Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

Today we covered that Google expanded AI Mode to 180 countries and added agentic and personalization features. ChatGPT may be sending 52% less referral traffic, according to one report.  Google Local Service Ads verified badges will be the single badge. Google Ads has a richer conversion import.  Google Search is testing share icons in the search results.

0:00 - Introduction

0:36 - Google AI Mode expands and adds agentic experiences

3:52 - ChatGPT referral traffic drops 52%

7:07 - Google LSA verified badge change

9:18 - Google Ads richer conversion imports

10:37 - Google Search share icons

11:22 - 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 a new Google Ads report for its Search Partner Network, where it actually shows where your impressions are coming from.  We also covered a new tool that tracks ChatGPT versus Google traffic referrals.  Bing updated its Copilot AI answers in search and more. Also, did you see the Google AI Overviews bottom tray? 

0:00 - Introduction

1:14 - Google Ads SPN reporting update

4:22 - ChatGPT versus Google referral traffic

6:52 - Bing Copilot AI answers updated

8:08 - Google AI Overviews bottom tray

9:00 - 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 that the new Google Merchant API will replace the Content API for Shopping. And we covered the unexpected image of Amazon stopping its Google Ads. Google explained the differences between the Chrome UX report and Search Console’s core web vitals report.  

0:00 - Introduction

0:49 - Google Merchant API to replace Content API for Shopping

2:09 - Unexpected Impact Of Amazon Stopping Google Ads

6:46 - Google Chrome UX report vs Search Console

8:01 - 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 search results volatility cools. Chartbeat said Google Search clicks to publishers are stable, and backs up Google’s statement.  Google’s John Mueller goes off on GEO acronyms. Google Ads language targeting is going away for search campaigns. Google Ads has a new preview ad link in the asset details section.

0:00 - Introduction

1:20 - Google Search volatility cools

2:00 - Google’s John Mueller on GEO acronyms 

4:49 - Google search clicks actually stable says Chartbeat

7:14 - Google Ads language targeting going away

9:58 - Google Ads new preview ad link in asset details 

11:10 - 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 and Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

The Google search ranking volatility has not calmed down since the June core update and we are in mid-August and expecting another core update soon. Google launched the preferred sources feature for Top Stories in the US and India. Chartbeat says traffic from Google to publishers is stable with AI Overviews, supporting Google’s claims.  Google’s Gary Illyes was interviewed on AI Search, AI content, and more SEO topics.  Google’s John Mueller implied the hype around GEO, AEO, AIO and other AI SEO acronyms may be scammy and spammy. A site was hacked, saw its Google traffic drop 50%, fixed the issue but still did not recover.  Google may be using a generic and undocumented Googlebot.  Microsoft’s Fabrice Canel said search engines don’t have much visibility into conversions from AI Search and SEOs need to do studies that. Google Search is testing a new deep dive button.   Google and Bing are testing title expansions, different colors and more user interface changes. Google is testing a loyalty benefits section in the merchant knowledge panels. Google is testing a horizontal line above the sponsored results. Google Ads has new AI to reduce invalid traffic by 40%.  Google Ads PMax campaigns gain gender exclusions.  Google Ads PMax has a new toggle for share of cost reporting. Google Ads updated 14 of its policy help center articles. That was this past week in search 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

1:06 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Shakes Up

1:35 - Google Top Stories Preferred Sources Is Live In US & India

2:22 - Chartbeat: Traffic From Google To Publishers Stable Over Years

3:44 - Google's Gary Illyes Interviewed On AI Search, Content & SEO

4:26 - Google's John Mueller Suggests AI SEO Acronyms May Lead To Scams & Spam

4:48 - Google Traffic Drops 50% After Site Hack; Recovery Can Take Time Says Google

5:48 - Google May Be Using Generic & Undocumented Google Crawler

6:30 - Microsoft: SEOs Need To Study Clicks To Conversions From AI Search

7:11 - Google Search Testing Deep Dive Button

7:35 - Google & Bing Tests Search Title Expansion, Colors & More

7:51 - Google Tests Loyalty Benefits Section In Merchant Knowledge Panels

8:11 - Google Ads Tests Horizontal Line Above Sponsored Results

8:25 - Google Ads Touts New AI To Reduce Invalid Traffic In Some Cases By 40%

9:00 - Google Ads Performance Max Campaigns Gain Gender Exclusion

9:15 - Google Ads PMax Cost Toggle For Share Of Cost

9:27 - Google Ads Updated 14 Policy Help Center Articles

9:42 - Microsoft Copilot Links Local Reviews To Bing Competitor Google Maps

10:01 - Conclusion

Today we covered Microsoft says SEOs need to do the click studies to see if AI search clicks lead to conversions or not, search engines don't have visibility there. A site saw Google traffic drop by 50% in two weeks after being hacked, John Mueller of Google replied. Google Ads has a new cost toggle for PMax campaigns to show share of cost. We also covered YouTube promotions expansion and Google’s advice on YouTube TV ads.

0:00 - Introduction

1:02 - Bing on SEO studies on conversions from AI Search

2:34 - Site drops 50% in Google traffic after hack

4:23 - Google Ads cost toggle

6:45 - YouTube promotions expand

7:32 - YouTube TV ads Google advice

8:38 - 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 Christine Zirnheld of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered the launch of Google’s preferred sources for top stories. Google Ads has a new gender exclusions feature for PMax.  Google has new AI to reduce invalid traffic by up to 40%.

0:00 - Introduction

0:33 - Google preferred sources is live

1:58 - Google Ads invalid traffic AI improvements

3:47 - Google Ads PMax gender exclusions 

4:51 - 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 Christine Zirnheld of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered Gary Illyes on AI Search, content, SEO and more. Google Ads page content exclusions. And Google quietly updated a number of its ads policy help articles. 

0:00 - Introduction

0:48 - Google’s Gary Illyes on AI Search, Content and SEO

4:06 - Google Ads page content exclusions 

5:57 - Google Ads help articles quietly updated

7:19 - 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 Christine Zirnheld of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we covered the numerous Google Ads performance max updates. Google Ads launches conversions with cart data diagnostics tool. Google Search ranking volatility was heated this weekend. Bing Webmaster Tools gained 24 months of performance data. 0:00 - Introduction0:56 - Google Ads released numerous useful updates for PMax2:15 - Google Ads conversions with cart data diagnostics tool 3:25 - Google Search ranking volatility heats up this weekend3:52 - Bing Webmaster Tools gains 24 months of data5:01 - ConclusionA 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 Christine Zirnheld of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

This week, we covered the ongoing Google search volatility, which cooled for a bit and then got heated again. Google’s Liz Reid said that website clicks from Google are relatively stable since launching AI Overviews, but no one believes them. Google did not confirm that it uses MUVERA in Google Search. I posted the Google Webmaster report for August. Bing Webmaster Tools search performance report gained 24 months of historical data and added device and country lists. Microsoft Copilot is using OpenAI’s GPT-5 now. Google is rolling out a sticky search header bar. Google tests AI Mode tab icon and divider. Google is pitching AI Mode ads to advertisers. Google released a number of Performance Max updates. Google Ads sitelinks do impact performance max ad strength. Google Ads on training smart bidding with negative keywords. Google Ads API version 21 is now out. Google Ads updated its EU political content policy. Microsoft Advertising updated Audience Planner and website exclusions. Google refreshed the Google Posts creation tool. Apple Business Connect supports UTM parameters for action links. And Danny Sullivan is no longer the Search Liaison; he has moved into a different role within the Google Search team. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

Sponsored by Similarweb, the all-in-one- strategic SEO software. Step into the light and own the Gen AI Search Frontier.  To learn more, check out Similarweb’s new Gen-AI Intelligence tool and watch the video.

0:00 - Introduction

1:43 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Calmed For Just A Second & Heated Again

2:30 - Google: Clicks To Websites Relatively Stable With AI Overviews (Is It Flawed?)

4:10 - Google: We Did Not Confirm We Use MUVERA

4:46 - August 2025 Google Webmaster Report

5:00 - Bing Webmaster Tools Performance Report Gains 24 Months Of Data & More

5:20 - Bing Webmaster Tools Performance Report Adds List By Device & Country

5:38 - Microsoft Copilot Now Using OpenAI's GPT-5

6:26 - Google Search Rolling Out Sticky Search Bar As You Scroll

6:42 - Google Tests AI Mode Tab Icon With Divider

6:57 - Google Pitching AI Mode Ads To Advertisers

7:30 - Google Ads For Performance Max Gains New Controls & Reporting

7:46 - Google Ads Sitelinks Impact Performance Max Ad Strength

8:11 - Google Ads On If Negative Keywords Train Smart Bidding

9:01 - Google Ads API Version 21 Now Available

9:17 - Google Ads Updates EU Political Content Policy For September 2025

9:29 - Microsoft Advertising Audience Planner Updated

9:49 - Microsoft Advertising Website Exclusions Updated

10:07 - Google Posts Creation Tool Refresh Now Live

10:24 - Apple Business Connect Supports UTM Parameters For Action Links

10:40 - Danny Sullivan Steps Away From Google Search Liaison Role

11:15 - Conclusion