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.
Apple Visual Intelligence is Apple's version of Google Lens but it uses Google, ChatGPT, Yelp and others. Google AI Overviews are showing for commercial queries again, showing product and shopping results. A new report on AI Overviews says about half of the links in the AI Overviews overlap with the traditional organic results. Google is showing Business Profile photos on its review sentiments. And Bing Search has a footer message to search again.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories:
-
Apple Visual Intelligence - Local, Shopping & More
Apple had its big event yesterday, and during the iPhone talk, they announced Apple Visual Intelligence. Where you can take photos of anything, and it will use Apple Intelligence for local search, shopping, homework help, and more. -
Google AI Overviews Show Shopping Results For Commercial Queries Again
Google is bringing back shopping and product results in the AI Overviews for commercial queries. I'll be honest, I don't remember them going away but I am told they have now returned. Maybe they went away with the Ray update, when Google restricted how often AI Overviews showed. -
Report: Half Google AI Overviews Links Overlap With Top Search Results
A new Google AI Overview study says that about half of the links displayed in the AI Overviews overlap with the links shown in the traditional Google Search results. Plus, the most linked to sources are YouTube and Wikipedia, according to the new report. -
Google Maps Showing Business Photos On Review Sentiments
Google is now showing business submitted photos from Google Business Profiles in the Google Local and Maps review sentiments section. So above the reviews, Google may show photos submitted by the business, related to those reviews. -
Bing Search Footer Message To Encourage More Searches
Microsoft is testing, showing a notice at the bottom of the Bing search results that says, "Search by typing anything on the keyboard." This happens when you reach the footer of the Bing Search results. When you start typing, your characters appear in the search box for a new Bing Search session. -
Google Flying Dutchman Cafe In Netherlands Office
Here is a photo from the Google Netherlands office, they have a cafe there named the Flying Dutchman cafe. This is the salad station in that cafe and you can see the art on the walls.
Other Great Search Threads:
- I've not seen this "Explore battery range" widget before - came up while searching for "Mustang Mach E", Tom Jeffries on X
- Google > Mobile Google is testing a single Ad and a Carousel of Ads in the middle of the SERPs, with search bubbles beneath it., Saad AK on X
- Ecommerce SEO Tip: Always ensure your pagination links to the last page of a series. This allows search engines to crawl products deep in the architecture, Chris Long on X
- Google is now testing adding "Related videos" in the YouTube video overlay in Search Result. Overlay shows up when user click on expand button in the top right corner of a YouTube video showing up in Search Results. Right no, Gagan Ghotra on X
- NerdWallet cut its workforce by 15% last month as they reported losses of $9.6M and dropped 42% in organic traffic since March 2024. CEO Tim Chen says that the company "fell short of our guidance for non-GAAP operating income due, Taleb Kabbara on X
- The battle for the car continues. And autonomous vehicles will be ready to display personalized ads. It's also why Android Auto is important for Google -> Ford filed a patent application for, Glenn Gabe on X
Search Engine Land Stories:
- Future of AI in content marketing: Key trends and 7 predictions
- The DESCRIBE framework for effective YouTube descriptions
- How to boost audience engagement: Top strategies and techniques
Other Great Search Stories:
Industry & Business
- DOJ vs. Google: The arguments for and against the defendant’s (alleged) ad market monopoly, Digiday
- Google antitrust trial over online ads opens in Virginia, Washington Post
- Google Faces Blockbuster Antitrust Case—Again, Wall Street Journal
- Google's Privacy Sandbox adoption costs burden small ad-tech firms, industry says, Reuters
- Lindsey Kintner, Global Head of Sales, Foursquare
- Google Loses EU Court Fight to Overturn €2.4 Billion Fine, Bloomberg
Links & Content Marketing
- Does Link Building Work Less for SEO Than Previously?, Sterling Sky
- How to Find Unlinked Mentions and Turn Them Into Backlinks, Semrush
- Why Data-Driven Personalization Is So Hard (and How To Make It Easier), Content Marketing Institute
Local & Maps
- Content Localization Tips From the Experts, TopRank
- He saw a suspicious pit on Google Maps. Experts say it could be a crater from an ancient space rock, CBC News
- Why These Big Google Maps Features Wouldn't Make Sense in Waze, AutoEvolution
Mobile & Voice
- Finally, a better Siri?, TechCrunch
- Google's Android Search widget is getting supercharged with new shortcuts, Android Authority
- iPhone 16’s unfinished Apple Intelligence is useful except when it’s bonkers, Washington Post
SEO
- Hijacking The Back Button and SEO: Gaming Navboost, Exploring Google Spam Policies, And What It Might Signal About Your Aggressive Advertising Situation, GSQI
- Intro to technical SEO: Improve your crawling and indexing, Wix SEO Hub
- The Oops That Proves SEO Basics Still Matter, Hubspot
- Winning AI Overviews Through Data-Driven Optimization, seoClarity
- Beginners Guide to Landing Page SEO, Sitebulb
- SEO for Personal Injury Lawyers: 7 Strategies to Lower Cost-Per-Lead, Ahrefs
PPC
- Ad Strength & Creative Study: Data & Learnings From 1M+ Ads, Optmyzr
- Google Ad Grants: How to Maximize Google Ads for Nonprofits, WordStream
- Google’s Next Antitrust Trial Could Make Online Ads Less Annoying, Wired
- Update to Google’s approach to transatlantic data flows, Google AdSense Help
Search Features
- AI-powered visual search comes to the iPhone, TechCrunch
- Apple invents its own version of Google Lens called Visual Intelligence, Engadget
- How to create custom AI chatbots in Google Gemini, Popular Science
- Link Selection in Google AI Overviews: The Role of Related Queries, Rich Sanger SEO
- Navigating AI Overviews, SearchGPT and the era of AI-powered search, Hallam
Other Search
- Apple will release iOS 18, macOS 15, iPadOS 18, other updates on September 16, Ars Technica
- The State of ES5 on the Web, Philip Walton
Feedback:
Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick or @seroundtable, on Threads, Mastodon and Bluesky and you can follow us on Facebook and on Google News and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or just contact us the old fashion way.
