Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

Another week and more Google search ranking volatility hit mid-week, did you notice? Google’s crawler might be causing issues on your site this week. Google still is making its crawling more efficient and better. Google Search Console’s API had delayed this week. Google was sued over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue. Google AI Overviews continues to show dozens of links, that no one will click on. Google Ads runs different auctions for different ad locations. Google Ads sitelinks creation page had a bug that may put your competitor’s URL in there. Google Local Service Ads may ad your booking links and charge you for those leads. Google Ads to change offline conversion quality in store goals. Google Merchant Center added physical stores tab. Google Ads released version 19 of the API. Bing is testing Copilot Search. Bing is testing new link stylers for Copilot Answers. Bing doesn’t want you to search for Chrome, Gemini or Grok. Appel Intelligence may integrate with Google Gemini soon. 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.

0:00 - Introduction

0:37 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Chatter Spiking Feb 26th & 27th

1:24  - Google Crawler Update Causing Spikes In Crawling For Some

2:37 - Google: There Is A Lot More Work To Do To Make Crawling More Efficient

3:30 - Google Search Console API Is Delayed

4:13 - Google Sued Over AI Overviews For Hurting Traffic & Revenue

5:37 - Will Searchers Click On Links Within Google AI Overviews With Dozens Of Links?

6:27 - Google Ads Runs Different Auctions For Each Ad Location, Doc Update Says

8:36 - Google Ads Sitelinks Creation Page Bug With Prefill Functionality

9:28 - Google Local Service Ads Booking Links Now Charges Like Calls Automatically

10:16 - Google Ads Changes To Offline Conversion Quality In Smart & PMax Campaigns With Store Goals

10:45 - Google Merchant Center Next Physical Stores Section

10:59 - Google Ads API Version 19 Now Available

11:26 - Microsoft Bing Testing Copilot Search

12:00 - Bing Tests New Links UI For Copilot AI Answers

12:15 - Microsoft Bing Doesn't Want You Searching For Google Chrome, Gemini or X's Grok

12:44 - Apple Intelligence With Google Gemini Integration Coming?

13:00 - Conclusion

Today we discussed how Google updated its how the ad auction works page to say it runs different auctions for each ad location. Google Ads API version 19 is out.  Google Search has more ranking volatility going on.  Bing’s AI based sources from the web box shows where those sources come from.  And more…

0:00 - Introduction

0:37 - Google Ads auction by ad location change

4:35 - Google Ads API version 19

4:42 - Google Search ranking volatility snaps

5:17 - Bing AI sources from the web revleaed

8:00 - 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 Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we discussed that Google Local Service Ads will take your booking links (even if they don’t really work) and charge you for bookings.  Google Ads has a bug over sitelink creations.  Google is making crawling more efficient, the work is not done.  Bing is testing new links UI for Copilot answers and Bing Ads colors. Then we ranted on AI search results…

0:00 - Introduction

0:55 - Google LSA to charge for bookings

3:08 - Google Ads bug with Sitelinks creations

4:30 - Google is still working on making crawling efficient

6:05 - Bing is testing new colors for ads in search

7:01 - Bing is testing new UI for links in Copilot AI Answers

7:39 - Ranting on AI search results

10:43 - 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 Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we discussed Google being sued by Chegg over its AI Overviews hurting its traffic and revenue.  Microsoft Bing is testing Copilot Search.  Google has some weird crawling issues with some CDNs. Google  Search Console has API delays but the web interface is fine.  And Google is testing opening AI answers by default. 

0:00 - Introduction

1:28 - Google sued over AI Overviews

4:59 - Microsoft Bing tests Copilot Search

6:33 - Google has some weird crawling issues

7:43 - Google Search Console’s API is delayed 

8:23 - Google tests open AI answers

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 Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we discussed how Google’s AI Overviews can be infested with links, so much so you won’t click on any of them.  Bing is being deceptive with some branded searches with Google, Grok and Perplexity. Apple Intelligence may add an option for Gemini.  Google Ads may use your second headlines in the sitelinks section. Google Ads will removed ads from parked domains. 

0:00 - Introduction

1:50 - Google AI Overview links are too much 

4:24 - Microsoft Bing is being deceptive again

6:02 - Apple Intelligence may add Gemini

7:03 - Google Ads second headline in Sitelinks 

11:12 - Google Ads parked domain ads going away

12:58 - 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 Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

We had more ranking volatility with the Google Search results, this time we reported on it on Thursday. There are some rumors of a local update where Google would remove an organic listing when it shows in the local pack as well. Jeff Dean from Google spoke about combining Google Search with LLM in-context learning. Google Lens is showing more AI Overviews and Google Lens also is in the Google App and Chrome app for iOS. Google Ads can now create AI images with people and faces. Google Business Profiles Posts now can add backgrounds to your images using AI. Google is also using AI for review summaries on Top Quality Store pages. Google Merchant Center also shows AI-generated summaries for account performance. Google’s John Mueller said there is no persistent shortcut to faster crawling. Google’s Martin Splitt said audio versions of your pages don't help with SEO. Google said you don’t need to do anything special for pagination. Response search ads (RSAs) can now show up to two RSA headlines can serve in the space that previously only sitelinks were eligible. Google Ads has this new advanced plans feature. Google Ads will no longer show on parked domains by default. Google Business Profiles has a big support backlog. Google Business Profiles now sends emails with why your verification failed. Google Search is testing a new grid box design in the EU. Google Search is testing a new background section. Google is also testing “page includes” on search result snippets. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

SPONSOR: Wix Studio - Did you know the Wix Studio SEO Course is live. It covers topics like keyword research, technical SEO, local SEO, SEO reporting, link building and more. Learn more at wix.com/seo/learn/course and also check out the new LLM brand visibility tracker resource.

0:00 - Introduction

0:38 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heating Up Again

2:03 - Google Local Update Drops Organic Listing When Local Listing Is Present

3:04 - Jeff Dean: Combining Google Search With LLM In-Context Learning

3:53 - Google Lens AI Overviews Expands & iOS App Search Screen

4:26 - Google Ads AI Images Can Now Create People & Faces

4:59 - Google Business Profiles Posts Integrates AI-Enhanced Images

5:26 - Google Top Quality Store Pages Add AI-Generated Review Summaries

5:51 - Google Merchant Center AI-Generated Summaries

6:07 - Google: There Is No Persistent Shortcut To Faster Crawling

6:42 - Google: Audio Version Of Page Does Not Benefit Your Google Rankings

7:05 - Google: Why Search Engines Don't Need To Do Anything Special For Pagination

7:47 - Google Response Search Ads (RSAs) Second Headline In Sitelinks & More

8:27 - Google Ads Advanced Plans

8:51 - Google Ads To Stop Placing Your Ads On Parked Domains By Default

9:18 - Google Business Profiles Support Backlogged

9:43 - Google Business Profiles Verification Failure Email With Reasons

9:58 - Google Search Tests New Grid Boxed Design

10:17 - Google Search Testing Background Section

10:30 - Google Search Results Snippets Tests Page Includes

10:47 - Conclusion

Today we discussed a new Google Ads AI image enhancements that can create human images. Google Business Profiles also added AI-enhanced images for Google Posts. Google Lens adds more AI Overviews and new iOS capabilities.  Google Top Quality Store pages have AI generated reviews summaries. Audio does not help your content pages rank better. Google search ranking volatility heated up again today.

0:00 - Introduction

0:36 - Google Ads human AI images 

3:10 - Google Lens & AI Overviews

4:16 - Google Business Profiles AI-enhanced images

5:43 - Google Top quality stores AI reviews summaries 

6:57 - Audio and SEO

8:47 - Google search ranking volatility

9:37 - 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 and Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we discussed a theory around a new Google update that won’t show the the same URL in the local pack and in the web search results.  Google Business Profiles has big support delays. Google Business Profiles also totally borked out this morning.  Google is still fingerprinting users in exchange for profits.  Google is also testing a new grid or boxed in design. Google is also testing an image search feature that is weird. 

0:00 - Introduction

2:25 - Google local diversity update 

4:51 - Google Business Profiles support delays

5:17 - Google Business Profiles broke this morning

5:46 - Google advertisers using fingerprinting techniques 

7:55 - Google testing grid/box design

9:40 - Google find results based on images you’ve viewed 

12:06 - 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 Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we discussed a Google Ads feature named Advanced plans.  We also touched on the new Display and Video 360 API changes.  Google has this new backgrounds section in the search results.  And John Mueller of Google said there is no persistent shortcut for faster crawling.  Plus, Bitly may now show ads on its free tier level. 

0:00 - Introduction

1:05 - Google Ads API changes 

2:39 - Google Ads advanced plans

4:55 - Bitly ads on free tier 

6:43 - Google background section

8:41 - Shortcuts for faster crawling

9:40 - 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 Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

Today we discussed how Googlers spoke about merging Google Search and LLM in-context learning.  Google launched membership loyalty pricing schema markup for Merchant Center. Google’s John Mueller answered why search engines don’t need to do something special for pagination. Google Merchant Center has AI-generated summaries.  Google has a new ad policy for cryptocurrencies in the UAE.   

0:00 - Introduction

0:48 - Google Search and LLM in-context learning

2:33 - Google member loyalty pricing structured data 

3:20 - Google pagination advice

6:35 - Google Merchant Center AI summaries

8:47 - Google Ads UAE cryptocurrency policy update 

10:15 - 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 Mordy Oberstein of Unify Brand Marketing with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.