Daily Search Forum Recap: July 23, 2026

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.

Large publishers are at the verge of blocking Google Search. The EU fined Google $1 billion over DMA issues with Search and Google Play. Google posted its biggest quarter revenues yet and ads were up big too. There was another review bug in Google local, this was with review replies. Google Maps is also emailing when you review content was not posted. Google is revamping hotel search results in the EU. Google Ads API version 25 is out, it is a major release. Google Discover is testing rounded corners for its cards. OpenAI has added a new tooltip to the conversions column within the ChatGPT Ads Manager.

Search Engine Roundtable Stories:

• Large Publishers Strongly Considering Blocking Google Search Completely
  Several large publishers are strongly considering blocking Google Search entirely after clicks from Google Search have continued to decline, and the exchange of value in having Google consume its content is no longer translating into enough clicks from Google Search.
• Google Ad Revenue Up 14.5% With Revenue Up 24% - Biggest Quarter Ever
  Google reported its earnings today, its Q2 2026 earnings report showed search ad revenues up by 14.5% at $81.6 billion and overall revenue was up 24% at $119.8 billion. As you know...
• EU Fines Google $1 Billion Under DMA For Anti-Competitive Search Dominance
  The European Union has fined Google ''¬890 million (about $1 billion) for breaches of the Digital Markets Act. Specifically, over anti-competitive behavior with Google Search and Google Play.
• Another Google Local Bug: Google Local Review Replies Not Displaying
  Another day, another bug with Google local, specific with reviews. Today's bug is that the review replies are not showing up for many. This is a new widespread bug, that seems to be impacting all Google Business Profiles.
• Google Hotel Search Updates In EU Based On DMA
  Google may be rolling out updates to its hotel search results based on the European Commission's requirement for Google to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Despite Google not being a fan of the requirement, it seems Google needs to make changes to its search results as a result.
• Google Maps Review Not Posted Email Notice
  Google is now sending out notifications when a review is not posted after a user tries to submit a review on a Google local business profile. The notice says "review not posted," and adds "Our automated systems removed this content because it seems that the content may not follow our Maps content policies."
• Google Ads API Version 25 Now Available
  Google has released version 25 of the Google Ads API, this is a major release with dozens of updates.
• Google Discover Tests Rounded Corners
  Google is testing using rounded corners for the stories and cards that show up in the Google Discover feed. Google normally shows the images for the stories as rectangles but now we are seeing Google round out the corners and add white borders to the edges of the images.
• ChatGPT Ads Manager Gains Conversions Value Tooltips
  OpenAI has added a new tooltip to the conversions column within the ChatGPT Ads Manager. This tooltip shows the conversion values for View Through Attribution (VTA) and Click Through Attribution (CTA).
• Google London Cocktail Mixing Event
  Google had some sort of event at the London office where they were mixing cocktails. Here is a video from that event which was posted on Instagram.

Other Great Search Threads:

• If you read the amazing series from @suganthan about viewing the ChatGPT pipeline (bright, labrador, bing, etc.), then you will be disappointed by the latest update. OpenAI just removed result_source. Of course they did... but it still sucks they did that. :) More from LinkedIn, Glenn Gabe on X
• Google Discover is adding, or rather reintroducing, the "About this result" option to the menus of each card. This is identical to what we see on the SERPs (search engine results pages). This isn't new, as we saw this option in Discover on November 20, 2024, under the name, Damien Andell on X

Search Engine Land Stories:

• Google loses key DMCA claims against SerpApi in scraping lawsuit
• Google Ads rolls out video campaign groups globally
• How semantics and topical authority improve local SEO
• Does topical authority matter in AI search?
• The data-backed case for publishing less content
• The 4-step health check for your target ROAS and CPA

Other Great Search Stories:

AI & LLMs

• Introducing OpenAI Presence, OpenAI
• Substack promotes human content with 'scan for AI' feature, Press Gazette
• Breaking down how ChatGPT Shopping works behind the user experience, Profound
• Unreliable AI answers are 'good enough' for most users of platforms, Press Gazette

Analytics

• Designing A Measurement Framework Before You Touch GA4, Search Engine Journal
• Analyze AI Citation Queries by Topic - Understand your customers, Microsoft Clarity Blog

Industry & Business

• Google commits to 2.1M sq ft in Silicon Valley expansion, Silicon Valley Business Journal
• Google, Nvidia deepen Europe robotics play with Microagi compute deal, Semafor
• Google to open new office building in Dublin, RTE
• Google set to face more adtech damages claims in France, Global Competition Review
• NewsCorp accuses search engine Brave of AI copyright infringement, Semafor
• OpenAI Plans to Spend Over $30 Billion on Georgia Data Center, Bloomberg
• Reddit stock sinks on report it may not renew Google AI content deal, CNBC
• OpenAI’s Planned Cloud Spending Hits $750 Billion as Computing Efforts Ramp Up, Wall Street Journal
• Google (GOOG) Q2 2026 earnings report: Live updates, CNBC
• Google says Gemini now has 950 million monthly users., The Verge
• Water Authority Addresses Questions About Google Data Center Water Usage, WDBJ7

Links & Content Marketing

• 14 Red Flags That Make Your Writing Sound Like AI (+How to Fix It), WordStream
• B2B Earned Media: What To Know Now, Content Marketing Institute

Local & Maps

• Google Maps on Android Auto Loses Traffic Information, Users Call for Emergency Update, Autoevolution
• Verified Google Business Profile In Minutes, Online Ownership
• EP 266 - Cyrus Shepard: What Local Brand Actually Means to Google and AI, Near Media
• WhatsApp adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto upgrades, iPad sign-ups, and more, TechCrunch
• Google Maps search may have uncovered 390-million-year-old crater, USA Today

Other Search

• Reach moves away from 'volume' as traffic, revenue and share price plunge, Press Gazette

PPC

• How to Protect Smart Bidding From Spam Conversions in Google Ads, Optmyzr
• Google Introduces Attributed Brand Search Metrics to Google Ads, ZATO Marketing
• Proactivity in PPC:, PPC Live
• Update to Cryptocurrencies and related products policy (August 2026) - Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, Google Advertising Policies Help
• Google Local Services Ads Meet PMax: What You Need to Know, WordStream
• Turning Data into Growth: How Mindgruve Is Redefining Performance Marketing, Microsoft Advertising
• Update to Healthcare and Medicines Policy (July 2026) - telemedicine providers to promote prescription drug services in Spain, Google Advertising Policies Help
• When “the Wrong Clients” Keep Showing Up, Hop Skip Media

Search Features

• How to use your Gemini Live camera for real-time help, Google Blog
• Google scrubbed it, but Bing kept the receipts that show where LeBron James may play next season, Windows Central
• Googling 'Jimothy' brings up an unexpected surprise, Mashable

SEO

• How to Do a Website Audit (+ Ways to Automate It), SE Ranking
• You're Searching Like An Expert, Not A Customer, Nikki Pilkington

Feedback:

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