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 on April 22nd and 23rd. Google Analytics real time reporting has had a glitch since yesterday. Google AdSense policy center has a big update. Google removed the EnergyConsumptionDetails properties and added an alternative solution to the certificationIdentification property. Google posted a video interview on verification must knows. Google Ads reports now have a tree view table. Google Local Service Ads relaxed its photo guidelines.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up April 22-23
Over the past few days, I've noticed signs of increased Google Search ranking volatility. I held off reporting on it until now because I wanted to see how things settled, but it does seem like Google is testing ranking algorithm updates, on and off, over the past few days. -
Google AdSense Policy Center Adds 3 Policy Issues, Filters & Review Process
Google AdSense has updated its policy center by adding three new issue labels; policy issue, regulatory issue, and advertiser preference and also adding new filters. Google said this is to "help you better understand, prioritize, and resolve your issues." -
Google Merchant Center EnergyConsumptionDetails Replaced By certificationIdentification But Backwards Compatible
Google updated its Google Merchant Center merchant listing structured data documentation to removed the EnergyConsumptionDetails properties and added an alternative solution to the certificationIdentification property. But keep in mind that the hasEnergyConsumptionDetails is backwards compatible for those who have already implemented it. -
Google Business Profiles Video Interview On Verifications Must Knows
Google's Lisa Landsman interviewed Google's Google Business Profiles Verification Product Manager, Sheerna. They discussed a lot of the concerns many local SEOs and small businesses are dealing with around GBPs and also the challenges they have with managing the service. -
Google Ads Tree Table Reports View
Google Ads is rolling out a new way to view some of your reports in a tree table view. "Instead of flat tables, you now get a hierarchical layout where dimensions are stacked visually," explained Thomas Eccel who posted about this on LinkedIn. -
Google Relaxing Local Service Ads Photo Guidelines After May 22nd
Google is relaxing its photo guidelines for Local Service Ads. This may result in photos that were not previously allowed, may be allowed after May 22, 2025. I am not sure if these photos will automatically show up in your Local Service Ads or if you need to manually approve them after May 22nd. -
Google Analytics Real Time Reporting Glitching
I am seeing a number of complaints that Google Analytics real-time reporting is not working properly. Many are complaining that the data looks off and is underreporting, at best. -
Mr. Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador at Google London
I am honestly not sure what is going on here but there is this Ccori mascot at the Google London office with Mr. Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador.
Other Great Search Threads:
- If you want to know more about how Google Flights works & the complexity of airline constraints & combinatorial combinations, I highly recommend this set of slides by Carl de Marcken (co-founder of ITA software, which underpins of Google Fligh, Jeff Dean on Bluesky
- imagegen is launched in the openai api! build cool stuff plz, Sam Altman on X
- Interested in Discover? The constant tinkering continues. Now I have hearts back for "liking" posts. Also, sports are receiving special treatment with a carousel of social posts for teams. I know many publishers rely on Discover so i, Glenn Gabe on X
- Introducing Perplexity Assistant on iOS: the first time an AI app can answer questions and take basic actions on your iPhone: starting with playing media, drafting emails, moving meetings, booking rides, making reservations, s, Aravind Srinivas on X
- Just released a second Release Candidate of web-vitals.js v5 (v5.0.0-rc.1) containing a few new features and some bug fixes and memory improvements. This should be the last release candidate and we're planning to release the final version, Barry Pollard on Bluesky
- Removing website from Google, Reddit
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Shopify’s checkout overhaul means it’s time to migrate your Google Tags
- Google Ads introduces tree table views for enhanced reporting
- Google’s new Demand Gen channel controls available in beta
- Google scraps new cookie prompt in Chrome
- Google Ads made simple: Using life events for audience targeting
- Join Google, Chewy, and Amazon at SMX Advanced!
- How to choose the best AI visibility tool
- 3 SEO priorities to win organic traffic in 2025
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- Ex-OpenAI staff and top AI experts seek to block proposed for-profit restructure, Financial Times (Sub)
- Google teams are including remote workers in their cuts, CNBC
- Google Trial: Google Blocked Motorola’s Use of Perplexity AI, Witness Testifies, Bloomberg
- Google, X next targets as Europe stays tough on tech regulation, Reuters
- OpenAI Forecasts Revenue Topping $125 Billion in 2029 as Agents, New Products Gain, The Information
Links & Content Marketing
- Can Brands Find Safe Harbor on Social Anymore?, Content Marketing Institute
- 5 tactics to make your B2B content hit harder and stick longer, MarTech
Local & Maps
- Google Assistant Driving Mode in Maps for Android is missing, 9to5Google
- Apple Quietly Releases Anticipated Apple Maps Update, No Reason to Ditch Google Maps, AutoEvolution
- Google Seemingly Planning to Phase Out Another Key Google Maps Feature, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
- Apple’s New Siri Chief Mike Rockwell Overhauls Management to Start Turnaround, Bloomberg
- Google Gemini has 350M monthly users, reveals court hearing, TechCrunch
- Google is starting to erase all Assistant traces from Wear OS, PhoneArena
- OpenAI makes ChatGPT's image generation available as API, VentureBeat
SEO
- 101 SEO Stats to Reference Everywhere in 2025, WordStream
- How to Optimize Core Web Vitals for an Ecommerce Site, Bluetuskr
- What is vector embedding for SEO: Insights from Mike King, Wix SEO Hub
- Does Exact Match Anchor Text Boost SEO? SEO Myths Debunked, Nikki Pilkington
- Entity-Based SEO: What Google Actually Wants vs. What We've Been Doing This Whole Time, Magnus Loev
- Hobo SEO Dashboard - Privacy, Security and Permissions, Hobo
PPC
- Google Ads API v17 sunset reminder, Google Ads Developer Blog
- The industry’s response to Google’s third-party cookie u-turn: 'endless millions have been wasted', Digiday
- Blue Shield shared 4.7M people's health info with Google Ads, The Register
- Google’s “Other” Problem: The Hidden Costs Of Ad Opacity, AdExchanger
- Google’s Chrome retreat puts drive for cookie alternatives in doubt, Digiday
- How Google’s cookie decision kills its Privacy Sandbox vision, Ad Age
Search Features
- "You Can’t Lick a Badger Twice": Google's AI Is Making Up Explanations for Nonexistent Folksy Sayings, Futurism
- OpenAI makes its upgraded image generator available to developers, TechCrunch
- Google announces ongoing support for schools affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, Google Blog
Other Search
- An AI Model Has Officially Passed the Turing Test, Futurism
- ChatGPT is Cannibalizing Google Search But Not on Commercial Queries, The Information
- Google Discover feed surfacing social media accounts and posts, 9to5Google
- Google’s Gemini User Numbers Revealed in Court, The Information
- Microsoft just launched powerful AI 'agents' that could completely transform your workday -- and challenge Google's workplace dominance, VentureBeat
Feedback:
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