Daily Search Forum Recap: March 25, 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 rolled out AI Mode to more users, it has a bit of a hiccup but all is good now. Google has a bug where it is not showing its pagination bar for some searchers, maybe it is a test. Google Merchant Center will soon report clicks like Google Ads. Google Business Profiles has a bug with setting up new profiles and some phone numbers are disappearing. Google is promoting AI Mode with large banner ads in the search results. Google LSAs test removing the green screened checkmark. Bing Ads are showing within featured snippets and they are labeled "you might also like."

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Google Business Profile Setup Stuck At Phone/Website Screen
  There are tons of complaints in the Google Business Profile Help Forums about a bug during the setup process of a Google Business Profile. When you get to the screen about adding your phone number and website address, the next button won't take you to the next screen - it just won't let you go to the next step.
• Google AI Mode Access Roll Out Bug? Now Fixed.
  About 30 minutes ago, Google sent out a batch of invites to its new AI Mode. I was one who got that email but when I click on the "try now" button, it still tells me I am on the waitlist and I can't access it just yet.
• Google Search Pagination Bar Disappears For Some Searchers
  For some Google searchers the ability to go to page two of the search results is simply not possible. The classic Google pagination bar is missing at the bottom of the results for some searchers.
• Bing Puts Ads Within Features Snippets Named You Might Also Like
  I don't know if you might also like this, you probably won't but Bing is dropped ads in their featured answers, featured snippets. They are calling these ads "You might also like."
• Google Local Service Ads Tests Removing Green Screened Checkmark
  Google seems to be testing removing the green checkmark from the Local Service Ads. I was able to replicate this for the same query, and the same set of advertisers. In one case it has the Google Screened checkmark in green and in the other, it does not.
• Google Promoting AI Mode With Banner Ad In Search Results
  Google is promoting AI Mode in its search results with a large banner ad. The banner ad says, "New! Try Al Mode. Get Al-powered responses & ask follow-ups with a new experiment. Try now..."
• Google Merchant Center Click Reporting To Change Next Month
  Google will change how it counts clicks in Google Merchant Center starting April 21, 2025. This change will make clicks count the same way Google Ads counts clicks. This means your current and historical reporting for clicks may change on April 21st.
• Google Party For Gemini (Gemini Ice Sculpture)
  Google seemed to hold some sort of party at the main Google office, it seems like this ice sculpture has the Gemini logo around it. It also has a big two at the top. So maybe this is to celebrate Gemini's second birthday?

Other Great Search Threads:

• Annotations are now available in GA reports, making it easier to: Record event. Explain changes in data. Highlight key observations for you and your team You can create annotations through the Admin API, or by ri, Google Analytics on X
• Good Morning Google Land! This is the March 24 edition of "Core Update Notes". We are a 1.5 weeks into the March core update and probably nearing the end. I ran the visibility numbers for the large list of sites I have documented th, Glenn Gabe on X
• More from the March core update: Over time I have covered what I call "yo-yo trending" where a site sees surges and drops with each major update... That can often be the case if a site remains in the gray area of Google's algorithms, Glenn Gabe on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Google AI Mode rolling out to second batch of users now
• Google Merchant Center to align click reporting with Google Ads
• SEO execution: Understanding goals, strategy, and planning
• Social search is Gen Z’s Google: Are you visible where it matters?

Other Great Search Stories:

Analytics

• Annotations, Google Analytics Help
• How to Read Google Analytics in Under 5 Minutes a Week (EP53), Compass Digital Strategies

Industry & Business

• Google Wants to Transform Search With Generative AI to Rival ChatGPT, Bloomberg
• OpenAI Considers Price Cut for ChatGPT in India, The Information
• Google’s AI Search Overhaul: Racing ChatGPT for the Web’s Future, Bloomberg
• Trump’s Aggression Sours Europe on US Cloud Giants, Wired

Links & Content Marketing

• Giving Citations and Source Links for Your Own SEO, Adam Riemer
• How to Complete a Competitor Backlink Analysis, Bluetuskr
• How to Make User Generated Content Work for You in 2025, WordStream
• How To Market Yourself for the Marketing Role You Want, Content Marketing Institute

Local & Maps

• Apple Maps shows airport baggage claim spots in odd bug, AppleInsider
• Explore Hong Kong cuisine with Nicholas Tse's Google Maps list, Google Blog
• Google Maps starts getting Gemini's new 'Ask about place' option, Android Authority
• Google says it may have accidentally deleted your Google Maps Timeline data (Update), Android Authority

Mobile & Voice

• OpenAI says its AI voice assistant is now better to chat with, TechCrunch

SEO

• Brand Visibility Is the New SEO, Practical Ecommerce
• Challenges of Intent Classification in an Evolving Landscape, Chris Green
• SEO For Fashion Ecommerce: From Seasonality to Local SEO, Sitebulb
• The Benefits of SEO for Medical Device Businesses, Codefixer
• The SEO Maturity Curve: Where Does Your Strategy Stand?, Martijn Scheijbeler
• What I learned at the 2025 Google Search Central Meetup in NYC, Lily Ray
• How to Add AI Search to Your Enterprise Visibility Strategy, Semrush
• I’ve Had It! We Need to Stop the Fearmongering and “SEO Is Dead” Narrative, Moz
• Impression and index data for ChatGPT Search using server logs, We Are Roast
• What Are Log Files & Bots? Is The Internet Dead Yet?, Sally Mills

PPC

• GMC Social Profiles Expand Beyond the US, PPC News Feed
• Google Merchant Center Condition Attribute Changes March 2025, FeedArmy
• Google Merchant Center Update, Minimum Handling Time Can Now Be Set to 0, FeedArmy
• Google’s Fingerprinting Update Might Trigger The Next Battle For Digital Privacy, AdExchanger
• How Perplexity Comet AI browser could include ads, Ad Age
• Should you switch to Target ROAS bidding?, Jyll Saskin Gales
• Spring Cleaning Your Google Ads Account: The Ultimate 2025 Google Ads Audit, Hopskip Media
• Updates to Cryptocurrency Advertising Policy in the EU (April 2025), Google Advertising Policies Help
• Why Ad-Supported Publishers Can’t Rely on Google for Traffic & Revenue, Cypress North

Other Search

• deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V3-0324, Simon Willison
• Is ChatGPT Search the Future—or Just Overhyped?, Sterling Sky
• Qwen2.5-VL-32B: Smarter and Lighter, Simon Willison

Feedback:

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