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 Maps Now Lets Users Review Businesses Using Nicknames
Google Maps is rolling out a new option that lets users post reviews, photos, and Q&A contributions under a custom nickname and profile image instead of their real Google account name. The pseudonymous identity applies across Maps and Search, and updates retroactively if you change your nickname, while reviews still tie back to the underlying Google account to keep spam protections in place. This change is expected to encourage more reviews in privacy-sensitive niches like legal, medical, and financial services.
Bing Reveals Key Visibility Signals For AI Search & Conversions
Bing says the research phase of the customer journey is increasingly happening inside AI search experiences, with clicks now coming later but with much stronger intent. To stay visible, brands should focus on being cited and surfaced in AI answers by creating high-quality, intent-aligned content and tracking three core signals: impressions, citations, and placement within AI responses. Bing recommends using Bing Webmaster Tools and Microsoft Clarity to connect this “pre-click” AI visibility with on-site engagement and conversions.
Google Search Bar’s Image & File Upload Now Sends Users Straight To AI Mode
Google has updated the desktop search bar so that when users click the plus icon to upload an image or file, their query now opens directly in AI Mode instead of traditional web or image search. The file or image is attached to the prompt and processed by Google’s AI experience by default. This change, along with other recent AI integrations, reinforces the sense that AI Mode is gradually becoming Google’s primary search experience, despite Google’s public claims otherwise.
Google Quietly Adds (Then Removes) LLMs.txt From Search Developer Docs
Despite previously downplaying the usefulness of llms.txt and saying Google Search wouldn’t use it, Google briefly deployed an llms.txt file on the Search Central developer site (and other developer properties), sparking confusion in the SEO community. The file was spotted by SEOs on Bluesky, who asked if this was an endorsement or just trolling from Google’s side. Google later characterized it as a broader “platform accident,” and the URL now returns a 404, leaving its official stance on llms.txt unchanged.
Google Discover Tests ‘Top Searches’ Widget That Jumps Users Into AI Mode
Google is testing a new “Top Searches” widget at the top of the Discover feed that shows random popular queries across Google Search. When users tap one of these queries, they’re taken straight into AI Mode rather than the classic search results. The widget refreshes with new queries on each Discover reload and comes with settings to control what appears, further nudging users toward Google’s AI experience.
Google: 100MB Homepage Video File Won’t Hurt Your SEO
John Mueller said a 100MB video on your homepage likely won’t noticeably hurt SEO as long as key content and the hero image load first while the video streams in the background. While large assets can affect performance metrics, he implied the impact on rankings is minimal. Instead, site owners should focus on whether the video actually improves user experience and conversions enough to justify its weight.
PPC Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine
Google Ads Tests WhatsApp Notifications For Support Case Updates
Google Ads is testing a new option that lets advertisers receive real-time support case updates via WhatsApp, as spotted by some users in the interface. The feature promises instant notifications when a case is updated, reducing the need to constantly check email and making communication faster and simpler—especially useful in regions where WhatsApp is a primary messaging app.
Microsoft Advertising Adds Asset-Level Disapprovals & New Conversion Lag Metric
Microsoft Advertising has updated its platform so that disapprovals now happen at the asset level instead of taking down entire ads, meaning only the problematic line or image is paused while the rest continues to run. It also introduced a new conversion reporting metric that shows how long it takes for 90% of conversions to be recorded after a click, for both online and offline actions, giving advertisers clearer expectations and less friction when comparing across platforms.
Social Media Related News and Updates from Major Search Engine
YouTube Rolls Out First-Ever Year-End Recap For All Users
YouTube has launched its first annual Recap feature that gives users a personalized summary of their viewing over the past year, including top channels, interests, and even a “personality type” based on watch habits. The Recap appears as up to 12 cards in the You or home tab, with extra stats for YouTube Music listeners such as top artists, songs, and genres. This puts YouTube in direct competition with Spotify Wrapped-style year-end experiences and gives creators more visibility as users share their Recap cards.
YouTube Rolls Out Global Title A/B Testing In ‘Test & Compare’ Tool
YouTube has expanded its “Test and Compare” tool globally, allowing creators with advanced features to A/B test up to three titles, thumbnails, or title–thumbnail combos per video. Experiments can run for up to two weeks, and YouTube picks a winner based on watch time per impression rather than CTR, automatically setting the best-performing variation as default (which creators can still override). The feature is desktop-only for now and works on long-form videos, giving creators more data-driven control over how they package content.
