Google Maps employs 72 ranking signals to determine local search results, according to an analysis of a non-public scope of Geostore, the system Google uses to represent geographic entities.
Google is testing whether traditional Search campaigns using exact and phrase match keywords can serve text ads in AI Mode, potentially allowing advertisers to gain exposure in AI-powered search without switching to AI Max or Performance Max.
Google has made its Search Console AI reports available globally. John Mueller also provided insights on recovery timing, markdown for AI crawlers, and sitemap cache-busting.
Semrush has introduced a new AI visibility tool to help marketers track their brand's presence in AI search engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, as over a third of consumers now start searches with AI rather than traditional engines.
Google has updated its AI Mode in Search to use Gemini 3.8 Flash, replacing Gemini 3.7 Flash for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, with improvements in software engineering, agentic tasks, and multi-step reasoning.
A federal judge denied the U.S. Justice Department's request to force Google to sell its AdX advertising exchange, leaving Google's antitrust liability intact but imposing behavioral remedies instead of a forced sale.
Google has published eligibility rules, data samples, and key dates for licensing ranking, query, click, and view data from EEA Search under the EU's Digital Markets Act.
Google has completed the global rollout of AI performance reports and Search generative AI controls in Search Console as of August 31, 2026, making these features available to all users with a Search Console account.
Allegations have surfaced that the Rank Math WordPress plugin creates a WordPress Application Password tied to the user when they open the Help & Support section, without explicit consent or notification, potentially granting the company administrator-level access.
Google has confirmed that for some queries, AI Overviews may dynamically expand to their full state, replacing the snippet with a full detailed response and pushing organic search results further down the page.
Link building in 2027 will be less about how many links you can acquire and more about whether you've earned them through stories worth covering.
Google's August 2026 spam update caused 16.71% of top 10 URLs to fall beyond position 100, an 82% increase compared to a period without a confirmed ranking update, according to SE Ranking data.
