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 ads is migrating smart campaigns to performance max campaigns. Google Business Profiles performance report no longer is showing the call data. Google Ads is testing an ad call extension with the business name in it. Google Ads has this new "featured options" ad treatment. And did you know Apple maintains its own search index of billions of websites?
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
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Google Ads To Transition Smart Campaigns To Performance Max
Google Ads will transition the functionality of Smart Campaign into Performance Max campaigns in the coming months. Google said "Performance Max provides all the same benefits of Smart campaigns and more," in an email sent to one advertiser. -
Document: Apple Maintains A Search Index Of Billions Of Websites
As part of the DOJ ruling that Google is a monopoly, the document noted that Apple has its own search index and the index size is of billions of websites. The specific number was redacted but it said, "Apple maintains an index of about X billion websites." -
Google Business Profiles Call Data Gone From Performance Report
Google Business Profiles performance report is no longer showing the "call" tab that shows you statistics and data on searchers who called you from Google Search and Google Maps. I suspect this might be related to the Google Business Profile call history going away, as we reported earlier. -
Google Ads Test: Call Extensions With Advertiser Name
Google is testing yet another call extension ad format, this one shows the advertiser's name below the clickable phone number. This gives a lot more visibility to the phone number and the CTA for the call extension. -
Google Ads Featured Options Search Interface
Google Ads may be testing a new search ad format named "featured options." This shows ad listings in this thing card layouts that should be related to events. -
ChatGPT License Plate On Porsche
Here is a photo of a Porsche with a ChatGPT license plate in the state of California. This was posted by Satyajeet Salgar who works at Google on X.
Other Great Search Threads:
- Multisearch now triggers in Chrome & Google App for any selected image and then scrolled down - image is automatically selected and users can enter the text. I'm not sure if it's a test or if Google is rolling it out - are yo, Gagan Ghotra on X
- More and more rolled out! Enhanced conversions diagnostics including rating., Thomas Eccel on X
- @rustybrick Hi Barry The Authorization hold for online cards on threshold accounts will earmark funds for potential advertising fees, you'll experience enhanced security and predictability for your expenses. Simply ensure, Microsoft Advertising on X
- I've shared it with the team and will look at making it clearer., AdsLiaison on X
- Reddit Q2 earnings: Revenue from data licensing rose 691% to $28.1M -> Reddit Q2: revenue rose 54% YoY to $281.2M, vs. $254M est., Daily Active Uniques increased 51% YoY to 91.2M, and net loss dropped from $41.1M to $10.1M YoY "Onlin, Glenn Gabe on X
- The categories in Search Console map to the version of search that's being used (usually things like google-fr = France). I don't know how this works for China though, where things seem a bit more complex. TBH you'd probably know more from first-hand expe, John Mueller on LinkedIn
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Google declared a monopoly: industry reactions and implications
- Advertisers react to Google Reporting and Product Listing glitch
- Google Ads recovers from major reporting glitch
- Google phases out Smart Campaigns in favor of Performance Max
- Advanced analytics techniques to measure PPC
- Google gives new look for trending now section of Google Trends
- Generative AI tactics, tools and insights from the experts
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- All the spiciest parts of the Google antitrust ruling, The Verge
- Reddit reports better-than-expected results for second quarter as digital ad market improves, CNBC
Links & Content Marketing
- How To Turn Old Content Into a New Work of Art With an AI Assist, Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- GBP policy update: Consumer alerts for suspicious reviews, SearchLab Digital
- Revolutionizing Navigation: New Features on Baidu Maps!, Smart Phone Magazine
Mobile & Voice
- Apple Intelligence may come to EU after all…but only for Mac, 9to5Mac
- Gemini now works on Pixel Tablet, Google Assistant in Hub Mode, 9to5Google
- Google is set to supercharge Google Home with Gemini intelligence, The Verge
- Google stops making new Chromecasts, but updates continue, 9to5Google
- Your smart home is getting smarter, with help from Gemini, Google Blog
SEO
- How to Rank in AI Overviews: Content Optimization Tips, seoClarity
- Keyword Relevance: What It Is, and How to Demonstrate It to Google, Ahrefs
- SEO Reporting Dashboards (For 3 Different Types of Websites), Ahrefs
- What is the Google algorithm?, Wix SEO Hub
- Yoast AI Optimize: Simplifying SEO with AI, Yoast
PPC
- Performance Max releases and other updates for August, Microsoft Advertising
- Setting a data strategy for value-based bidding, Google Ads on YouTube
Search Features
- Google Search app testing Chrome Incognito shortcut on Android, 9to5Google
- Hands on with all the changes in iOS 18 beta 5, AppleInsider
Other Search
- Apple Intelligence prompts aim to prevent hallucinations, AppleInsider
- Introducing Structured Outputs in the API, OpenAI
- Reddit to test AI-powered search result pages, TechCrunch
- What the most popular Google search trends are for the 2024 Olympic Games, NBC News
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