Google Ads Launches New PMax Reporting Updates & AI Generation Tools

Google announced new Performance Max reporting updates and asset generation and image editing expansions. "We're adding asset-level conversion reporting to Performance Max, expanding asset generation to App and Display campaigns, improving image editing and much more," Google wrote.

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Google "Hidden Gem Stores" Search Feature

Google seems to be testing a new search feature named "Hidden gem stores." This shows you shopping and merchant listings from various stores and brands. This does not seem to be the Google hidden gems algorithm, but rather just a fancy title for a search feature box.

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Microsoft Bing Advertising Revenue Up 19% (Back To Growth?)

Microsoft reported its fourth quarter 2024 earnings and it showed that its search and advertising revenue was up 19%. The last time it was up over 19% in a quarter was 10 quarterly earning reports ago, in Q3 2022.

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New Google Ads Google Merchant Center Feed Integration In AI Image Editor

Google has a new Google Ads feature within Google Merchant Center feeds in AI image editor that enables you to import product images from your Merchant Center feeds into your Google Ads account. The images will then be stored and available for use in the Google Ads Asset Library. "You can leverage product images to generate new campaign images using AI-powered image editing in Google Ads," Google added.

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New Google Ads Format "For Your Consideration"

Google may be testing a new search ad format named "for your consideration." These ads, at least in the example below, show hotel websites that you can go to to find hotels in the area. This may work for other categories of queries, outside of hotels, but this is the example I see right now.

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Google May Replace X (Twitter) With Latest Posts From

Google Search may be replacing the heading for "X (Twitter)" posts with "Latest Posts from." This would be a step to removing more X branding from the Google Search results page.

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Google Search Console Performance Report Search Appearance Filter Bug (To Be Fixed)

Google Search Console has a bug with the Search Performance report, where if you want to filter by Search Appearance, it won't show you all the options. Google is aware of the bug and it should be fixed soon.

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Google Business Profiles New Generate Menu From Photo

Google Business Profiles has a new AI feature to let you upload a photo of your menu and Google will create your menu items for your restaurant based on that photo. This is a generative AI feature and is currently considered "experimental."

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Google Showing X Carousel Less Often For News Topics?

Google may be displaying the X (formerly Twitter) carousel in the search results less often for news related topics. A report from Newzdash shows the X carousel is showing up for about 12% of queries, when earlier this year it was showing for closer to 27% of queries in Google Search.

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SearchGPT - OpenAI's AI Search Tool

OpenAI has announced SearchGPT, its AI search tool that looks and feels a lot like ChatGPT but gives you more sources and answers through links. OpenAI wrote, "We're testing SearchGPT, a temporary prototype of new AI search features that give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources."

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Google's John Mueller: Don't Use LLMs For SEO Advice

Google's John Mueller said on LinkedIn he does not recommend you use LLMs (AI tools) for SEO advice. He wrote, "please don't use LLMs for SEO advice." "They learn from all the bad SEO information out there," he added.

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Google Search With Related Images Carousel Below Image Box

Google is testing showing a related images carousel right below an images box in the mobile search results. As you scroll through the search results, you are presented with an images box and if that is not enough for you, Google Search shows you a related images carousel right below that.

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Google Local Book Online CTA For Call Business

Google seems to be testing a new option for the Book Online call to action option that does not use an online booking service but rather lets you call the business directly. The button says "call business" and then will dial the business from your mobile phone.

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Apple Maps Web Version Launches Beta

Apple has launched a public beta version of Apple Maps on the web after launching the mobile app back almost 12 years ago on September 19, 2012. "Apple Maps on the web is available in public beta, allowing users around the world to access Maps directly from their browser," Apple wrote.

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Google Local Service Ads Shows Phone Number On Hover

Google Local Service Ads can now show the business's phone number in the ad unit when you hover over your mouse cursor over the ad. It will then dynamically expand the ad to show the advertiser's phone number.

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Google Outlines Videos In Search Results

Google seems to have changed how it shows large videos in the search results. I am now seeing them show these gray lines, outlining the video box, in the Google Search results.

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New Google Ads Sitelinks Interface

Google Ads has a new sitelinks interface, and functionality, for Performance Max campaigns. The new recommended sitelinks features are rolling out, plus there is a new numbered layout for the sitelinks.

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Google Ads Editor Version 2.7 Is Now Out

Google has released version 2.7 of the Google Ads Editor. This new update brings a number of new features and also deprecates a number of features. New features include AI-generated assets, account level content label exclusions, account-level negative keywords and more.

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Google Testing Save Button For AI Overviews

Google is testing the ability to save your AI Overviews to your Google Interests section. If you are opted-in to labs in Google, and you see AI Overviews, at the bottom of the AI Overview, you may see a new "Save" button.

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New Microsoft Advertising Brand Lists For Performance Max Campaigns

Microsoft Advertising is rolling out brand lists for Performance Max campaigns. "Brand lists allow greater control over brand image and ad visibility, including the brands you don't want your ads to be associated with," Microsoft wrote in its help documentation.

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Bing Tests Related Searches At Top - Below Search Bar

Bing is testing placing the related searches at the top of the search results page, directly under the search bar. The searches are exactly what you would see in the bottom but in a different format at the top.

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Google: ccTLDs & Language Do Help You Rank A Little Better In Local Country Region

Gary Illyes from Google said in the latest Google SEO office hours that using a ccTLD and the localized language on your page and website does help you rank a little better in the localized/regional version of Google. So if you want to rank better in Google in Korea, using a ccTLd such as .kr helps a little and using Korean text on your page helps even more.

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Google's On Knowing If Your SEO Team Is Doing Their Job

Google's John Mueller laid out a few ways to determine if your SEO team is doing the actual work they promised to deliver. While trusting your SEO team is important, John said you can also do the following to ensure the SEO team is doing their job.

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Google Merchant Center Next Gains Support For Supplemental Feeds

Google Merchant Center Next now finally supports supplemental feed/source support. Google promised us this would come early this year, but it didn't happen until early Q3 of 2024. That being said, feed rules still do not seem to be supported yet by Google Merchant Center Next and that was also promised by now.

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Google Local Panel: Search Products With Camera

Google is testing showing a button in some local panels, some Google Business Profiles, that reads "Search Products With Camera." This seems to be related to Google Lens and the new multisearch features.

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Google Merchant Center Next Coming To All Merchants

Google announced that Google Merchant Center Next, the updated version of Google Merchant Center it announced at Google Marketing Live in 2023, is now coming to all merchants this month. Google has already begun notifying merchants and advertisers of this via email and will continue to do so over the month.

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Google's Site Reputation Abuse Update Leads Gaming Affiliate To Reduce Financial Forecast

Catena Media, a publicly-traded online gambling information company, issued their Q2 earnings update a couple of weeks ago, saying they have reduced its revenues forecast due to the Google Site reputation abuse policy update.

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Google Ads Changed Broad Match To Intent Match In Japan

Google Ads has changed what they call broad match to intent match in Japan. So now it is called ã'¤ã³ãã³ãããã (Intent Match), it was called é¨åä'è' (Partial Match).

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Google Ads Query Refinements Under Ad Carousel

Google seems to be testing a query refinement ad option. Where Google is showing other search queries related to the ads it is showing under a sponsored ad carousel in the search results.

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Google May Allow Publishers To Exclude Content From Google Discover

Google may allow publishers to exclude some of their content from being displayed in Google Discover. Danny Sullivan, the Google Search Liaison, said he thinks that option would be useful and thus passed it on to the team to look into.

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Google Search Tests Back To AI Overview Button

Google Search is testing a way to jump back up to the AI Overview after you scroll past it. This button shows up after a searcher decides to scroll past the AI Overview and look at the normal search results. Google wants you to click the "Overview" button to go back to the AI Overview at the top, the one you decided to scroll past.

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Google Search Continues Tests Highlighted Snippets & Light Backgrounds

Google Search seems to be continuing to test highlighting words in blue in its search results snippets. Plus, Google is also testing showing light background color for some words in the search result snippets.

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Google: Removing Massive Disavow Lists Should Not Worry You

John Mueller from Google was asked if you should worry that massive link disavow lists can hurt you negatively and also if you remove the list that it might also hurt you. John said you should not be worried at all, when he was asked how worried should you be, he said "zero."

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Schema.org Redesign With Updated Validator

Schema.org has a new design, it seems like the design went live this week. The Schema.org validator also looks fresh and new. It is unclear if there were any other changes made, outside of the design update.

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Google Confirmed Ads Below Featured Snippet As Part Of Dynamic Ad Placement

It is not news that Google now mixes in ads within organic results, but I have to say it still feels super icky to me that Google does this. Ginny Marvin, the Google Ads Liaison, confirmed that search ads can appear directly below organic featured snippets, as part of Google's "ongoing evolution of dynamic ad placement on search."

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Google Business Profiles Consumer Alerts Document

Google Business Profiles can include consumer alerts on them, which will notify those viewing your local listing on Google about a possible violation or suspension of spam. These alerts can show a banner, they can result in review posting restrictions and reviews being removed.

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Google Search Tests Thin Video Snippets

Google is testing a new video format for its search results in the mobile search results. This test shows thinner video search result snippets with smaller video thumbnails.

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Google: SEO Feedback On The Last Core Update Was Really Helpful

Google's John Mueller said in a video he posted yesterday that the feedback submitted and Google collected around the March 2024 core update has "been really helpful in evaluations and discussions." He added the Google teams have "been reviewing with the search quality and ranking teams."

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Google Expands Translated Search Results To More Languages

Google is now showing the translated search results feature in more languages, adding Arabic, Gujarati, Korean, Persian, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese to the list of of now 21 languages.

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Google Tests From Sources Across The Web Overlay

Google seems to be testing a new user experience for the "from sources across the web" search feature. Instead of showing a carousel or content on the search results page, Google is testing popping up an overlay that you can scroll through with more details.

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Bing Search Tests Labeling Images With Nutrition Details

Bing is testing adding nutritional details to images in its search results. It includes labeling food products with "high calcium," "lean protein," "anti-inflammatory," and other labels.

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Google Search Extracts Composite Images With Trained Algorithmic Media Types

Google Search now supports a new IPTC digital source type for images which seems to be about reading if an image was made in help with AI. Google added compositeWithTrainedAlgorithmicMedia to the IPTC photo metadata documentation this morning.

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Google Tests Country Label In Search Result Snippets

Google may be testing showing which country the site operates in with a country label attached to the search result snippet. In the example below, Google is showing a "South African" label with the country flag and the country written out at the top of the snippet next to the site name.

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Google Search Bug: Not Indexing or Serving New Content Again

Google Search is currently having yet another indexing bug, similar to what Google Search experienced just about two weeks ago on June 20th. Google is not indexing new content that was recently published in the past hour or so.

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Google: Ranking For Unrelated Keywords In Search? Make Your Titles & Content Clearer

Have you ever had a site that ranks for unrelated keywords, queries you do not want to rank for? John Mueller from Google said if you do, maybe you should make your title and content clearer if they are too amibiguious.

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July 4th Weekend Google Search Ranking Update & Volatility

Surprise, surprise, it was another weekend and we again see some more than usual ranking volatility from Google Search. Again, this reminds me of the weekend ranking bug Google had late last year into early this year. But who knows, maybe it is just a ranking system that shuffles things up for weekend searchers?

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Google: Request Indexing Does Not Change Canonicalization

Google's John Mueller said on that using the request indexing feature in Google Search Console's URL Inspection Tool does not change canonicalization. The question that was asked is if it can help speed up URL removal for a 301 redirected URL.

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Google: Using A CDN & Want One Robots.txt File, Redirect Yours To The CDN

Do you use a CDN for some or all of your website and you want to manage just one robots.txt file, instead of both the CDN's robots.txt file and your main site's robots.txt file? Gary Illyes from Google said that all you need to do is redirect your main robots.txt to the CDN and control it on the CDN.

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Google Updated Image SEO Best Practices For Embedded Images

Google has made a small update to its image SEO best practices documentation, specific to the "Use HTML image elements to embed images" section. The update seems relatively minor but the changes to the wording was done for a reason.

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Google Search Tests Long Search Bar Variations

Google is testing a longer search bar, so I guess you can enter in a longer query into the search box. Google is also testing it in a gray color and other variations.

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Google Search Console Performance Reports Catching Up But It's Not Done Yet

As you know, Google Search Console's performance reports were significantly delayed this week. But as of this morning, the reports are beginning to catch up. Google said last night it would take them "at least 2-3 days to fully catch up" and reprocess the data. So if you are seeing weird data, look away and come back on Monday.

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No - Reddit It Not Blocking Google Search

Today being July 4th, I normally would avoid writing stories here but there are a lot of rumors out there that Reddit is blocking Google Search from crawling and indexing its content. It is not true - Reddit is not blocking Google Search.

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Google Zero Click Study Now At 58.5% In 2024

Rand Fishkin has come out with his 2024 edition of the Google zero click study and it shows that in the US, zero clicks are now at 58.5%, which is down from 65% in 2021. The study says about 37% of Google searches lead to no action, 21.4% lead to another Google search and 41.5% lead to a click.

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Current Styles Google Search Carousel

Google Search has a new shopping-related carousel named "current styles." This shows up for some shopping-related queries, and if you search for a product, it might show you style variations that may be trending.

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Google Explains Why Search Console Reporting Delays Are Not In Search Status Dashboard

As of right now, Google Search Console is having a significant delay with its Performance reports and some are wondering why the status of the delay is not in the Google Search Status Dashboard like other search related issues.

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Google Ads New Brand Exclusion Won't Prevent Your Ads For Showing For Random Firms

The other day we reported about the new Google Ads brand controls. But as we gain more and more clarity, it seems it does not give advertisers all the controls they need.

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Microsoft Advertising Property Center & Lodging Campaigns Expands

Microsoft announced Property Center for Microsoft Advertising's lodging campaigns. This should make it easier for you to manage your Hotel Price Ads and Property Promotion Ads for your hotel or vacation rental property.

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Google Merchant Center Conversion Data Usage Changes

Google sent out notices via email to Google Merchant Center merchants about a change to how Google collects and uses conversion data that you share with Google. Google said it may use that data for new reporting and also for ways to improve Google Search experiences and services.

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Google Ads To Allow Fantasy Sports & Lottery Couriers Ads In Many States

Google has posted that it begin to accept and run ads for Daily Fantasy Sports and lottery couriers in many states within the United States. This change goes into affect on July 15, 2024 and advertisers must apply for certification.

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Google Search Console Working To Fix Search Performance Delays & Latency

Google has confirmed it is working to fix the delays and latency issues with the Google Search Console Performance reports. This happens to the performance reports and often other reports in Google Search Console every now and then and generally Google is able to get it to catch up over time.

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Google Explains Why Soft 404s Are Bad

Gary Illyes from Google explained two reasons why soft 404 errors are bad. Soft 404s are when a page returns a 200 status okay, but Google thinks that page should return a 404 page not found error. According to Gary, soft 404s are bad because they (1) limit crawl budget and (2) the pages won't likely show up in Google Search.

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Google Posts Reviews Troubleshooting & FAQs For Missing and Remove Reviews

A Google community manager, Alistair D., posted a Reviews troubleshooting and FAQs document in the Google Business Profiles forums. It goes through why reviews go missing, why reviews are removed and how to troubleshoot those issues with the Google Business Profiles tools.

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Google Search Tests Top Quality Store Badge Near Site Name

Google is testing placing the top quality store badge and icon next to the site name area in the Google mobile search results. This brings up that icon from the bottom portion of the snippet to the very top of the snippet.

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Prompt Injection Added To Bing Webmaster Guidelines

Bing added a new guideline to its Bing Webmaster Guidelines named Prompt Injection. A prompt injection is a type of cyberattack against large language models (LLMs). Hackers disguise malicious inputs as legitimate prompts, manipulating generative AI systems (GenAI) into leaking sensitive data, spreading misinformation, or worse, according to IBM.

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