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 Search Console Now Reports Social Content Performance
Google Search Console now includes social and video content performance data from Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube within the Performance, Insights, and Achievements reports. The update gives creators and publishers a unified view of how their social content performs in Google Search alongside traditional website analytics.
Google Clarifies Its Position on llms-author.txt
Google’s John Mueller clarified that llms-author.txt is not an official Google-supported standard and is not currently used by Google Search. While site owners are free to experiment with the file, Mueller emphasized that publishers should continue focusing on high-quality content, clear author information, and strong website authority, as these remain the key factors for improving search visibility.
Google Shares Guidance on Using Markdown for AI SEO
Google’s John Mueller commented on the growing trend of creating Markdown versions of web pages for AI SEO, saying there is no clear evidence that mirroring HTML content in Markdown provides any advantage. He suggested focusing on building websites that are useful for people first, rather than creating separate Markdown versions specifically for AI systems.
Google Tests google.com/goto Tracking URLs in Search Results
Google is testing a new google.com/goto redirect URL for search result clicks, routing users through a Google tracking URL before sending them to the destination website. The change could impact click tracking, analytics tools, and third-party SEO platforms that rely on direct search result URLs, although Google has not officially confirmed the purpose of the test.
Google Business Profiles Adds Evidence Uploads for Appeals
Google has updated the Google Business Profile appeal process by allowing businesses to upload supporting documents directly during the appeal submission. The new workflow replaces the previous two-step process, making it easier to submit evidence and helping streamline profile suspension appeals.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Platforms
Google Ads Expands Travel Search Campaigns to Things to Do & Events
Google has expanded its Search Campaigns for Travel beta to include the Things to Do and Events verticals. The update enables eligible advertisers to manage feed-based travel formats and text ads in a single AI-powered campaign with unified reporting, advanced Search controls, and AI Max capabilities for improved campaign performance.
Google Tests Visit Site Button in Search Ads
Google is testing a prominent “Visit site” button within sponsored search results, giving users a more visible call-to-action to access an advertiser’s landing page. The experiment could improve ad visibility and click-through rates while making Search ads more interactive and easier to navigate.
Google Ads Updates Alcohol Advertising Policy
Google has updated its Alcohol Advertising Policy to provide clearer guidance on which ad formats can and cannot be used for alcohol-related ads. The update expands the list of restricted formats to help advertisers better understand policy requirements, though Google says it does not change how the policy is enforced.
Google Ads Tests ‘Apply Theme to Asset Group’ Feature
Google Ads is testing a new “Apply Theme to Asset Group” feature in Performance Max campaigns that helps advertisers quickly create seasonal and event-based asset groups. By selecting themes such as Black Friday, Christmas, Summer Sale, or Back to School, Google AI generates relevant creative assets, reducing setup time while allowing advertisers to review and customize them before launch.
Google Ads Tests Last Event Ping for Conversion Tracking
Google Ads has introduced a new “Last Event Ping” timestamp in the Conversions section. The feature shows the most recent date and time Google received a conversion event for each conversion action, helping advertisers verify that conversion tracking is active and quickly identify potential tracking issues.
