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 Admits Search Console AI Search Reporting Is Inadequate
Google’s John Mueller acknowledged that Search Console’s current AI Search reporting has limitations, particularly around accurately measuring position and visibility within AI Overviews and AI Mode. He explained that Google currently tracks AI results as a block because the traditional “position 1–10” model is difficult to apply to modern, interactive Search results.
Google Lowers Search Profile Eligibility to 10,000 Followers
Google has lowered the eligibility threshold for Search Profiles to 10,000 followers on YouTube, Instagram, X, or TikTok, making the feature available to more U.S. publishers and creators. Google has also added multi-account support for managing multiple brands from one login and improved article displays with optimized thumbnails and longer headlines.
Google Says Search Image Thumbnails Can Take Time to Update
Google’s John Mueller explained that it is normal for image thumbnails in Google Search to take time to update after a website changes its images. He noted that Google may continue showing an older image if it remains prominent on the page, even when a new image is specified in structured data. Mueller said the eventual update can occur through Google’s normal Search reprocessing pipelines.
Google Tests AI Overviews in Local Knowledge Panels
Google is testing a new experience that transforms local Knowledge Panels and Google Business Profiles into AI Overview-style listings. The updated format displays an “AI Overview” label with a “Show more” button that opens a follow-up AI Mode-style conversation, bringing generative AI further into local business search experiences.
Google Says Search Console AI Position Reporting Will Evolve Over Time
Google’s John Mueller said that Search Console’s position and impression reporting for AI Mode, AI Overviews, and Search will evolve over time as these search experiences continue to change. He explained that there are edge cases in how these metrics are measured, and the goal is to provide useful data for site owners rather than a fixed definition of position. Google plans to update its documentation if significant changes are introduced.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Platforms
Google Ads Tests Product Value Optimization for Shopping Campaigns
Google Ads is testing Product Value Optimization, a beta feature that lets advertisers apply value adjustments to products or attributes such as brands and categories. These adjustments guide automated bidding toward products that matter most to business goals, such as profit, seasonal sell-through, or best-sellers, without changing campaign structure. The feature is designed for Performance Max and Shopping campaigns.
Google Tests Text Link Ads in AI Mode
Google is testing a new text-based ad format in AI Mode, where sponsored ads appear as text links with anchor text similar to regular AI-generated responses. The ads are labeled “Sponsored” and are designed to blend more naturally into the AI Mode experience, marking another format Google is testing for advertising within AI-powered search.
Google Tests New Ad Metrics in Chrome UX Report
Google is testing new ad-related metrics in the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) to provide greater transparency into how ads affect website experiences. The experimental metrics include Ad Count, Ad Density, Ad Weight (Network), and Ad Weight (CPU), helping advertisers and site owners measure ad volume, screen space, network usage, and CPU resources consumed by ads.
Google Adds New Guidance for Multi-Source Conversions in Google Ads
Google has published new guidance for Multi-Source Conversions (beta), allowing advertisers to connect website conversion tracking with additional backend data sources such as CRMs or order databases. The setup can help fill measurement gaps, recover conversions missed because of browser restrictions or ad blockers, update conversion values, and provide more comprehensive data for Smart Bidding.
Google Ads Updates Spend Benchmarks Report to Compare Competitors
Google Ads is rolling out an updated Spend Benchmarks report that compares an advertiser’s spending with businesses Google considers similar, based on factors such as industry and advertising location. The report can show whether an account is spending more, less, or about the same as comparable businesses, along with differences in clicks.
