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 Confirms Discover Report Data Bug in Search Console
Google confirmed a logging issue caused lower clicks and impressions reporting in the Discover performance report for May 21 data. The issue only affects reporting, not actual Discover traffic or content visibility.
Google Tests Real-Time Stock Checks in Local Search
Google is testing a new “Check Real-Time Stock” feature within local search results, allowing users to check product availability and inventory directly from local listings. The feature also appears to work in AI Mode, expanding Google’s push toward real-time shopping experiences.
Google Expands Preferred Sources to AI Search Results
Google is rolling out Preferred Sources labels within AI Mode and AI Overviews, along with new article carousels and expanded “Highly Cited” labels to improve content discovery and visibility for trusted sources. The update aims to surface more original reporting, creator content, and user-preferred sources within AI-powered search experiences.
Bing Launches AI-Guided Image Search Experience
Microsoft has officially launched AI-guided image search in Bing, using AI to automatically organize images into categories, generate summaries, and provide more context for users. The update aims to make image discovery easier by reducing clutter and improving navigation through visual search results.
Google Warns Against Manipulating Mentions for AI Visibility
Google has warned publishers and marketers against buying or manipulating brand mentions to improve visibility in AI Overviews and AI Mode. Google compared artificial mentions to paid links, stating its systems are designed to detect and ignore inauthentic signals.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Platforms
Google Ads to Remove Older Short-Term Performance Data
Google Ads will begin deleting hourly, daily, and weekly performance data older than 37 months starting June 1, 2026, as part of its updated data retention policy. Monthly, quarterly, and yearly performance data will remain available for up to 11 years.
Google Merchant Center Adds AI-Powered Performance Insights
Google Merchant Center is introducing new AI-powered performance insights to help merchants better understand product performance, identify trends, and discover optimization opportunities. The update aims to provide more actionable recommendations directly within Merchant Center for improved campaign and product feed management.
Google to Retire Display Campaigns in Favor of Demand Gen
Google is reportedly retiring standalone Display campaigns and encouraging advertisers to shift toward Demand Gen campaigns, which combine AI-powered audience targeting with placements across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and the Display Network. The move reflects Google’s broader strategy to simplify campaign types and focus more on automated, visually driven advertising solutions.
Google Ads Introduces Real-Time Policy Reviews
Google is rolling out Real-Time Policy Reviews in Google Ads, allowing advertisers to receive instant feedback during ad creation and faster approval decisions after saving ads. The feature aims to reduce review delays and help campaigns go live faster, starting with Responsive Search Ads and expanding to more campaign types later.
Google Adds Conversational Attributes to Merchant Center
Google has introduced new “conversational attributes” in Merchant Center to help AI-powered search surfaces better understand product details and improve discovery in AI Mode and conversational shopping experiences. These optional attributes include Q&A, related products, variant details, and popularity data for richer product listings.
Social Media Related News and Updates from Major Platforms
YouTube Introduces Automatic AI Content Detection Labels
YouTube is rolling out automatic AI content detection and more visible labels to help viewers identify AI-generated or significantly altered videos. The update uses internal detection systems and metadata signals while keeping creator disclosures as part of the labeling process.
