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 Removes Indexing API Approval Form From Documentation
Google has removed the approval request form from its Indexing API documentation, but the API remains restricted to eligible pages containing job postings or livestream videos. Website owners still need to follow Google’s eligibility requirements, and the documentation change does not mean the API is now available for general website indexing.
Google Clarifies How Encoded Brackets Affect URL Indexing
Google’s John Mueller clarified that raw square brackets ([ ]) and their encoded versions (%5B and %5D) are treated as different URLs. Google may crawl both versions and select one as canonical if their content is identical, so website owners should use consistent URL formats across internal links, canonical tags, sitemaps, and structured data. Google recommends encoding reserved characters to avoid duplication and crawling issues.
Google Search and Discover Do Not Support JPEG XL Images
Google’s John Mueller clarified that JPEG XL images are not currently supported in Google Images or Discover previews, despite gaining support in Chrome and Firefox. Website owners using JPEG XL should provide a supported fallback format, such as JPEG, WebP, or AVIF, through the HTML <picture> element to help Google process their images correctly.
Google Updates Guidance on Controlling Content in Search and AI Features
Google updated its documentation to include existing options such as robots meta tags, data-nosnippet, X-Robots-Tag, and the Search generative AI control. The update clarifies how website owners can control content visibility in Google Search and manage inclusion in AI Overviews and AI Mode. No new controls were introduced.
Google Advises Using HTTP 503 During PHP2Shell Security Updates
Google’s John Mueller advised website owners temporarily taking sites offline to address the critical PHP2Shell vulnerabilities to return an HTTP 503 status code instead of allowing requests to time out or return 404 or 500 errors. This helps Google understand that the downtime is temporary and reduces the risk of indexing issues while security patches are applied.
Google Launches New Business Home Dashboard in Beta
Google has introduced Google Business Home, a new AI-powered dashboard that brings together Google Business Profiles, Merchant Center, YouTube, and Google Ads in one place. Powered by Gemini, it helps businesses manage locations, publish content, track performance, and receive personalized recommendations. The feature is currently available in a closed beta for selected businesses in the US and UK.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Platform
OpenAI Tests Creative Enhancements for ChatGPT Ads
OpenAI will automatically enable creative enhancements for new and existing self-serve ChatGPT ad campaigns starting October 30, 2026. The feature can adjust headlines and descriptions, resize images, optimize landing page URLs, and translate ad copy based on conversation context and user interests. Advertisers can opt out or change the settings in Ads Manager.
Google Ads Expands Customer Acquisition and Retention Features
Google Ads is expanding High Value Mode to Shopping campaigns and rolling out customer retention options across Performance Max, Search, and Shopping. It is also introducing percentage-based value multipliers, allowing advertisers to adjust bidding based on order value rather than fixed amounts. These updates help advertisers prioritize high-value new customers, re-engage inactive customers, and strengthen customer loyalty.
Google Expands Financial Services Verification Requirements
Google is expanding its financial services verification requirements to additional countries and regions to help prevent financial scams and misleading advertising. Advertisers promoting financial products and services may need to complete verification to run ads in affected markets. Businesses should review Google’s country-specific requirements to avoid campaign disruptions.
Google Merchant Center Adds Country-Specific Fast Shipping Settings
Google Merchant Center is introducing country-specific fast shipping labels, allowing merchants to highlight delivery speeds for individual countries. The update helps shoppers identify products with faster shipping options and gives merchants more flexibility when promoting delivery services across multiple markets.
