Google Ranking Movement, Discover On Desktop, Linking To Self, Google Ads, Maps Bing & Apple News

This week, we covered yet again some more Google search ranking volatility. Google Discover will be coming to the desktop version of Google’s homepage. Google Search Analytics API now shows hourly data for the past ten days. Google refreshes its Merchant opportunities report in Search Console. Google Search is showing more AI Overviews. Google AI Mode now supports images and tests anchor text and URL-based links. Google made it official, AI Overviews can link to its own search results. Google Things to Know and People Also Ask are linking back to its own search results. Bing is also linking back to its own search results in its answers. Copilot Search in Bing is finally officially live. Google is testing “relevant topics” in search. Google Maps shared how Gemini is helping fight spam but does it mess up. Google Business Profiles performance messaging clicks report seems new. Google will remove reviews and ratings from school listings. Google now lets merchants manage their Brand Profiles. Google updated some of its Merchant Center product specifications. Google Ads clarified a number of its suspension policies. Google Ads PMax campaigns has new lifecycle goals and image controls. Google Ads will improve its customer support experiences. Google Search has video ads. Google Ads has this overlay hover product format. Google AdSense new rewarded ads beta. Apple Intelligence raters guidelines were leaked. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.Sponsored by Similarweb, Similarweb created an SEO benchmark report, analyzing organic traffic of 10,000 websites in 10 industries to help brands understand what 'good' looks like in their industry. The key metrics include (1) monthly visits (2) Website engagement metrics and (3) SERP metrics including AI Overview presence, zero-click searches, and organic difficulty. Also, well known SEOs such as Aleyda Solís, Barry Adams, Sophie Brannon and Fabrizio Ballarinis contributed to the report. I linked to the report in the description below at bit.ly/4h4v4ZP.0:00 - Introduction1:30 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Kicks In April 9th & 10th1:58 - Google Discover Coming To Desktop After Years Of Testing2:47 - Google Search Analytics API Hourly Data For Past 10 Days3:20 - Google Refreshes Its Merchant Opportunities Report3:38 - Google Search With More AI Overviews3:57 - Google AI Mode Gains Search With Image Multimodal Capabilities With Lens4:16 - Google AI Mode Tests Anchor Text & URL Base Links4:42 - Official: Google AI Overviews Link To More Search Results5:15 - Google Things To Know Also Linking Back To More Search Results5:42 - Bing Answer Snippets Also Linking To More Search Results5:56 - Copilot Search in Bing Now Officially Live6:23 - Google Search Relevant Topics6:33 - Google Maps Blocked 240 Million Fake Reviews, 70 Million Edits, 12 Million Fake Listings In 20247:12 - Google Business Profiles Performance Messaging Clicks Report7:26 - Google To Drop Reviews On School Business Profiles8:00 - Google Letting Merchants Manage Brand Profiles8:22 - Google Updates Some Merchant Center Product Specs8:37 - Google Ads Adds Clarifications To Its Suspension Policies9:00 - Google Ads PMax Campaigns New Lifecycle Goals & Image Controls9:28 - Google Ads: Ongoing Efforts To Improve Support Experiences9:52 - Google Search Video Ads10:09 - Google Ads More Button Overlays More Products In Hover10:20 - Google AdSense New Rewarded Ads Beta10:36 - Apple Intelligence Raters Guidelines Leaked11:10 - Conclusion