Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.
Google says you do not need a blog in 2025, but do you? Google also said adding country codes to your URLs won't help with SEO. Google is testing what people are saying expandable carousels. Google Ads API does not support placement exclusions for Performance Max campaigns. Bing is testing arrow buttons for sitelinks. And I posted the weekly SEO video recap this morning.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Ads API Does Not Currently Support Placement Exclusions For PMax
The Google Ads API currently does not accept or support placement exclusions for Performance Max campaigns. This is also the case even if specified at the account level, Michael Cloonan, a Google Ads API specialist, wrote. -
Google: Adding Country Codes To URLs Won't Help For SEO
Google's John Mueller said that simply adding country codes to your URLs won't result in "any change at all" for regional ranking reasons. He added, changing your URLs will result in "temporary fluctuations" because of the URL change but it won't help you in the long run with ranking well in those regions. -
Google: Startups In 2025 Don't Necessarily Need A Blog
A Redditor posted a question asking if startups in 2025 need a blog. This was posted in the SEO section of Reddit, so John Mueller replied by just saying "no." I guess a startup does not "need" a blog for SEO purposes, it is not a requirement. -
Google What People Are Saying Expandable Carousels
We've seen various flavors of the what people are saying sections in the search results before. We've even see Google use AI to return results within them. But it seems this expandable carousel format is live in the mobile Google search results now. -
Bing Tests Arrow Buttons For Sitelinks Like Google
Bing is now testing placing these arrow buttons, in a circle button format, next to the sitelinks. This is something Google has been testing on and off for some time in their search results as well. -
Google In Ground Work Area
Google has these workspaces that are actually embedded in the floor. I don't know why. Maybe the ceiling is low in the area. But I found this photo on Instagram from the Google office in Germany. -
Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google New Years Ranking Volatility, 2024 Algorithm Updates, Gemini In 2025 & More
It's the new year and why should that mean that Google Search calm down at all, in fact, it has been heated all holiday season, through New Years. I posted the 2024 Google algorithm update infographic. I also posted the January 2025 Google webmaster report...
Other Great Search Threads:
- If you're curious about what LLMs have been up to in 2024, without all the hype, this is a great compilation., John Mueller on Bluesky
- It's time for the Mueller Report of SEO memes for 2024. #SEO, John Mueller on Bluesky
- Ugh. Looks like Reddit now has the ability to rank more broadly within AI Overviews on Google (since the Dec 2024 core update). It was barely ranking in them since AIOs went prime time. That looks to have now changed.., SERP Alert on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- Apple agrees to $95M settlement to end Siri recordings lawsuit, AppleInsider
- Everything Google killed in 2024: 8 new entries to the Google Graveyard, Android Police
- Google Awaits ‘Severe’ Punishment in 2025, Analyst Says, Downgrading Alphabet Stock, Barron's
- Google’s antitrust woes spark analyst downgrade of Alphabet’s stock, MarketWatch
Links & Content Marketing
- The 7 Top Content Marketing Trends for 2025, WordStream
- 5 Content Marketing Ideas for February 2025, Practical Ecommerce
- What Is Curated Content, DesignRush
Local & Maps
- Google's refusal to change an error in Google Maps sends hundreds of tourists to the wrong location, PhoneArena
- Russian court tells Yandex to hide images of oil refinery after Ukrainian attacks, TASS says, Reuters
Mobile & Voice
- Apple Vision Pro May Now Be Out of Production, MacRumors
- These coming Vision Pro upgrades could lead to big 2025 success, 9to5Mac
- How to program your iPhone's Action Button to summon ChatGPT's voice assistant, ZDNET
SEO
- How to Remove Your Site from AI Overviews in Google Search, Mr Jonathan Jones
- Search Engines Think I Plagiarized My Own Content! My Hacker News Case Study, SEM King
- Understanding the December Google updates. Have you been impacted? If so, what do you do?, Marie Haynes
- What Is Google’s Navboost Algorithm?, Semrush
PPC
- Google Ads Match Types in 2025: What You Need to Know, Jyll Saskin Gales
- Google Ads and AI: What Marketers Need to Know for 2025, Jyll Saskin Gales
- Organic Vs. Paid Search and Social Media: A Guide for Local Business Owners, Bitvero
Feedback:
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