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 Local Service Ads opts advertisers into booking links, by default, and then charges them for those leads. Google is doing more work to make crawling more efficient. Bing is testing a new UI for links in the Copilot answers. Bing is testing underlined and bolded sponsored results, also gray ones. There was a bug with the Google Ads sitelinks creation page that put competitor URLs some campaigns.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Ads Sitelinks Creation Page Bug With Prefill Functionality
Google Ads had a bug with the sitelinks creation page, where the prefill functionality was not working right. Google confirmed the issue and said it was "very limited and was not widespread." -
Google Local Service Ads Booking Links Now Charges Like Calls Automatically
Google has sent out an email to its Google Local Service Ads advertisers, notifying them that they are now letting searchers use a booking link to schedule an appointment or service, when the booking link is detected on the Google Business Profile of that business. -
Bing Tests Underlined & Bold Sponsored Results
A few weeks ago, we saw Microsoft testing green colored sponsored URLs for the Bing search results. Now I am seeing reports of both underlined and bolded URLs and titles of the sponsored results, where the organic/free listings are not underlined or bolded. -
Google: There Is A Lot More Work To Do To Make Crawling More Efficient
Last April 2024, Gary Illyes from Google said he was on a mission to make web crawling more efficient, he wanted to "figure out how to crawl even less, and have fewer bytes on wire." Gary updated us saying "there's lots more in works" for this but implies some improvements have already been made. -
Bing Tests New Links UI For Copilot AI Answers
Microsoft is testing another user interface and experience for the links they show within its AI Answers, the Copilot responses. These links show with a hyperlink icon and the domain name spelled out, and then when you mouse over it, it has a carousel you can flip through for more links. -
Google Boxing Ring
Here is an interesting miniature version of boxing ring at the Google office in Mexico. I am not sure what this is about, but it 100% caught my eye. It fits maybe 2 adults, maybe...
Other Great Search Threads:
- Bing tests surrounding links below rich cards; when clicked, they turn into a new query., Sachin Patel on X
- That's weird! Sometimes, Bing search result show only two organic results, with the rest being sponsored ads—even on the first screen., Shameem Adhikarath on X
- Deep research is now rolling out to all ChatGPT Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users, OpenAI on X
- Ecommerce SEO: ensure that the information provided within your product feed is extensive (and matches the PDP). Quite a common situation with free listing results on Google is not having all important product-relates data being fe, Brodie Clark on X
- The limit does not exist. That's right — starting today, we're rolling out even more powerful capabilities to all users with free, unlimited access to Voice and Think Deeper. Find out more here., Microsoft Copilot on X
- Ziff Davis CEO Vivek Shah just made some interesting comments regarding AI and SEO that I've included below. The company behind SEO platform Moz and countless content brands you'll be familiar with reported Q4 revenue of $412., Glen Allsopp on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Not appearing in Google AI Overviews significantly harms webpages: Study
- A guide to web crawlers: What you need to know
- PPC budgeting in 2025: When to adjust, scale, and optimize with data
- Google Search Console API delayed
- SEO prioritization: How to focus on what moves the needle
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
Industry & Business
- Google shares its first Health Impact Report, Google Blog
- Perplexity launches $50M seed and pre-seed VC fund, TechCrunch
Links & Content Marketing
- Building Quality Backlinks Without Dodgy Tactics, Nikki Pilkington
- Check Your SEO Strategy Vitals With These 5 Questions, Content Marketing Institute
- You’re Not Ready for Link Building Without Linkable Assets, The Upper Ranks
Local & Maps
- Ads Popped Up on Drivers' Screens. There May Be More on the Way, Wired
- Google Maps for CarPlay fixes route previews in latest update, 9to5Google
- How to Recognize And Report Your Competitors’ GBP Review Fraud, GatherUp
- Update Now: New Google Maps Version Fixes Major CarPlay Issue, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
- iPhone dictation transcribes 'racist' with 'Trump', Apple promises a fix, 9to5Mac
- Try free Gemini Code Assist and Gemini Code Review in GitHub, Google Blog
SEO
- 2025 SEO Trends and Strategies for Enterprises, seoClarity
- A High "SEO Score" Isn't the Goal, SEO Savvy Agent
- Google’s SEO Reckoning: Winners, Losers, and What’s Next for Affiliate Marketers, Hello Partner
- How to use robots.txt, meta robots, and canonical tags correctly, Oncrawl
- Introducing the Programmatic SEO Plan Builder: Streamline Content Strategy, Metehan
- Leveraging AI-Generated Schema for Health Content Optimisation, Sitebulb
- RDF and Schema Markup, Schema App Solutions
- Reverse Engineer On-Page SEO - Create a Page Structure That Ranks, ROI Rangers
- Why Your Average Position In Google Search Console Is Absolute Rubbish, Nikki Pilkington
PPC
- 7 Ways Google Ads is Different From Meta Ads (and How This Should Change Your Management Practices), ZATO Marketing
- How To Exclude Youtube in Google Merchant Center, FeedArmy
- Is It Time To Rethink Your Google Ads Strategy?, Group Twenty Seven
- The Impact of Cookie Consent Banners on Smart Bidding: What You Need to Know, JumpFly
- YouTube will show fewer ads in ‘interruptive’ slots, The Verge
- Google Ads Bid Management 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Higher Conversions, Optmyzr
- Updates to Gambling and games policy - Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Vermont and Washington (February 2025), Google Advertising Policies Help
Search Features
- Exploring the Impact of AIOs on Web Traffic, Terakeet Engineering Blog
- Google announces free Gemini Code Assist for individuals, 9to5Google
- Google could make Circle to Search slicker with a transparent navigation bar, Android Central
- New Gemini Live update rolling out: How to check if you have it, 9to5Google
- From SGE to AIO & AI-organized: AI on the SERPS, STAT Search Analytics
- YouTube's Growing Impact on Google AI Overviews: What Marketers Need to Know, BrightEdge
Other Search
- Workers’ experience with AI chatbots in their jobs, Pew Research Center
- The future of the internet is likely smaller communities, with a focus on curated experiences, The Verge
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