Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

Today we covered how Google’s John Mueller questioned the need for ccTLDs for international SEO purposes. He also called some SEO content “digital mulch.” Microsoft Advertising added custom columns to the user interface. Google is testing a speaker icon on AI Overviews and Chrome tests Browse with AI instead of Gemini button.

0:00 - Introduction

1:20 - Google on ccTLDs for international SEO

3:24 - Google calls some SEO content digital mulch

5:02 - Microsoft Advertising adds custom columns

7:49 - Google AI Overviews with speaker icon

8:49 - Google Chrome tests new Gemini button 

10:06 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

This week in search, we covered an update on the Google December 2025 core update. Google Search traffic to news publishers continues to vanish, but there is Google Discover. A report shows Google has deleted a ton of local reviews in 2025. Bing posted an excellent blog post on duplicate and similar content and how it impacts SEO and AI Search. Google said make sure to pick a reasonable site name to rank for. Google expanded ads in AI Overviews in more countries. Google Ads MCC accounts now see channel performance reporting. Google Ads dropped the active visitors to 100, from 1,000 for the Search Network. Google Ads has a bug with dynamic remarketing tracking. Google Ads Advisor suggestions are showing in the Google Ads reporting. Google Ads added Maps to the channel options for Demand Gen. Google is testing a learn more link after the Google Ads text. ChatGPT ads are coming and it might be prioritizing sponsored content in the AI responses. Google Discover notifications are sneaky and take you to AI Mode. Google Search bar is teasing AI responses in Chrome. Google pushes the timeline for Gemini to replace the Google Assistant. Google sued SerpApi last Friday for scraping its search results. Google Search forgot to hang the holiday decorations. John Mueller from Google provided support on Christmas day for the 18th year in a row. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

SPONSOR: This week's video recap is sponsored by Duda, the Professional Website Builder You Can Call Your Own.

Today we covered Google Ads Advisor showing up in ad reporting. Google Ads lowered the active visit lists to 100 for the search network.  Google Ads has a dynamic remarketing tracking reporting bug.  Bing says similar and duplicate pages can blur signals and weaken your SEO. Google forgot to post its holiday decorations for Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa this year.  Happy holidays all!

0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - Google Ads Advisor in ad reporting

1:57 - Google Ads lowers active visitor lists to 100 for Search Network

3:08 - Google Ads dynamic remarketing tracking reporting bug

4:40 - Bing says duplicate and similar pages blur signals and weaken SEO

7:33 - Google does not decorate search results for holidays

9:29 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered how news publishers continue to see declines in web search traffic and Discover makes up too much of their traffic.  Google Discover is pushing what looks like news stories to users, but they go to AI Mode.  Google Search bar in Chrome tab pushing Google AI Mode too.  Google Ads Demand Gen rolling out Maps channels.  And Google Ads is testing Learn more links in ad text.

0:00 - Introduction

0:34 - News publishers continue to drop on Google search traffic

3:01 - Google Discover tricks users into AI Mode

6:18 - Google Search prefilling the Chrome search bar

7:02 - Google Ads Demand Gen with Maps channel

8:10 - Google Ads with Learn more links in ad text

10:00 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered Google suing SerpApi for scraping its search results.  We spotted more Google core update movement this Saturday. Google said Gemini will not replace Google Assistant this year.  Google Ads expands to more AI Overviews.  Google MCC accounts now are seeing channel performance reporting.

0:00 - Introduction

0:52 - Google on optimizing for AI Search

6:14 - Google core update movement 

6:47 - Google Gemini not replacing Assistant too soon

7:26 - Google Ads expands to more AI Overviews

8:33 - Google MCC accounts with channel performance reporting

9:30 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

This week, we have a status update on the ongoing Google December 2025 core update. Google also said it does not pre-announce core updates or quality updates. Gemini 3 Flash now powers Google AI Mode. Google Search Live gets a conversational language upgrade with the help of Gemini. Google’s Danny Sullivan and John Mueller spoke about SEO for AI and more. Nick Fox from Google said optimizing for AI Search is the same as for traditional search. Google Search Console’s performance reports are now fixed and up-to-date, and so are the page indexing reports. Google Search Console’s average position number is bouncing around for sites. Google explained how it uses JavaScript to execute noindex tags on pages. Google also warned about canonical links with JavaScript. Google also said that it might not render JS pages that do not have 200 status codes. Google fixed a bug with the disappearing reviews. Meanwhile, review appeals are severely delayed before the holidays. Google also changed how Q&As work in local search. Google Search snippets may now show read more links. Google is testing super-long AI-generated snippets. Bing is testing a plus sign in the search bar for search with an image and make an image. Bing is testing showing more search results buttons. Bing is testing underlines in search ads. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

Thank you to our sponsor, Yahoo Search. Yahoo knows the way people are searching is changing – and as one of the top search engines in the US, with hundreds of millions of users, Yahoo Search is constantly evolving to deliver a simplified, innovative, and helpful search experience. Yahoo Search gives you quick, AI-powered summaries, plus AI chat when you want to dive deeper. Whether it's news, finance, sports, shopping or instant answers, get connected to what you need.

0:00 - Introduction

0:53 - Google December 2025 Core Update Intense Impact Early

2:04 - Google: Pre-Announcing Google Core Updates Isn't Possible

3:05 - Gemini 3 Flash For Google AI Mode - Now Rolling Out

3:45 - Google Search Live Gets Conversational Language Upgrade With Gemini

4:22 - Google's Danny Sullivan & John Mueller On SEO For AI: It's The Same

5:33 - Google: Optimization For AI Search Is The Same As For Traditional Search

6:02 - Google Search Console Performance Reports Finally Caught Up

6:30 - Google Search Console Page Indexing Report Now Up To Date

7:07 - Google Search Console Average Position Dropping Back Down

7:50 - Google Warns: Don't Use NoIndex Tags In Pages That Use JavaScript

8:08 - Google Updates JavaScript SEO Doc With Setting Canonical URL Advice

8:35 - Google JavaScript Doc Now Says Non-200 HTTP Status Code Might Not Be Rendered

8:55 - Google Reviews Disappearing Bug Reportedly Fixed

9:45 - Google Business Profiles Review Appeals Are Delayed Before Holidays

10:26 - Google Removing Q&A Feature In Google Maps For AI-Powered Ask Button

11:13 - Google Rolling Out Read More Links Search Result Snippets

11:27 - Google Tests Very Long Expandable AI-Generated Search Result Snippets

11:48 - Microsoft Tests Search With An Image & Make An Image In Bing Search Bar

12:14 - Bing Tests See More Search Results Button

12:33 - Microsoft Tests Underlines In Bing Ad Description Snippets

12:51 - Conclusion 

Today we covered more talk from Google on optimization for AI Search, this from Danny Sullivan and John Mueller.  We also spoke about Gemini 3 Flash coming to Google AI Mode and the Gemini app.  Google fixed the crazy long page indexing delay in Search Console. Google also fixed the two month old review disappearing bug. Google Merchant Center product studio adds new features. 

0:00 - Introduction

1:15 - Google on optimizing for AI Search

3:17 - Google AI Mode powered by Gemini 3.0 Flash

6:27 - Google page indexing reporting delay bug fixed

6:58 - Google reviews disappearing bug fixed

8:16 - Google Merchant Center product studio features

9:20 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered Google Business Profiles review appeals are delayed and Google updated its owner review replies expectations. Google Discover has this new tailor your feed option.  Google AI Advisor deep dive. Google is testing super long AI-generated snippets. ChatGPT has new image generation for you all.

0:00 - Introduction

2:24 - Google Business Profile review appeals are delayed

3:01 - Google updated the business owners review reply documentation

3:30 - Google Discover has this new tailor your feed

5:20 - Google Ads Advisor deep dive

6:45 - Super long Google snippets that are AI-generated 

8:31 - ChatGPT image generation update

10:46 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered how Nick Fox from Google said optimizing for AI search is the same as optimizing for traditional search. He also said no, Google wont’ have licensing deals for most publishers for AI consumption. Google Search Console’s average position is reversing or maybe not.  Google Ads exact match cannot show ads in AI Overviews. Google Ads location targeting option for Demand Gen is rolling out. Plus more search news…

0:00 - Introduction

1:00 - Google AI optimization same as traditional optimization

1:53 - No standard licensing deals for publishers from Google

4:23 - Google Search Console average position update

6:15 - Google Ads exact match cannot show ads in AI Overviews

9:00 - Google Ads location targeting option for Demand Gen

9:55 - and more news

10:49 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered  the launch of the Google December 2025 core update, and it felt like it hit hard on Saturday and finally that Google can’t pre-announce these quality updates.  Google Search Live got a Gemini update.  Google is replacing the Q&A feature in local with the AI-powered AI button.  Google Ads with videos from Merchant Center. Google AI Max confusion clarified. 

0:00 - Introduction

0:27 - Google Core update news recap

3:53 - Google Search Live Gemini update

4:36 - Google replacing the Q&A feature with AI-Ask button

6:12 - Google Ads videos can come from Merchant Center

7:00 - Gogole AI Max confusion

8:55 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.