This week, we covered two unconfirmed Google search ranking updates, one mid-week and one over the weekend - some were pretty big. Google said Reddit gets no special preference in its search rankings or AI results. Google Search Console can indeed show AI Mode queries, just not where you expect them. Google crawled send HTTP requests for GET and POST but also HEAD, OPTIONS, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE. Google Assistant will be replaced by Gemini on mobile devices on September 4th. I posted the big Google Webmaster Report. Bing Webmaster Tools promises page and query level filtering. Google Ads test anchor text in sponsored result descriptions. Google Ads has a new video Q&A on the August 17 bidding update. Google Ads ad preview and diagnosis tool is broken. Google Product Listing Ads has a new Deal Ends annotation pilot. Google Ads won’t let free email accounts make some sensitive changes in Google Ads. Google Ads will migrate Automatically created assets and campaign-level broad match setting to AI Max starting on September 1, 2026. Microsoft Advertising has new enclose audience ads placements within PMax and age exclusions. ChatGPT Ads have new ad formats and feature updates. Google has some massive leadership changes in its AI department, including Jeff Dean leaving and Demis Hassabis taking on a new role. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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1:11 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Into August 5th & 6th

1:36 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Hits August 1st & Heats Up Into August 3rd

1:52 - Google: Reddit Gets No Special Preference In Google Search Rankings

2:33 - Google Search Console Shows AI Mode Queries, Not In Generative AI Reports

3:58 - Google Crawlers Send HTTP Requests: HEAD, OPTIONS, PUT, PATCH, DELETE

4:19 - Google Assistant Shutting Down On Mobile Devices On September 4

4:49 - August 2026 Google Webmaster Report

5:04 - Bing Webmaster Tools Page & Query Level Filtering Coming To Reports

5:30 - Google Ads Tests Anchor Text Hyperlinks In Ad Descriptions

6:00 - Google Ads Live Tests Of Strong Match Labels

6:46 - Google Ads Video Q&A On August 17 Bidding Update