Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Volatility, Personalized Google AI Answers, Microsoft Copilot Checkout & More SEO & PPC News
This week, yep, we had another story on Google Search ranking volatility. I posted the Google webmaster report for January 2026. Google Discover seems to be showing too many…
Google Talks On Hiring A GEO/AEO/SEO & Buying AI-Optimization Tools
Google’s Danny Sullivan and John Mueller spoke on the Search Off the Record podcast about whether hiring an AEO/GEO or buying an AI-optimization tool is any different than hiring an SEO or buying an SEO tool. In short, the advice is the same – both Go…
Google: Don’t Turn Your Content Into Bite-Sized Chunks
Google’s Danny Sullivan said on the Search Off the Record podcast that was published yesterday that Google does not want you to turn your content into bite-sized chunks to rank well in LLMs. He said, “we don’t want you to do that” and he even spoke to…
Microsoft Agents: Copilot Checkout & Brand Agents
Microsoft announced its AI-agents agentic experiences under the names of Copilot Checkout and Brand Agents. Copilot Checkout lets you shop and checkout directly in the Copilot chat experience and Brand Agents lets you add AI-chat experience to your sit…
Bing Tests Retro Local Pack In Search Results
In September, we posted about a number of local pack design tests from Microsoft Bing. But now, Bing might be testing a more retro, older-looking interface for the local pack in the Bing search results.
Microsoft Advertising Reminds Advertisers To Configure Email Settings
Navah Hopkins, the Microsoft Ads Liaison, posted a reminder on LinkedIn, encouraging advertisers to ensure the email settings are all configured properly. You can get monthly invoices, billing alerts, account notifications, ad and keyword rejection no…
Microsoft Hiring Very Senior PM To Fight Spam On Bing & Copilot
Microsoft is hiring a “very” Senior Product Manager who will initially work on fighting spam across Bing and Copilot. Fabrice Canel said this is a “very” senior PM role and the job description says the “initial focus on reducing Spam in Copilot, Bing,…
PSA: Don’t Create Separate Google Business Profile For Department Listings
Greg Gifford, a veteran automotive and local SEO, published a hard warning to vendors suggesting that they tell automotive dealerships to set up separate Google Business Profile department listings for separate services. He said, do not, do not, do th…
Google’s John Mueller Answers If You Should Invest In GEO
John Mueller, a Google Search Analyst, responded to a question on Reddit named Is SEO still enough, or do we need to start thinking about GEO too? In short, John said you should look at the “full picture, and prioritize accordingly.”
Tailwind CSS Lets Go 75% Of Engineers After 40% Traffic Drop From Google
Adam Wathan the creator of Tailwind CSS posted that he had to let go of 75% of his engineering team because of AI. He said traffic to the Tailwind help documentation is down 40% and that is where most people learn about his solution and then buy commer…
Google Vehicle Ads Gains Call Assets
Google seems to be testing showing call assets on Vehicle Ads within Google Search. So on the Vehicle Ads there is a way to call the dealer or seller, like you see on some other ads.
What Is E-E-A-T in SEO in 2026 – Shaun Anderson and Edward Sturm
I was on the Edward Every Day Youtube show discussing E-E-A-T with Edward Sturm. Here are the actual links to Shaun Anderson’s articles on E-E-A-T (and closely related content) from Searchable.com and Hobo Web, so you can reference or cite them directl…
Contextual SEO: The “It Depends” Edition
This article (although a first draft) clarifies my current thinking on SEO and how I approach it today. My views are shaped by long-term, hands-on experience across multiple eras of search, including practices that no longer align with modern Google sy…
Google Search Ranking Volatility January 6th With AdSense Earnings Drops
There are a number of SEOs and site owners complaining that they saw a large drop in Google Search rankings yesterday, January 6, 2026. This unconfirmed Google update does not feel as widespread as some of the previous ones we reported on but I wanted…
Google Merchant Center Updates Multi-Channel Products Rules
Google will update how it handles multi-channel products, products sold both online and locally in the store, to help with managing inventory. Google emailed merchants that this applies to and the changes go into effect this March.
Microsoft Tests Larger Ask Copilot Button On Bing Home Page
Microsoft is testing a much larger “Ask Copilot” button on the Bing home page. Normally, Bing only has a small Copilot logo on the right of the search box but in this test, Bing writes it all out – “Ask Copilot” with the logo.
Google Personalizing Some AI Overviews & AI Mode Answers
Google’s Robby Stein confirmed (again) that Google is personalizing some of the AI experiences, including AI Overviews and AI Mode. He said this on the CNN, Terms of Service podcast with Clare Duffy.
Google Hiring Search Intelligence Chief of Staff
Google is hiring a Chief of Staff on Search Intelligence, Strategy and Operations. This job is to “help architect the next era of Search with AI,” Rajan Patel, the Vice President of Search Engineering of Google, posted on LinkedIn.
Site Kit by Google integration available for all Yoast customers
This first release of 2026 brings Site Kit by Google insights into your Yoast SEO Dashboard. After introducing the integration in phases throughout 2025, we are pleased to share that the rollout is now complete and available to all Yoast customers using WordPress. What you can see in your Yoast SEO Dashboard You can now view key performance data […]
The post Site Kit by Google integration available for all Yoast customers appeared first on Yoast.
Google Hiring AI Answers & Search Quality Software Engineer
Google posted a new job listing looking to hire a new Senior Software Engineer, Search, AI Answers Quality. The job post says “Help the AI Answers Quality team deliver AI Overviews to users’ hard and complicated queries on the SRP and in AI Mode.”