We hope you are in good health. Here are some of the major SEO news updates of the week that you need to know:
Search Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine
Google: Consistency Is Still the Biggest Technical SEO Factor in 2025
John Mueller has again emphasized that consistency is the most important technical SEO factor, reinforcing a message he’s been repeating for about a decade. Site owners should ensure consistent signals across URLs, internal links, canonicals, content, and structured data so Google doesn’t get mixed messages—SEO “lives and dies” on how clearly and consistently those signals line up.
Do Keyword gTLDs Like .music Help SEO? Google’s Take
Google’s John Mueller clarifies that using a keyword-based generic TLD (like .music) provides no direct SEO advantage over standard extensions such as .com or .org. However, gTLDs can still be valuable from a human and branding perspective: if they make your site more appealing, trustworthy, or memorable to users, that improved engagement can indirectly support your overall success in search.
Google’s 6 Internal Options for Giving Publishers AI Controls
Court documents from the U.S. DOJ antitrust case reveal that Google internally debated six different approaches to letting publishers control how their content is used in AI features, ranging from doing nothing new to adding granular opt-outs for indexing, training, or AI Overviews/SGE. Ultimately, Google appears to have chosen the least disruptive path—reframing existing “no snippet” controls rather than creating robust new AI-specific publisher controls—prompting ongoing criticism that site owners still lack real choice over AI usage of their content.
Google Maps Adds Reviewer Nicknames, Trending Places & ‘Insider Tips
Google Maps is rolling out several new features, including the ability for reviewers to use nicknames and custom profile pictures instead of their real names, raising fresh concerns about fake or harsher reviews despite Google’s promised protections. The Explore tab now highlights trending restaurants, activities, and sights, while a new “know before you go” insider section—powered by Gemini and user reviews—surfaces tips on parking, reservations, secret menu items, and other on-the-ground details.
Google Search Console Rolls Out AI-Assisted Brand Query Filters
Google is adding an AI-assisted branded queries filter to the Search Console Performance report, letting site owners automatically separate branded from non-branded search traffic without complex regex. The feature allows you to exclude brand terms, products, and services to better measure true non-brand SEO impact, though you currently can’t manually adjust the filter, and rollout is gradual, especially for sites with low brand search volume.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine
Google Tests Gray Shaded Background for Search Ads & Local Pack
Google is experimenting with a gray-shaded background behind search ads, sponsored results, and the local pack in the SERPs to visually distinguish them from organic listings. The test, spotted by Darren Shaw and others, is not widely reproducible yet, and it’s unclear whether this is a permanent design change or just a limited UX experiment.
Microsoft Advertising Adds Asset-Level Editorial Review, Conversion Delay & More
Microsoft Advertising has introduced asset-level editorial review so headlines, descriptions, and images are evaluated independently, with clearer delivery status indicators and in-platform options to appeal, edit, or remove disapproved assets. A new Conversion Delay insight shows how long it typically takes users to convert after a click (for clicks from June 1, 2025 onward), helping advertisers interpret performance more accurately. Microsoft also expanded callouts for Hotel Price Ads globally and refreshed Microsoft Curate reporting with streamlined navigation and more flexible on-page filters.
Google Ads Rolls Out ‘Original Conversion Value’ Metric for Unadjusted DataGoogle Ads is introducing a new metric called Original Conversion Value, which shows the raw conversion value before any automated bid strategies, rules, or value adjustments are applied. First spotted by Natasha Kaurra, this “uncooked” data is meant to give advertisers clearer insight into true performance, help uncover issues that may be masked by value rules, and reduce reporting confusion when optimization layers distort the final numbers.
