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 Tests Share Icon in Search & AI Results
Google is testing a new share icon within search results and AI overviews, allowing users to easily share links directly from the SERPs. This feature, spotted by users like Brian Freiesleben, could improve content distribution and engagement if rolled out widely.
Google Tones Down Clippable Coupon Snippets in Search Results
Google has quietly tested a subtler approach for displaying clippable coupon codes in search results. Rather than a bold button, users now see a modest “copy code” link beneath the snippet; tapping it turns the link green and shows a “copied” message—marking a notable shift in coupon code presentation.
Bing Tests Refreshed Copilot AI Answer Design with “Read More” Toggle
Microsoft has rolled out an updated layout for Bing’s Copilot AI answers, relocating the list of sources into a “read more” tab—potentially reducing visible links upfront to experiment with how this affects click-through rates to publishers. The new two-column format also features a very faint font for the first two lines, which may impact user readability.
Why CrUX and Search Console Reports on Core Web Vitals Can Differ
Google’s Chrome UX Report (CrUX) and the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console often show contrasting performance figures simply because they measure performance differently: CrUX focuses on page views (i.e., real user visits), while Search Console evaluates the number of URLs (grouped by similarity), offering a site‑wide, page‑level perspective. Both are correct—they just offer different lenses for assessing performance priorities.
Google Tests Vertical “Instagram-Style” Images in Desktop Top Stories & News Tab
Google is experimenting with vertical, portrait‑style images within the Top Stories carousel—and the News tab—on desktop search results. This layout shift, reminiscent of Instagram story formatting, emphasizes headlines over visuals and may signal a design evolution for desktop news displays.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine
Google Ads Introduces Asset Studio (Beta) for AI-Powered Image Creation
Google is beginning to roll out the beta version of Asset Studio within Google Ads, enabling select advertisers to create and personalize images—and manage existing ones—directly using Google AI tools under the “Tools” section of their accounts.
Google Unifies Local Services Ads with Single “Google Verified” Badge
Starting October 20, 2025, Google will replace its existing Local Services Ads badges—including “Google Guaranteed,” “Google Screened,” and “License Verified by Google”—with a single, streamlined “Google Verified” badge. This change also marks the discontinuation of the Money Back Guarantee previously tied to the Google Guaranteed badge.
