Daily Search Forum Recap: February 20, 2025

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 Search ranking volatility heated up today after a calming period. Google Lens AI overviews increase and iOS apps gain more Lens (circle to search) features. Google Business Profile posts now support AI-generated backgrounds for your images. Google Ads can now create people and faces with its AI-generated tools. Google said audio versions of your page do not help with SEO. Google top quality store pages can have AI-generated review summaries.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google Search Ranking Volatility Heating Up Again
  It's been almost two weeks since I last reported on a Google Search ranking update (unconfirmed) and that may be a recent record. But that being said, I am now seeing some signs of another unconfirmed Google update. The tools are starting to spike, and I am seeing some limited chatter within the SEO community.
• Google Lens AI Overviews Expands & iOS App Search Screen
  Google announced a couple new Google Lens features; (1) they are expanding how AI Overviews show on Google Lens results and (2) Chrome and Google's iOS app now let you search your screen with Google Lens.
• Google Ads AI Images Can Now Create People & Faces
  Google announced three updates to its image and assets system including its generative AI can now generate people and faces. Google also announced asset audience recommendations and asset testing for feed-only Performance Max campigns.
• Google Business Profiles Posts Integrates AI-Enhanced Images
  Google Business Profiles now can add backgrounds to the images you upload to your Google Posts, using AI. Victoria Kroll from Google wrote that you can now "can create an engaging AI-generated background for the photos you plan to use in the post."
• Google: Audio Version Of Page Does Not Benefit Your Google Rankings
  Martin Split from Google said that having an audio version of a page or a blog post, does not impact your Google rankings. He said it is good for your users, but has no SEO impact.
• Google Top Quality Store Pages Add AI-Generated Review Summaries
  Google is showing AI-generated review summaries on some top quality store pages. So when you click on a specific retailer or merchant's top quality store link, at the top of the reviews you may see an AI-generated summary of those reviews.
• Google Ships Laptop Sticker
  Here is a cute Google sticker that says Google Ships with a boat/ship. I am sure there is more meaning around it but you tell me what you see. This was shared by Paige Bailey who works on the Google Deep Mind team.

Other Great Search Threads:

• Because you TOTALLY asked for this… and MapQuest has NOTHING better to do… We’ve granted you exclusive access to a place very dear to our heart: gulfof.mapquest.com Think of it as the Upside Down but more... minimalist. Pls share so we ca, MapQuest on Bluesky
• I was honored to help tell the story of Bing (and to be quoted!) in the new book, “The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft,” which is on shelves today - Congratulations to @DeanCarignan and @JoAnnGarbin on the relea, Michael Schechter on X
• Killed the Goose that laid the golden egg, WebmasterWorld
• Traffic sources primarily affect the same traffic source. So the recommendation system (Browse > Home Page), for example, will look at watch time for the video when it's clicked on from the Home Page, not from external sourc, YouTube Liaison on X
• Is BlackHat SEO dead?, BlackHatWorld
• That is from the part of the announcement about new asset audience recommendations, which recommends images that you *already have* in your account to use in your campaign. The image we used in th, AdsLiaison on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Google just lifted its 2019 ban on fingerprinting for advertisers
• Google AI Overviews now showing on more Google Lens results
• How to use keyword insertion for more effective Google Ads
• Google image AI model can now generate humans for ads
• DeepSeek & SEO: What you need to know
• How to integrate SEO into your broader marketing strategy

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

• Custom Overview Report in GA4, KRM Digital Marketing

Industry & Business

• MozCon Announcement: We’re on the Road in 2025!, Moz
• Satya Nadella – Microsoft’s AGI Plan & Quantum Breakthrough, Dwarkesh Patel
• Welcome to Ananta, Google India’s new campus in Bengaluru, Google Blog
• Russia's Yandex reports record annual revenues for 2024, Reuters

Links & Content Marketing

• What Is an SEO Article? Why Should Your Write One? And How?, BruceClay
• Why the Future Depends on Responsible Marketing, Content Marketing Institute
• How to Get Customers (There Are Only 4 Ways), Ahrefs
• How To Use Inbound Marketing To Drive Traffic Without Paid Ads, Moz

Local & Maps

• Apple could add Google Maps-like ads to Apple Maps, Android Authority
• Drivers handed major boost that will 'simplify parking for millions' with new Google Maps update, GB News
• MapQuest's 'Name Your Own Gulf', Daring Fireball

Mobile & Voice

• Google Assistant now supports Amazon Music on Nest speakers, 9to5Google
• New mobile apps on cars with Google built-in, Google Blog

SEO

• AI Overviews & SERP Volatility: Research into how Google’s Search Results Change, Authoritas
• Are Stock Prices and Organic Traffic Correlated? I Analyzed 2,000 Public Companies to Find Out, Ahrefs
• Google HCU SEO / The Disconnected Entity Hypothesis, Hobo
• Google Quality Issues: Harmful to Consumers & Possibly Intentional, Wallethub
• Mastering HREFLang x-default, International Web Mastery
• SEO in 2024: Winners, Losers, and Overall Trends, Amsive
• The impact of AI Overviews on SEO - analysis of 19 studies, Growth Memo
• Brighton SEO: The Biggest Challenge in Real Estate SEO (and a 2025 Prediction), SEO Savvy Agent
• Does A High Bounce Rate Affect SEO And Ranking?, Nikki Pilkington
• Why I Run SEO Tests (And You Should Too), Level343

PPC

• Analyzing AI Overview Data w/ Paid Conversions: Finding When to Care, Seer Interactive
• Malware hides on Google docs: passwords and private chats at risk, Cybernews
• Rising CPCs: The New Battle to Stretch Your Budget, JumpFly
• Unlocking the Power of Customer Match: Guide to Maximizing Google Ads, Seer Interactive

Search Features

• Explore new career possibilities with Career Dreamer, Google Blog
• Google Research launches new scientific research tool, AI co-scientist, Google Blog
• SearchResearch Challenge (2/19/25): Asking questions of images with AI?, SearchReSearch

Other Search

• Critical Microsoft Bing Vulnerability Let Attackers Execute Code Remotely, Cyber Security News

Feedback:

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