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 testing using Gemini to load sponsored results in Google Search. Google says there is nothing special to do for generative AI search. Google to charge for missed and subsequent calls over LSAs after October 1. Google is showing AI Overviews above stock charts for stock price queries. Google said Googlebot does not parse JSON files, it just downloads it. Google is also showing copyable emojis to AI Overviews in the Google Search results.
Search Engine Roundtable Stories: #
Google Ads Tests Sponsored Results Using Gemini With Animation Google Ads is testing the sponsored results in the mobile search results interface with an animation. It shows that Gemini is also involved by saying, "Evaluating sponsored results" and has a Google and Gemini logo as the ads load in. -
Google: There Is Nothing Special To Do For Generative AI Responses In Search Google's John Mueller said on Bluesky that there is nothing special for one to do for generative AI responses within Google Search. He wrote, "from our POV there's nothing really special you need to do for generative AI responses in search." -
Google To Charge For Missed & Subsequent Calls On LSAs Google sent out emails to some advertisers notifying them that starting October 1st, Google Local Service Ads will charge for some missed and subsequent calls over the platform. "On October 01, 2026, we are updating how and when you are charged for call leads originating from Local Services Ads," the email wrote. -
Google Shows AI Overviews Above Stock Charts For Stock Price Queries Google seems to be showing AI Overviews at the top of the search results page when you specifically search for stock price queries - such as for [GOOG stock] or [MSFT stock] and so on. I was able to replicate this myself and it is just weird to show the AI Overview at the top for this queries and it seems to make the search results less relevant. -
Google Says Google's Crawlers Don't Parse JSON Gary Illyes from Google reiterated this morning that Googlebot, Google's crawler, does not parse JSON files. Instead, Googlebot just downloads the files and then the indexer does the rest. -
Google Copyable Emojis In AI Overviews About a year ago, Google added the ability to copy emojis directly from the search results in an answer box. Now, Google is also showing copyable emojis to AI Overviews in the Google Search results. -
Google Cafe Painting We often share photos of cafes at Google in this section but here is a painting, art, of a Google cafe hanging in a Google office, probably near a Google cafe.
Other Great Search Threads: #
Big drop for this site with the August spam update. Scaled to 1.3M urls... Looks heavily programmatic., Glenn Gabe on XIt may look like Google is indexing fewer pages when you show both not indexed and indexed. But if you just look at indexed, some are going up..., Barry Schwartz on Xnoticed even Perplexity is doing site: in fan outs now! site: Australia AI SEO expert this chat, Gagan Ghotra on XOne of my favorite parts of Microsoft Advertising's AI Max is that it truly is opt in., Navah Hopkins on LinkedInPhones aren't a requirement -- Passkeys can also be set up on computers as well as hardware security keys. More details on setup requirements here: https://t.co/O9AwZSWlN6. Existing Passkeys can be managed in individuals' Google Accounts (Google Account settings > Security, AdsLiaison on XGoogle just shipped its embeddable Preferred Sources button, and the SEO community immediately asked: "so it's the same as the Follow button on Discover?" No. https://t.co/yubm562BuL Google itself mixed the two in one announcement. We mapped every "follow" button in the, 1492.Vision Service on XI mean if we’d known it was for sale, Barry and I …. :), Danny Sullivan on XOne of the more frustrating things about AI Overviews is when you're looking for the official source of something, the AI Overview often cites other sites "talking" about that thing, while the official source doesn't show until you scroll down to the regular organic results., Lily Ray on X
Search Engine Land Stories: #
ChatGPT Ads adds automated bidding, platform targetingGoogle expands Local Services Ads categories ahead of migrationHow to build an AI content workflow from the ground upGoogle unifies Google tag and Tag Manager, adds no-code event trackingAI search is here, but marketers still call it SEOYour Google Business Profile needs a business continuity planHow to build content briefs around audience situations
Other Great Search Stories: #
AI & LLMs
How Big Tech Captured American Schools, New York TimesNew York Times tests out AI-generated search summaries, SemaforWe Created a Public Research Repository. Minutes Later, Meta AI Found Us., Net Content SEOGoogle prepares Gemini App for Avatars, Plugins and Gemini 4, Testing CatalogA look at the winning entries from the Gemma 4 Good Challenge., Google BlogOur OpenAI fanout data shows no rise in site: operator use, DEJANHow to Evaluate Live & Voice Agents in ADK, Google Developers Blog
Industry & Business
Google's Bid for Spirit Airlines' Data Just Hit Two Major Roadblocks, Android HeadlinesAecom Denies Liability In $17M Google Center Design Claim, Law360Google plans to stop making Pixel products in China in 2027, Nikkei AsiaGoogle Gobbles More Office Space, Consolidating in DC, The Real DealSearch Engine Watch is back: a new independent chapter begins, Search Engine WatchNvidia Discusses Perplexity Investment at $30 Billion-Plus Valuation, The InformationPlaintiffs lawyers' fee slashed in Google privacy settlement, ReutersGoogle Wins Spirit Data Bid, Cumulus Gets OK On Transfers, Law360
Links & Content Marketing
Chunkability: Why Some Content Gets Cited and Most Doesn’t, LumarThe Prestige Trap: How B2B Influencers Extend Analyst Recognition into AI Search, TopRank Marketing10Xing Your Real Estate Content? Know the Risks, SEO Savvy Agent
Local & Maps
Google Maps bug won't show traffic data on Android Auto and more, 9To5GoogleGoogle’s AI Is Calling Businesses for Pricing. But Are Those Calls Really Leads?, Search Engine WorldWaze alerts are coming to navigation in Rivian's electric vehicles, 9To5GoogleCelebrate National Parks Week with Google, Google BlogGoogle Maps is running into another traffic-related problem, Android Authority
Other Search
Selected iOS users get a Virtual Shopping Assistant from Apple, Apple InsiderGoogle stoops to showing Pixel product ads in notifications, Android HeadlinesNew Apple HomePods with AI are coming. Everything we know., Mashable
PPC
Marketing Measurement: MMM vs Attribution vs Incrementality, BrainlabsGoogle’s Smart Bidding Update: Why the Cheapest CPL Isn’t Always the Best Lead, PPC LiveGoogle Tests "Only Bid for New Prospects" in Performance Max, PPC News FeedEvent Section Added to Promotions in Merchant Center, PPC News FeedStale Customer Data Is Hurting Your Google Ads Results, Hop Skip MediaUnlock creative variety across YouTube & Google Ads with Gemini Omni, GoogleNew AI Max tools can help you scale Search campaigns, Google
Search Features
SEO
Google Patent: Listwise Learning to Rank Explained, PatentlyzeThe Top 100 Domains in US Search, SISTRIXGoogle Discover Publishers ranking in July 2026, DiscoverSnoopTrust the Log, Not the Chatbot: What AI Search Crawlers Actually Read, Advanced Web RankingCollection descriptions are worth the effort, Ilana DavisHow to Explain SEO to Your Mom (and Your Clients), Olga TsimarakiHas Google demoted listicles?, Kevin IndigSEO is the cleanup crew for organisational dysfunction, Jono Alderson
Feedback: #
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