Daily Search Forum Recap: September 14, 2026

Google is running a small test, called the AI contribution pilot, that pays publishers for the use of their content in AI Overviews, AI Mode, Gemini and other AI search features, according to Search Engine Roundtable. The pilot was first spotted in April 2026 and more details emerged on September 14, 2026. Separately, an unconfirmed Google Search ranking update that hit around September 4, 2026 reverted on September 13, 2026, and Google Ads launched a beta named Product Value Optimization for automated bidding.

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable https://www.seroundtable.com and other search forums on the web. Google is testing a way to pay publishers for using their content in AI Mode, AI Overviews and Gemini. A weird unconfirmed Google Search update hit around September 4th and reversed on September 13th. Google is rolling out dashboards in Google Analytics. Google's John Mueller said it is normal for Google Search to take a while to update image thumbnails in its search results with updated images from the website it pulls from. Google continues to test new query expansion methods in AI Mode, beyond standard follow-up questions. Google is testing a blue background color on the "More" link within the product results in Google Search. Google Ads has a new beta named Product Value Optimization that allows advertisers to configure value adjustments to guide automated bidding to optimize for the products that matter for your business goals. Did you know that Google AI Overviews can also quiz you on various knowledge topics. Search Engine Roundtable Stories: - Google Al Contribution Pilot - Paying Publishers For Use Of Content In AI https://www.seroundtable.com/google-al-contribution-pilot-42076.html Google is doing a small test where it is paying publishers for using their content within the Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, Gemini and other AI search features. This is called the AI contribution pilot, something we actually spotted back in April 2026, but are now learning more about today. - Google Search Update September 4th That Reverted September 13th? https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-ranking-update-94-42079.html I've been pretty quiet on posting reports Google updates recently, in fact, I have not posted about one since late August. But while most sites seem calm in the Google rankings, there was definitely some sort of ranking blip around September 4th, and in some cases, the September 4th impact reverted on September 13th. It is super weird. - Google Search Tests Blue More Link In Shopping Results https://www.seroundtable.com/google-blue-more-link-in-shopping-results-42077.html Google is testing a blue background color on the "More" link within the product results in Google Search. The link is normally just a basic "more" link with no prominence or color that calls it out but in this test, Google is using a blue highlight color for the link. - Google AI Mode More Query Expansion Interfaces https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ai-mode-more-query-expansions-42074.html Google continues to test new query expansion methods in AI Mode, beyond standard follow-up questions. Now Google is testing questions with multi-selection tools, a query refinement option and those recent paginated responses. - Google Search: It's Normal For Image Thumbnails To Be Slow To Update https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-slow-image-thumbnails-42072.html Google's John Mueller said it is normal for Google Search to take a while to update image thumbnails in its search results with updated images from the website it pulls from. And it can take even longer if the image is still on the page, but was only moved down the page later, even if the image is within the recipe structured data as the primary. - Google Ads Product Value Optimization Beta https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ads-product-value-optimization-42071.html Google Ads has a new beta named Product Value Optimization that allows advertisers to configure value adjustments to guide automated bidding to optimize for the products that matter for your business goals. - Dashboards Available In Google Analytics https://www.seroundtable.com/google-analytics-dashboards-42075.html Google Analytics is rolling out dashboards where you can create your own custom dashboards using Google Analytics data. Google explains that you can "create custom visualizations to quickly pull actionable insights from your Google Analytics data, all in a single, consolidated page." - Google AI Overviews Practice Knowledge Quiz https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ai-overviews-global-general-knowledge-quiz-42054.html Did you know that Google AI Overviews can also quiz you on various knowledge topics? Google announced this with AI Mode a few weeks ago, but it is also available in Google Search. - Google Zurich Comfy Spot https://www.seroundtable.com/photos/google-zurich-spot-41943.html Google seems to have updated a spot in the Zurich office to make it look comfy and cozy. I am not sure if this is new or not but there are several photos of this area on Instagram. Other Great Search Threads: - Google's "Ask Google Help" chat has been directing users to a new Google Profile appeals form to submit their appeal for suspended profiles: https://lnkd.in/gS9bWxTX Previously there was the… https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kevin-pauls googles-ask-google-help-chat-has-been-activity-7503937651805442049-h342?rcm=ACoAAAAOXwgBGvKJ5PG5kuwaTmFUJWimyBar5pw , Kevin Pauls on LinkedIn - Remember, robots.txt files are by subdomain and protocol. You can find times where there are different robots.txt files across www, non-www, http, or https. I surfaced that during an audit this summer for the www version of a site and the site resolves with non-www . The site https://x.com/glenngabe/status/2098390628820275346 , Glenn Gabe on X Search Engine Land Stories: Other Great Search Stories: AI & LLMs - FAQ: How to Give an AI Agent Memory That Persists Across Conversations https://www.annielytics.com/blog/ai/faq-how-to-give-an-ai-agent-memory-that-persists-across-conversations/ , Annielytics - Reddit: Cited or Searched? Free Fanout Explorer Bookmarklet https://www.oritmutznik.com/ai-workflows/chatgpt-fanout-explorer-bookmarklet , Orit Mutznik - Sam Altman says OpenAI is open to slowing AI development https://qz.com/sam-altman-openai-slow-ai-development-staff-meeting-091126 , QZ - Cyberattack by Rogue AI Swarm Stokes Fears of Out-of-Control Agents https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/cyberattack-by-rogue-ai-swarm-stokes-fears-of-out-of-control-agents-473a0352?st=geQgvD&reflink=desktopwebshare permalink , Wall Street Journal - Anthropic C.E.O. Dario Amodei Calls for A.I. Slowdown https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/technology/anthropic-dario-amodei-ai-slowdown.html , New York Times - Amodei, Altman, Musk Call for Slowing AI Model Development https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-12/anthropic-ceo-says-it-s-time-to-slow-pace-of-improving-ai-models , Bloomberg Analytics - Data Protection Complaints Process: 7 Steps for UK Businesses https://measuremindsgroup.com/data-protection-complaints-process , MeasureMinds - Google's Statistics: Heads They Win, Tails You Lose. https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/googles-statistics-significance-replication-risk/ , Avinash Kaushik Industry & Business - Microsoft’s head of comms is leaving after almost 20 years https://www.theverge.com/news/993791/microsoft-frank-shaw-leaving-head-of-comms , The Verge - OpenAI Gives US Agencies 50% Off Models, Ending $1 Per Year Deal https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-10/openai-gives-us-agencies-50-off-models-ending-1-per-year-deal , Bloomberg - OpenAI’s Fidji Simo to Join Board of Cloud Provider Nscale Ahead of IPO https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openais-fidji-simo-to-join-board-of-cloud-provider-nscale-ahead-of-ipo-3b452424 , Wall Street Journal - US Senate negotiators consider requiring AI firms to mitigate known major risks https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-senate-negotiators-consider-requiring-ai-firms-mitigate-known-major-risks-2026-09-11/ , Reuters - Google Completed Its Talent Deal for AI Agents Startup Mechanize https://www.businessinsider.com/google-completes-deal-for-ai-agents-startup-mechanize-2026-9 , Business Insider - OpenAI Drops Out of Caltech AI Math Hackathon After Backlash https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-caltech-ai-math-hackathon-backlash-anthropic-2026-9 , Business Insider - Jeff Dean's Startup Discovery Loop Is Eyeing a $50 Billion Valuation https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-deans-startup-discovery-loop-is-eyeing-a-valuation-2026-9 , Business Insider - Trump Brushes Off AI Doomsaying to Guard US Lead Over China https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-12/trump-brushes-off-ai-doomsaying-to-safeguard-us-lead-over-china , Bloomberg - Sam Altman: OpenAI won't go public this year as IPO now would come at an 'ill-advised moment' https://fortune.com/2026/09/12/sam-altman-openai-ipo-delay-ill-advised-moment-safety-concerns/ , Fortune - Why Amazon and Microsoft Are Taking Communities’ Side Against Utilities https://www.theinformation.com/newsletters/ai-infrastructure/amazon-microsoft-taking-communities-side-utilities , The Information - Observers feel Google got off lightly https://digiday.com/marketing/as-googles-ad-tech-case-nears-its-end-the-antitrust-fight-moves-to-ai/ , Digiday Links & Content Marketing - Calculate ROI for Big-Impact Thought Leadership https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/strategy-planning/thought-leadership-roi , Content Marketing Institute Local & Maps - How Google Maps Knows When A Business Is Packed https://www.engadget.com/2252763/how-google-maps-knows-businesses-packed/ , Engadget - A Google Business Profile Guide for Nurseries https://gmbapi.com/news/google-business-profile-guide-nurseries/ , GMBapi Other Search - Apple Watch’s new feature listens to your chats and recaps them https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/09/apple-watchs-new-feature-listens-to-your-chats-and-recaps-them/ , TechCrunch - The Apple Watch Gets Its Siri AI Upgrade https://www.wired.com/story/apple-watch-series-12-apple-watch-ultra-4/ , Wired - Apple’s Always-Listening Watch AI Tool Could Pose Legal Risks for Users https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-11/apple-s-always-listening-watch-ai-tool-could-pose-legal-risks-for-users?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4OTE1NDQ5NCwiZXhwIjoxNzg5NzU5Mjk0LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUTDRBMFJLSkg2VjUwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJDNEVEQ0FFMUZBMDU0MEJFQTI0QTlGMjExQzFFOTA4MCJ9.qZQz2riYl4bRh-FpnvBbnSf5mcXDqWbO5s5Q9JoUYD0 , Bloomberg PPC - Google Ads Attribution Models Explained: Last Click vs. Data-Driven https://www.wordstream.com/blog/google-attribution-models , WordStream - Supplemental Feeds For Automatic Product Imports https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-09/supplemental-feeds-automatic-product-imports/ , PPC News Feed Search Features - Google Documents Partner-Only API For Full-Web Search Results https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-documents-partner-only-api-for-full-web-search-results/589194/ , Search Engine Journal SEO - From keywords to credibility: A practical framework for AI search growth https://hallam.agency/blog/from-keywords-to-credibility-a-practical-framework-for-ai-search-growthfrom-keywords-to-credibility-a-practical-framework-for-ai-search-growth/ , Hallam - How I Built an MCP Server for agents to use my Algo Update list https://www.mariehaynes.com/how-i-built-algo-update-mcp/ , Marie Haynes - I Tested and Tracked 60 LinkedIn Posts Ranking in Google & AI Overviews. Here's What The Top Performers Have in Common. https://stevetoth.ai/research/linkedin-posts-study , Steve Toth - Website Migration Traffic Loss Cost Maggie Beer Holdings $800,000 In Emergency Advertising https://nikki-pilkington.com/website-migration-traffic-loss-cost-maggie-beer-holdings-800000-in-emergency-advertising/ , Nikki Pilkington - Agentic Search Readiness: What Businesses Need to Build Now https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/agentic-search-readiness , Advanced Web Ranking Feedback: Have feedback on this daily recap; let me know on Twitter @rustybrick https://twitter.com/rustybrick/ or @seroundtable https://twitter.com/seroundtable , on Threads https://www.threads.net/@rustybrick , Mastodon https://c.im/@rustybrick and Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/rustybrick.com and you can follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/seoroundtable and on Google News https://news.google.com/publications/CAAiEGcxG7fAnv8WVJaUn-8kyrcqFAgKIhBnMRu3wJ7 FlSWlJ vJMq3?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen , add as a preferred source on Google https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=seroundtable.com and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/rustybrick?sub confirmation=1 channel, Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id284443003 , Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4tFYPk3RmdTfMKG6u074TS , or just contact us the old fashion way https://www.seroundtable.com/contact.php .