Daily Search Forum Recap: September 15, 2026

Google Search showed a sharp spike in ranking volatility on September 15, 2026, with Search Engine Roundtable reporting heavy forum chatter and early tool movement that suggests an unconfirmed update may be starting. Google also confirmed its August 17, 2026 target-based bidding update finished globally on August 27, 2026, and is testing text-based link ads labeled "Sponsored" within AI Mode. Google additionally announced delays processing Google Business Profile API applications and launched its Ecosystem carousel in Europe under the Digital Markets Act.

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. I am seeing signs of a big update lurking with Google Search, nothing confirmed yet. We have data on the Google Ads August 17th bidding update. That update started on August 17 and finished on August 27. Google is testing a text-based link format for ads within AI Mode. Google Ads added a new option within your Performance Max campaigns to select "Where should people go after clicking your ads?". There are delays with Google Business Profiles API applications. The new Ecosystem carousel is live in Google in Europe. Search Engine Roundtable Stories: - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up This Morning - September 15th https://www.seroundtable.com/google-update-42091.html Google Search seems to be heating up this morning, I am seeing a huge spike in chatter in the past few hours and the tools may be starting to heat up as well. We will know more tomorrow but I am suspecting we are seeing the start of a Google update... - Google Business Profile API Application Delays https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profile-api-application-delays-42085.html Google announced a delay in processing applications for access to the Google Business Profile API. This was posted by Victoria Kroll in multiple languages in the Google Business Profiles support forum. - Google AI Mode Tests Text Link Ads https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ai-mode-text-link-ads-42082.html Google is testing a text-based link format for ads within AI Mode. So the ads look like normal AI Mode responses, with normal looking text links with anchor text, but they are labeled as "Sponsored" above the AI-generated response. - Google Ads PMax: Where Should People Go After Clicking Your Ads? https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ads-pmax-options-42087.html Google Ads added a new option within your Performance Max campaigns to select "Where should people go after clicking your ads?" The two available options for that question are 1 Your website and 2 Google Business Profile optimized for ads . - Early Data On Google Ads August 17 Bidding Update https://www.seroundtable.com/data-google-ads-aug17-bidding-update-42086.html The Google Ads August 17th bidding update happened about a month ago, and Google's various ad representatives spent a lot of time telling us that a lot won't change. It still caused a big stir in the community, but now we have some data to share. - Google Ads August 17 Target-Based Bidding Update Finished August 27 https://www.seroundtable.com/google-august-17-bidding-update-finished-august-27-42090.html Google has posted the date of when the Google Ads bidding update, the target-based bid strategies rolled out, completed globally. It started on yes, August 17, 2026 and completed on August 27, 2026. - Google European Ecosystem Carousel Live For Weather, Translations & More https://www.seroundtable.com/google-european-ecosystem-carousel-live-42083.html As you know, Google has new features in many European regions to promote vertical search services VSS by way of the Digital Markets Act. Many of those changes have been live for a while, but now the Ecosystem carousel seems to be live. - Google DIY Charms Bracelets https://www.seroundtable.com/photos/google-diy-charms-42035.html Google had some sort of Google Education workshop where they had these Google bracelet-making and Google charms. Other Great Search Threads: - Very interesting for publishers, but also for journalists and authors in general on Google Discover. In addition to having video cards from publisher sites identified on Google Discover, Google detects the author of the article or video and allows you to filter content from a https://x.com/AndellDam/status/2099115961471078485 , Damien Andell on X - Google Ads shuffled "Goals" menu. Summary and Leads moved out of the Conversions dropdown, now sit above it as their own items. Inside Conversions there's a new "All conversions" view, and Settings got renamed to "Conversion settings." Small layout change https://x.com/mr govindsingh/status/2099442194293948567 , Govind Singh Panwar on X - Heh, smart move Apple - "My Business" queries shows an ad from Apple Maps Ads in Google Search https://x.com/rustybrick/status/2099492741629550592 , Barry Schwartz on X - New widget in the Google app, "Did You Know," links to an AI Mode chat with the prompt "Tell me about $30M: Practical Magic 2 leads US box office." AI Mode URL: https://t.co/NaMjOMcH9B The widget is activated in the settings and is described as: "daily numbers that tell a https://x.com/AndellDam/status/2099606914468348265 , Damien Andell on X Search Engine Land Stories: Other Great Search Stories: AI & LLMs - Anthropic prepares Claude Money for personal finance https://www.testingcatalog.com/anthropic-prepares-claude-money-for-personal-finance/ , Testing Catalog - Code references show Siri AI can be swapped out for ChatGPT or Claude https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/09/14/siri-ai-is-built-to-be-replaceable-by-claude-or-chatgpt , Apple Insider - Microsoft says ‘people matter more than AI’ following safety concerns https://www.theverge.com/news/994566/microsoft-humanist-ai-code-of-conduct , The Verge - A simple plan to save the world from rogue A.I. https://www.slowboring.com/p/a-simple-plan-to-save-the-world-from , Slow Boring - Anthropic targets financial advisers with new Claude tool https://www.reuters.com/business/anthropic-targets-financial-advisers-with-new-claude-tool-2026-09-14/ , Reuters - I worked at Google DeepMind. You should listen to the warnings about AI https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/14/google-deepmind-ai-warnings?shem=aimgspe%2C , The Guardian - Introducing Command Center https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/introducing-command-center , Profound - AI Labs Want Someone to Stop Them https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/newsletters/2026-09-14/ai-labs-want-someone-to-stop-them , Bloomberg Analytics Industry & Business - Inside ‘Project Lily’: The Humans Reading Your ChatGPT Chats https://www.404media.co/inside-project-lily-the-humans-reading-your-chatgpt-chats/ , 404 Media - Trump says no need for more AI regulation, slams Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/14/trump-ai-data-centers-anthropic-dario-amodei.html , CNBC - We’re exploring a potential data center in Lea County, New Mexico. https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/infrastructure-and-cloud/global-network/lea-county-new-mexico/ , Google Blog - Search Central Live India 2026: Bengaluru, We're Coming For Real This Time https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/09/search-central-live-india-2026 , Google Search Central Blog - Google Finally Lets All Engineers Use Anthropic's Claude https://www.businessinsider.com/google-finally-lets-all-engineers-use-anthropics-claude-2026-9 , Business Insider - House Speaker Johnson Pushes AI Legislation, Contrasts With Trump’s Stance https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-14/house-speaker-risks-trump-ire-on-any-ai-guardrail-legislation , Bloomberg - Maryland Appeals Google, Apple, Peacock’s Take Down of Ad Tax https://news.bloombergtax.com/daily-tax-report-state/maryland-appeals-google-apple-peacocks-take-down-of-ad-tax , Bloomberg - OpenAI Buys Startup Developing Smartphone Camera https://www.wsj.com/tech/openai-buys-startup-developing-smartphone-camera-63590370?st=nyLKnX , Wall Street Journal - Trump privately met with OpenAI’s Sam Altman at GOP convention https://www.ms.now/news/trump-ai-altman-openai-dario-amodei-anthropic-regulations , MS Now - For Google, design is the ultimate moat https://www.fastcompany.com/91589966/google-innovation-by-design-2026 , Fast Company - Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Gets Onstage Call From Trump, Who Dismissed A.I. Safety Concerns https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/technology/trump-ai-safety-jensen-huang.html?unlocked article code=1.BFE.6RVR.cSzQJON-bJf4&smid=url-share , New York Times Local & Maps - Google Maps rolling out always-on speed limits on Android Auto https://9to5google.com/2026/09/14/google-maps-android-auto-speed-limits-speedometer-update/ , 9To5Google - Not Google Maps, Not Waze: Here Are 5 Navigation App Alternatives For Android Auto https://www.bgr.com/2254995/google-maps-waze-alternatives-android-auto-apps/ , BGR Other Search - Google Chrome Could Soon Make Translating PDFs Easier https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/09/google-chrome-could-soon-make-translating-pdfs-easier.html , Android Headlines - iOS 27 is available to download to your iPhone right now https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/09/14/ios-27-is-now-available-with-big-changes-to-photos-and-siri , Apple Insider PPC - Microsoft Advertising Publishes AI Content Transparency Rules https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-09/microsoft-advertising-publishes-ai-content-transparency-rules/ , PPC News Feed - 5 Google Ads Reports Every Business Owner Should Review https://hopskipmedia.com/5-google-ads-reports-every-business-owner-should-review/ , Hop Skip Media - Stop Making Ads That Look Like Ads: The Native Creative Playbook for 2026 https://www.jumpfly.com/blog/stop-making-ads-that-look-like-ads-the-native-creative-playbook-for-2026/ , JumpFly - ChatGPT Ads: An emerging opportunity, but not yet a performance replacement https://www.dacgroup.com/insights/blog/paid-media/chatgpt-ads-emerging-consideration-opportunity/ , DAC Search Features - With iOS 27, I'm actually using Siri again https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/14/with-ios-27-im-actually-using-siri-again/ , TechCrunch - Google AI Overview Data by Search Intent 2025 vs 2026 https://hasdata.com/blog/google-ai-overview-study , HasData SEO - The Importance of E-E-A-T in Finance SEO https://www.assertive-media.co.uk/blog/the-importance-of-e-e-a-t-in-finance-seo/ , Assertive Media - Three Predictions for 2027, and Why You Won’t Be Able to Check Them https://duaneforresterdecodes.substack.com/p/three-predictions-for-2027-and-why , Duane Forrester Decodes - Why Property Companies Need SEO to Stay Competitive https://www.assertive-media.co.uk/blog/why-property-companies-need-seo-to-stay-competitive/ , Assertive Media 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 .