Google March 2026 Core & Spam Update, AI-Generated Title Links, Bing AI Reports Update & Much More

This week we covered the release of the Google March 2026 core update that rolled out this morning and will take about two weeks to finish. We also covered Google March 2026 spam update that launched on March 24th and finished 19.5 hours later on March 25th. We also covered Google’s confirmation of using AI to generate title links in search results. Bing Webmaster Tools AI performance report added grounding queries on the page level. Google Search Live went global. Google is testing pushing web guide with larger promotion. Google is testing a huge block of citation at the bottom of the AI Overviews. Google AI Mode changes some of the links to overlay cards, hurting clicks. The first ChatGPT ads share little information with advertisers. Google added sponsored stores to AI Mode results. Google Ads PMAX added audience exclusions and new reporting. Google Ads API version 23.2 is out. Google Merchant Center requires you gray out your buy now button for out of stock products. Bing is testing a new AI Image search. Google is testing a feature to reply to local reviews using AI. Google Business Profiles performance metrics shows offer data. And local ads are coming to Apple Maps soon. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.SPONSOR: This week's video recap is sponsored by Duda, the Professional Website Builder You Can Call Your Own.0:00 - Introduction0:54 - Google March 2026 Core Update Is Rolling Out - First Core Update Of Year2:05 - Google March 2026 Spam Update Unleashed (& Finished)2:57 - Google Using AI to Create Title Links on SERP3:22 - Bing Webmaster Tools AI Performance Reports Add Grounding Queries To Pages4:05 - Google Search Live Goes Global4:31 - Google Tests "Skip Digging, Start Guided Research" Driving Users to Web Guide-like Results4:44 - Google Tests Huge Block of Citations at Bottom of AI Overviews5:02 - Google AI Mode Tests Changing Some Links To Overlay Cards - Reducing Clicks5:42 - First ChatGPT Ads Share Little Data To Advertisers6:08 - Sponsored Stores Spotted in AI Mode As Google Expands Ads Across AI Surfaces6:20 - Google Ads PMax Audience Exclusions & New Reporting6:52 - Google Ads API Version 23.2 Now Available7:00 - Google Merchant Center: Out-of-Stock Products Need Grayed Out Buy Button7:22 - Microsoft Bing Tests New AI Image Search7:45 - Google Tests Reply To Reviews With Al8:03 - Google Business Profile Performance Metrics Offer Data Added To Help Doc8:37 - Local Ads Coming To Apple Maps9:02 - Conclusion