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.
Posted a status update on what we're seeing from the Google March 2025 core update. Google is replacing the Google Assistant with Gemini, surprise - surprise. Bing says SEOs should focus on conversions and click value over other things. Google said it made updates to AI Overview links in May but it did not. Google updated its Merchant Center return details code examples. Google can hijack a restaurants reservation system leading to a huge drop in reservations. Google now updates its Googlebot IP JSON file daily, from weekly.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google March Core Update Volatility Status
As you know, Thursday, March 13, 2025 at around 12:30 pm ET Google announced the March 2025 core update, the first core update of the 2025 year. I was expecting to see a lot of volatility by now and while we are seeing some sites report volatility, it does not feel as widespread or heated as a normal core update - YET. -
Google Assistant To Be Replaced Bu Gemini
The time has come for the Google Assistant to be replaced by Gemini, Google's younger and better assistant (despite it being wrong way too often). Google announced, "Over the coming months, we're upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini; and later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores." -
Microsoft Bing: SEOs Should Focus on Conversions & Click Value
Fabrice Canel from the Microsoft Bing team told SEOs that instead of focusing on traffic and rankings, they should focus on conversions and click value. He said on X, "SEOs should focus on conversion." -
Google Said It Made Updates To AI Overviews Links In May But Did Not
Digiday reported that a Google spokesperson told them they made link updates to AI Overviews in May 2024 that added more links and made it easier for searchers to click on links. But I don't think that is true, that didn't come until August 2024, and did they really help drive clicks to your sites? -
Google Merchant Center Adds Return Code Example With returnPolicyCountry
Google added returnPolicyCountry to the return policy code examples within the Google Merchant Center structured data document. This is because Google requires returnPolicyCountry for MerchantReturnPolicy. -
Google Hijacks Restaurants Booking System Leading To No Available Reservations
Imagine you own a restaurant and you get all your reservations online through your booking system; you even tell people to book online when they call, via an automated message. But then, all of a sudden, Google decides to hijack that booking link and replace it with Google Assistant's calling feature. -
Google Updates Googlebot's IP Addresses In JSON File Daily
Google has switched from updating its googlebot.json file, the file that contains the list of IP addresses Googlebot uses, from weekly to daily. Gary Illyes from Google said this was done based on feedback from the community. -
Black Panther & Tony Stark At Yahoo Offices
Back in 2018, it seems that Black Panther played by Chadwick Boseman and Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. were at the Yahoo offices. This is an old photo I found on Instagram that were associated or tagged at the Yahoo office.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Has anyone created LLMs.txt for your website?, Reddit
- Hello marketers, I will soon be heading out for a week of family time and will be returning on Monday 3/24. You'll also see this reflected in my handle name. Hopefully that’s helpful. Have a good week! As always, p, AdsLiaison on X
- Google is now testing out subtle changes to the search bar items and icons. When hovering over each they are now in bold, along with black icons for the search by voice, search by image and search icons (instead of the colourful sta, SERP Alert on X
- Microsoft is showing a feedback form for Bing Search results., Radu Oncescu on X
- Your outie found a surprise by typing [Severance] into the Search bar and clicking on the party horn., Google Search Liaison On Bluesky
- Even now AVIF is 1% to 1.5% of images. New formats take a looooong time to get traction., Barry Pollard on Bluesky
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google to replace Google Assistant with Gemini
- The latest jobs in search marketing
- Google shares AI and human evaluating process for policy violations
- Google’s Demand Gen upgrade: Key changes and success strategies
- How to make engaging long-form YouTube videos
- Navigating Google’s site reputation abuse policy: What publishers need to know
Other Great Search Stories:
Analytics
- Meta Invites More Advertisers To Link Their Google Analytics Account, Social Media Today
Industry & Business
- Google calls for weakened copyright and export rules in AI policy proposal, TechCrunch
- How Google is responding to AI cheating in coder interviews, CNBC
- 'Open' AI model licenses often carry concerning restrictions, TechCrunch
- Get Ready for Search Central Live Asia Pacific 2025, Google Search Central Blog
Links & Content Marketing
- How Content Marketing Boosts Home Service SEO | Red Canoe Media, Red Canoe Media
- Content is King - But What’s Content?, Level343
Local & Maps
- How to go back in time using Google Maps, The Verge
- Apple launches new app to help firms improve Apple Maps, AppleInsider
- What's new in Google Business Profile: March 2025, Google Business Profile Help
- Android Auto 14.0 released in beta with temp control, alert prep, 9to5Google
- Android Auto has 3 terrible features I wish Google would fix, Android Police
Mobile & Voice
- Apple’s Siri Chief Calls AI Delays Ugly and Embarrassing, Promises Fixes, Bloomberg
- Everything you say to your Echo will be sent to Amazon starting on March 28, Ars Technica
- Siri delays hurt, but half-baked features could have been a real Apple crisis, 9to5Mac
- ChatGPT Beta for Android Now Supports the Home Button Replacing Google Assist, Search Engine World
- Google Assistant losing 7 more features on Android, Nest Hub, 9to5Google
- Google's default Phone app lacks 5 key features, Android Police
SEO
- &udm=14 Search Hack: Could It Be In Danger Of Breaking?, Tedium
- 4 Essential Strategies for Navigating SEO in the AI Search Era, BrightEdge
- Robots refresher — page-level granularity, Google Search Central Blog
- Server Side Site Auditing and Optimization With AI – Masters of Traffic Part 4, Search Engine World
- Turkey's independent news websites face closure risk after Google changes, Reuters
- What ChatGPT Can (and Cannot) See on Your Website: A Comprehensive Audit, getAISO
- The SEOFOMO Ecommerce SEO in 2025 Survey, SEOFOMO
PPC
- How Karaca Optimised Performance Max Campaigns with AI for Better Performance, PPC Live
- Phone Number Confirmation for Account Verification, PPC News Feed
- Update to Gambling and Games Policy for Nigeria (March 2025), Google Advertising Policies Help
- Update to Regional Restriction Policies in Ukraine (March 2025), Google Advertising Policies Help
- Control How Google Contacts You for Campaign Guidance, PPC News Feed
- How to Choose the Right PPC Bid Management Tool for Your Needs (+ 6 Top Picks), Optmyzr
Search Features
- Pi Day 2025: Top pie trends on Search, Google Blog
- St. Patrick's Day 2025 Doodle, Google Doodles
Other Search
- Revealed: The exact search result data sent to Google’s AI, DEJAN
- Baidu Releases Reasoning AI Model to Take On DeepSeek, Bloomberg
- Manus AI Pushes the DeepSeek Moment Further, Bloomberg
Feedback:
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