00 - Introduction

0:47 - Google Search ranking volatility

1:29 - Bing Webmaster Tools filtering coming 

2:31 - Google Search tests sign in to continue searching

4:30 - ChatGPT Ads Business Agent Campaign Type

7:10 - Conclusion

A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Anu Adegbola of Search Engine Land, Mordy Oberstein of SE Ranking and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

This week, yep, we had more ongoing Google Search volatility but a calming period on Wednesday. Google has rolled out the platform properties to track X, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Google page indexing delays has caused weird static snapshots. Google does not list the order precedence for how they deal with metadata conflicts. Google does support the unavailable_after date but it might not see it if you update it. Google prohibits marking up fake or undisclosed incentivized reviews. Almost half of all searches on Google show AI Overviews. Google removed the requirement to block internal search results from Google in its guidelines but it is still recommended. Bing is testing product pricing on product images in the search results. Google Shopping Ads is testing AI-generated descriptions. Google Ads has this new lead journey mapping feature. Google Ads also has something new called Budget Panel. Google Ads is rolling out Target CPA and Target ROAS bidding options. Google Ads product reports product clicks and non-product click metrics. Google Ads lets you exclude based on income for PMax campaigns. Google Ads conversion metrics document shared more on timing and data sources. Google Ads Editor version 2.13 is available. Microsoft Advertising ad previews hub now works for PMax campaigns. Microsoft Advertising is moving Predictive matching to Search Term matching. Microsoft earnings report showed its ad revenue for search and Bing was up 10%. ChatGPT Ads Manager has budget changes, new ad formats, new features and API changes. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

SPONSOR: This week's video recap is sponsored by no one (we had an extra Friday this month), so please just subscribe to our YouTube channel.

0:00 - Introduction

0:47 - Google Search Ranking Volatility July 24th Through The Weekend

1:20 - Google Platform Properties Now Fully Live

2:22 - Google Page Indexing Report Delays Providing Static Data

3:13 - Google Search Doesn't Publish Precedence For Metadata In Conflict

4:01 - The Problem With unavailable_after - Google Might Not See Updated Dates

4:35 - Google Review Snippets Prohibits Fake or Undisclosed Incentivized Reviews

5:15 - Almost Half Of Google Searches Have AI Overviews & Climbing

5:57 - Blocking Internal Search Results Not In Google Guidelines Anymore But...

7:35 - Bing Testing Pricing On Product Images

7:58 - Google Shopping Ads With AI-Generated Descriptions

8:19 - Google Ads Lead Journey Mapping

8:56 - Google Ads Budget Panel

9:20 - Google Ads Target CPA & Target ROAS As Explicit Bidding Strategy Options

9:47 - Google Ads Gain Product Clicks & Non-Product Clicks Metrics

10:23 - Google Ads Household Income Exclusions For PMax

10:47 - Google Ads Conversion Measurement Doc Updated With Timing & Data Sources

11:03 - Google Ads Editor Version 2.13 Is Now Available

11:19 - Microsoft Advertising Ad Preview Hub For PMax Campaigns

11:35 - Microsoft Ads Predictive Matching Moving To Search Term Matching

11:51 - Bing Ads Revenue Up 10%

12:22 - ChatGPT Ads Manager Budget Changes, New Features, API & Ad Formats

12:42 - Conclusion